How do I get a smooth grade?
- Thread starter 4449tj
- Start date
cascaderailroad
New member
If you are working on flat baseboards, you can type in an "Apply Gradient" numeral (I suggest that you keep it well under 1.75%).
You go to the beginning spline point circle, and hit just a meter or so ahead of it, and apply that gradient numeral ... and continue on down the track, hittig after each spline point circle.
You must keep checking backwards, checking your work, as mistakes happen, and missing (skipping) just one spline point circle will throw your gradient way off.
If you are working on a DEM you will find that the prototype RR had leaps and dips, and cuts and fills in the terrain, and the gradients varried by as much as up to 2%, and leaps and dips varried (for example) by 0.01% to 0.50% on different sections of track.
See:
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/TrainZoom.jpg
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/Screen_001-47_zpsa08109c0.jpg
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/Screen_002-37_zps95b08249.jpg
http://s525.photobucket.com/user/cascaderailroad/media/Movie_0001_zps2c3e61f3.mp4.html
You go to the beginning spline point circle, and hit just a meter or so ahead of it, and apply that gradient numeral ... and continue on down the track, hittig after each spline point circle.
You must keep checking backwards, checking your work, as mistakes happen, and missing (skipping) just one spline point circle will throw your gradient way off.
If you are working on a DEM you will find that the prototype RR had leaps and dips, and cuts and fills in the terrain, and the gradients varried by as much as up to 2%, and leaps and dips varried (for example) by 0.01% to 0.50% on different sections of track.
See:
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/TrainZoom.jpg
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/Screen_001-47_zpsa08109c0.jpg
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/Screen_002-37_zps95b08249.jpg
http://s525.photobucket.com/user/cascaderailroad/media/Movie_0001_zps2c3e61f3.mp4.html
mezzoprezzo
Content appreciator
Use the Smooth spline height button (shorcut key 'S'), on each spline section. That will raise the ground up to track level, or create a cutting in buried track.
It will only do this in the immediate vicinity of the track, although it will spread a little further with more mouse button depressions.
mezzoprezzo
Content appreciator
You can use invisible tracks and lay them like circular map contours, or long straight lines. Just place them wherever you want and smooth them.
You can leave them where they are whilst route building and they wont show in Driver. However, it's best to delete them eventually when finished with because too many could create a performance hit on your PC.
You can leave them where they are whilst route building and they wont show in Driver. However, it's best to delete them eventually when finished with because too many could create a performance hit on your PC.
mezzoprezzo
Content appreciator
I tend to create my landscapes first, then lay the track through the valleys and hills using the Smooth spline height tool to tidy it all up. That way is easier. You are also emulating nature and therefore, I think, get a more realistic result.
That means using the terrain tools first to create your hills, valleys and mountains.
That means using the terrain tools first to create your hills, valleys and mountains.
mezzoprezzo
Content appreciator
I'm not totally clear on how this might look.
Is it based on a real place? If so you might consider a DEM software package to create the terrain and coloured lines to show where roads and rail tracks need to be placed. (I've not used a DEM, so someone else would need to give you the right advice).
However, if you are making something original are you planning a long straight incline, or a more natural climb from low to high ground? If it's the latter, then it is likely to have curves bridges and tunnels as the railway gradually gains altitude. There are some tricks to doing this, one of which after creating your landscape, is to lay one long piece of track from the lowest to the highest point. Then Apply vertex height to one end which should create a sloping angled track from top to bottom (you might need to Get vertex height for each value and apply it).
The long angled track will become airborne in places, and be buried elsewhere in your landscape. This doesn't matter at this stage. You can use wireframe mode to see the track through your terrain.
You can then use the Insert spline point tool between, adding more spline points between the two ends. The new points will automatically be set to the correct height for their position on the sloping track. Add as many as you need to pull and bend the track around the terrain. It's not perfect from an engineering point of view because the gradients will alter slightly as you move the spline points away from their original positions, but it give quite acceptable results. You can always adjust the heights anyway.
Is it based on a real place? If so you might consider a DEM software package to create the terrain and coloured lines to show where roads and rail tracks need to be placed. (I've not used a DEM, so someone else would need to give you the right advice).
However, if you are making something original are you planning a long straight incline, or a more natural climb from low to high ground? If it's the latter, then it is likely to have curves bridges and tunnels as the railway gradually gains altitude. There are some tricks to doing this, one of which after creating your landscape, is to lay one long piece of track from the lowest to the highest point. Then Apply vertex height to one end which should create a sloping angled track from top to bottom (you might need to Get vertex height for each value and apply it).
The long angled track will become airborne in places, and be buried elsewhere in your landscape. This doesn't matter at this stage. You can use wireframe mode to see the track through your terrain.
You can then use the Insert spline point tool between, adding more spline points between the two ends. The new points will automatically be set to the correct height for their position on the sloping track. Add as many as you need to pull and bend the track around the terrain. It's not perfect from an engineering point of view because the gradients will alter slightly as you move the spline points away from their original positions, but it give quite acceptable results. You can always adjust the heights anyway.
What you want is a smooth grade without those dips at each spline. Here's a tip someone else posted on the Forums, find a road that's six lanes, lay the road from top of your grade to the bottom of the grade in one continuous length, no splines, using the smooth tool, bring the terrain up to the road, remove the road and lay your track. If you want a wider roadbed, repeat.
John
John
cascaderailroad
New member
The "smooth spline" tool button will make cuts, and fills, through a mountain or hillside.
Guys, I am talking about the ground not the track. i know how to use the smooth spline tool and the like for track, what i want to know is, is there a surveyor tool that will make that nice slope at any grade percent I say and that i can curve and also fill the whole baseboard with.
Thanks in advance
TJ
Thanks in advance
TJ
mezzoprezzo
Content appreciator
No........
mezzoprezzo
Content appreciator
Just an afterthought - I don’t know if TS12 has a choice of Displacement Maps available.
I use an older version which, amongst the choice of various shapes of valley, hill, and volcano displacement maps, provides a pre-defined slope in the Topology flyout. Although you can make it any size you want on your baseboard, the angle unfortunately isn’t variable.
Edit: Correction - you can vary it by using the Threshold dial! I've just learnt something new tonight!
If you have the facility, and this angle is OK for you, it could be your lucky day! Edit: Go change that angle!!!
I use an older version which, amongst the choice of various shapes of valley, hill, and volcano displacement maps, provides a pre-defined slope in the Topology flyout. Although you can make it any size you want on your baseboard, the angle unfortunately isn’t variable.
Edit: Correction - you can vary it by using the Threshold dial! I've just learnt something new tonight!
If you have the facility, and this angle is OK for you, it could be your lucky day! Edit: Go change that angle!!!
Last edited:
Apart from using DEM, I use the topology tools. For example, I first use the height tool at various spaces across the base board which I set at different heights (say 20 leave a gap 30, leave a gap 40 and so on). The length of each gap will determine the slope of the final ground. In effect, I am creating a 3D topographical map with contours set at 10 metre intervals. Having done that I then fill the gaps using the plateau tool which I run at an angle of around 45 degrees from the higher point to the lower point. Depending on the severity of the desired slope I adjust the sensitivity accordingly. With a bit of practice you end up with pretty realistic looking topography to be finished off using the hill and valley tools to create headlands or hilltops as well as building in re-entrants (the steeper the slope the more numerous will be the amount of re-entrants, as those are created by natural water run-off). I am happy to include demonstration shots if people are interested.RegardsBob
Please do.
TJ