Alabama_Railfan
New member
Ok, lets be honest for a moment. I am 14 years old with nearly no Surveyor experience, I want to know how to make grades, 1-1.5% and an easy way to make even curves that wont blow my mind, HELP PLEASE! 
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How to Make Grades and Smooth Curves
- Thread starter Alabama_Railfan
- Start date
Alabama_Railfan
New member
Do you know off hand which is for grades, I read the one on curves, thanks so much!
I'm not sure, but I think the first part does. Simply put, you can make a grade by setting the spline height of one vertex higher than the previous point. A 1% grade will have the second spline point 1 foot higher than the first; a 1.5% will have the second vertex 1.5 feet higher than the first, and so on. You can use the Smooth Spline button on the track menu to fill in any terrain underneath the tracks.
In surveyor, click on the track tab, and go to advanced. you will see4 buttons then 2 sets of boxes underneath. The first set of boxes is your grade. Type in the grade you want (IE 1 for 1%, 1.5 for 1.5%) and click on the track you want to raise. this should now raise the track. Let us know if you need some diagrams
cascaderailroad
New member
Curves in Trainz is something that I haven't mastered, there are "curve guides" and "curve radius", but I prefer using assembled sectios of FT 150m Radius Track for yard switches, and FT 300m Radius Track for mainline, and slide single track over top of the FT Track spline points.
I sometimes use "Turnout Number 8R/L Lever" animated switches to get curves to conform, and replace them with single track at a later date.
I like to make my crossovers 300' long measured point to point using the Trainz ruler.
The Hold Shift/Don't Hold Shift KB key keeps tracks from clicking together like mag-a-nets'.
I sometimes use "Turnout Number 8R/L Lever" animated switches to get curves to conform, and replace them with single track at a later date.
I like to make my crossovers 300' long measured point to point using the Trainz ruler.
The Hold Shift/Don't Hold Shift KB key keeps tracks from clicking together like mag-a-nets'.
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When adding a gradient, be sure to click somewhere in the first half of the track. If you click in the second half of the track, the gradient will go the opposite direction.
When installing curves, I always add a straight section of track at each end of the curve. I then use the ruler to draw a straight line between the spline points at each end of the curve. This forms a bow between the curve and the ruler. At the center of the ruler you'll find a dimension showing its length .
Draw another line (or sight by eye) from this point to the curve. Keep it as perpendicular as possible, add a spline point to the curve, and remove any existing spline points. Trainz will create a Bezier curve on both sides of the center spline point.
If the curve is very long, draw additional rulers between the center spline point and the ends of the original curve, and add more spline points. Adjustments to the curve can then made by moving the spline points in or out. I usually do this by eye.
Do this for the entire run of track that you are working on, and then install your gradients.
I've used this method on all of my routes.
Joe
When installing curves, I always add a straight section of track at each end of the curve. I then use the ruler to draw a straight line between the spline points at each end of the curve. This forms a bow between the curve and the ruler. At the center of the ruler you'll find a dimension showing its length .
Draw another line (or sight by eye) from this point to the curve. Keep it as perpendicular as possible, add a spline point to the curve, and remove any existing spline points. Trainz will create a Bezier curve on both sides of the center spline point.
If the curve is very long, draw additional rulers between the center spline point and the ends of the original curve, and add more spline points. Adjustments to the curve can then made by moving the spline points in or out. I usually do this by eye.
Do this for the entire run of track that you are working on, and then install your gradients.
I've used this method on all of my routes.
Joe
I just have the mini-map open when doing trackwork and have that showing the gradients (press the flashing green light to open the drop down menu). As for curves, just straighten the two either end and that will do for most curves, however some of the longer curves, (like one that would do 180deg) I would insert just one more spline point in the middle of the curve, then drag that out a bit until it looks smooth.
G'day Alabama_Railfan,
..I would just like to add a little extra to the remarks made by RRSignal, who has the 'concept' he is endeavoring to impart correct but needs a little help with his 'math'...
...I will start by saying categorically (and without malice) that I abhor the American practice of using 'percentages' to designate the 'rake' of a gradient, which everywhere else in the world is achieved by using the more traditional terminology of some distance "in" some other distance (for example 1 meter in 100 meters; 1 Foot in 100 Feet, et c.), ALWAYS with the first value being "1". This terminology can be IMMEDIATELY imagined, whereas, the 'concept' of percentages cannot. However, with some clever mental calculations (which can be difficult for those so "challenged"), a reference to grade as having 1%, can be envisaged if one takes the value provided (the 1%) and places this in the first part of the alternative statement and as these are percntage measurements ("out of 100"), one can then place the value 100 in the second place, thus giving a 'standard' 'rake' of 1 in 100. 1.5% would be 1.5 in 100 (which requires some further 'calculation', in the form of Fractional Arithmetic), to arrive at the gradient of 1 in 66; a grade of 2% translates as 2 in 100 or 1 in 50 and so forth...
..as RRSignal has indicated (albeit, improperly), this 'math' then translates on the ground as a rise of the first value after the 'passing' of the second value (in distance) along the entire length of the grade. To clarify this (using the '1 in 100' example), if the length of the grade were 100 units long, then the lower end (let's say it starts at a height of 0), would be 1 unit (and the actual units ARE irrelevant) below the height of the other end. If the length of the grade were double the original length (200 units), then the height at the high end would be 2 units higher and so on...
Jekrer {
}
..I would just like to add a little extra to the remarks made by RRSignal, who has the 'concept' he is endeavoring to impart correct but needs a little help with his 'math'...
...I will start by saying categorically (and without malice) that I abhor the American practice of using 'percentages' to designate the 'rake' of a gradient, which everywhere else in the world is achieved by using the more traditional terminology of some distance "in" some other distance (for example 1 meter in 100 meters; 1 Foot in 100 Feet, et c.), ALWAYS with the first value being "1". This terminology can be IMMEDIATELY imagined, whereas, the 'concept' of percentages cannot. However, with some clever mental calculations (which can be difficult for those so "challenged"), a reference to grade as having 1%, can be envisaged if one takes the value provided (the 1%) and places this in the first part of the alternative statement and as these are percntage measurements ("out of 100"), one can then place the value 100 in the second place, thus giving a 'standard' 'rake' of 1 in 100. 1.5% would be 1.5 in 100 (which requires some further 'calculation', in the form of Fractional Arithmetic), to arrive at the gradient of 1 in 66; a grade of 2% translates as 2 in 100 or 1 in 50 and so forth...
..as RRSignal has indicated (albeit, improperly), this 'math' then translates on the ground as a rise of the first value after the 'passing' of the second value (in distance) along the entire length of the grade. To clarify this (using the '1 in 100' example), if the length of the grade were 100 units long, then the lower end (let's say it starts at a height of 0), would be 1 unit (and the actual units ARE irrelevant) below the height of the other end. If the length of the grade were double the original length (200 units), then the height at the high end would be 2 units higher and so on...
Jekrer {
}