Grades

[butter]

Hey Guys, So, Could someone explain, grades? Like i don't get it at all! How would you Make them in Trainz06??? I Am really curious to this! Please, any help is appreciated. thanks!

 

[rweber95]

Grade is expressed as a percentage and is found by dividing the rise by the distance. For example, if a track slopes such that it is 1 meter higher at the end of a 100 meters that is 1/100 or 0.01. Multiply by 100 to get percent so this would be a 1% grade. In British units a 1 foot rise in 100 feet is the same 1/100 = 0.01 or 1% grade.

Bob

 

[butter]

Thanks! But....

Is there a way to make this happen in trainz?

 

[rweber95]

Yes. In Surveyor, when you select Track (F4) and lay a length of track then click on Advanced to get the 3 heighth adjustment tools. The top is spline, the middle is gradient and the bottom is vertex height. The gradient tool lets you enter a number in the box for percent grade. 1% is 1.00. Then select apply gradient and click on the vertex circle at one end of the track and the other end of the track will raise up by 1%. Negative gradients will lower the other end. The 'Get Vertex Height' tool will return the actual height in meters.

Bob

 

[cascaderailroad]

Experementing with all the tools takes some getting used to...try on a practice board first...it is rather easy once you get the idea of how it works... any problems let me know ?

 

[TSwenson]

tips on grade experimenting

By all means, experiment!!!

I have a whole set of boards called "experiment", and you guessed it, where I try all sorts of things. I have tried everything on it from basic track laying to scenery and commodities. Please note here that I use TRS2004, however the basic principles still apply.

Experiment with everything, from manually building in the gradient to testing consist size.

I found a good way to learn about grades is to 'manually' build a grade. With the grid lines visible lay a section of track that aligns with the grid so that it is contained in a rectangle that is one grid square (10m) wide; make sure one endpoint is aligned on the grid line and the track is straight. From this point, call it point 'B', in a straight line measure out 10 grid squares (100m) and then elevate the eleventh square by 2m. Raise the next 9 squares by 2m (so that you have 10 squares). From point 'B' lay track to near edge of the first elevated square, so that the two spline points of the track are approximately 100m apart. Then use the 'smooth spline' tool (or its equivalent in '06) to smooth out the terrain under the track. Repeat this process (using the each successive endpoint as point 'B") sufficiently to gain an elevation of 10m. You can now go back and look at the gradient with the "get gradient' tool, you should have a grade between 1.9% and 2.1%.

Play with the tools until you understand what each does, and I mean play. Really goof around with them, ever wonder what a 100% grade looks like? Have fun and look at it from a 'what will this do' perspective. If you don't like what happened that's what the 'undo' and the 'X' buttons are for....

So the steps are easy: 1. Have fun. 2. Learn from your experience. 3. Repeat as necessary.




Repeat as necessary!

 

[Roadwolf]

Indeed! for many months I struggled with terrain trying to match it to my grades. Till I finally found the function of the 'Smooth spline height' tool... that makes it a lot easier!