HUGE TranzDem Request- Paid project

[kdescente]

1057 kilometers Point A (Vancouver, BC) to Point B (Calgary, AB) in 1:24k DEM required. I would also require this to be applied to basemaps, which I realise this would either be in seperate modules joined within Trainz 2010.

Not for the USE of TransDEM, but for the effort, time, stress and skill required to build this corridor, I am willing to make a modest financial contribution to be negotiated. I am a reasonable guy who has no problems with paying for something of value, which this certainly is for me.

Attached is a Google Earth image giving an outline of the area I require.

Please excuse my ignorance if this has been requested before, or if the financial offer is taboo- I do not mean to annoy, offend or break any rules. I just really need this corridor and do not have the time or skill required to pull off a reasonable rendition.

I am eagerly awaiting the release of the Calgary to Revelstoke CP Rail line in creation at present by another member here, and do not mean to step on his toes. However, I would like this project to include terrain all the way to the Vancouver coastline. Ideally, to run a CP train in TRS2010 from Vancouver to Calgary, which involves several subdivisions.

Please respond as you feel appropriate. Again, I am aware that this is a LARGE request and will be very appreciative of anyone who wishes to take this job on!

Thanks in advance!

 

[gawpo50]

Map

Yep can do that one for you. Let me know if you want to go ahead and I will work out a n estimate of time involved.

Peter

 

[cascaderailroad]

WoW thats like 657 miles ... alot more baseboards than 10,000

 

[geophil]

Not for the USE of TransDEM, but for the effort, time, stress and skill required to build this corridor, I am willing to make a modest financial contribution to be negotiated.

I am sorry to interfere, but the standard TransDEM license does not permit commercial use - for obvious reasons, you listed them: "effort, time, stress and skill required" applies to software development the very same way it does to using this software, to a far greater extent, though.

 

[backyard]

Your options...?

Either find a TransDEM user with a commercial license, or buy TransDEM...well worth the investment!

 

[mrscsi]

Either find a TransDEM user with a commercial license, or buy TransDEM...well worth the investment!

If I were going to do a 600 mile route my price would be considerably more than the cost of the software but that's just me I tend to inflate the value of my time...Wife tells me so anyway:hehe:

 

[Vern]

Think this might be pushing the limits of the Trainz software and I doubt Transdem could do all that line of route in one hit either.

In terms of creation time, assuming this is being done in spare/hobby time you might expect to get around 20 - 25 miles a month done, less in built up or dense areas. That's getting on for three years to do one route.

The OP might want to think about something less ambitious, perhaps a Division of 40 - 50 miles which can be released then extended, working in stages.

I can only speak for myself but I have the greatest difficulty keeping up the motivation for a project that will take three months, let alone three years. I admire the OP's intentions but think you really need to be thinking in more modest terms.

The closest counterpart I can think of is the UK ECML included in TS2010 but even that doesn't approach what is proposed here and has been assembled over a period of years by a group of people.

 

[geophil]

[OT]
Vern,

Paderborn to Kassel, the Zusi 3 developers' reference route, has been started around five years ago. Early 2008 all assets were added to a version management system which makes it easy for reviewing history. I just checked the Altenbeken module. We are currently at revision 151, updated three days ago. Some routes do take longer than a few months. Total length around 120 km.
[/OT]

 

[kdescente]

Think this might be pushing the limits of the Trainz software and I doubt Transdem could do all that line of route in one hit either.

Thanks for your replies guys. Looks like I did bite off quite a mouthful eh?! I hadnt thought of weather Trainz could handle a route that long; after consideration of that aspect, I think youre right... Trainz may come to a grinding hault complete with smoke and flames from the CPU/GPU lol.

Modules, after doing about 24 hours of consecutive research, is the way to go I believe. At 50 mile increments... holy doodle... However, I am after just the DEM boards and track. Scenery would be done by me- over a span of a long time. (years... and years...)

Vancouver to Kamloops- a distance of roughly 250 miles. A much smaller chunk of work. That would make more sence in retrospect, especially seeing as Kamloops to Calgary is already being created, as mentioned, by another member. Thoughts, ideas, input on this revised idea?? Please feel free to share your thoughts on todays revision!

 

[mrscsi]

Thanks for your replies guys. Looks like I did bite off quite a mouthful eh?! I hadnt thought of weather Trainz could handle a route that long; after consideration of that aspect, I think youre right... Trainz may come to a grinding hault complete with smoke and flames from the CPU/GPU lol.

Modules, after doing about 24 hours of consecutive research, is the way to go I believe. At 50 mile increments... holy doodle... However, I am after just the DEM boards and track. Scenery would be done by me- over a span of a long time. (years... and years...)

Vancouver to Kamloops- a distance of roughly 250 miles. A much smaller chunk of work. That would make more sence in retrospect, especially seeing as Kamloops to Calgary is already being created, as mentioned, by another member. Thoughts, ideas, input on this revised idea?? Please feel free to share your thoughts on todays revision!

Ok might I suggest since geophil has already stated that the personal license does not allow for commercial work instead of soliciting what will surely cost more than 30 dollars you consider purchasing the program at http://www.rolandziegler.de/StreckeUndLandschaft/startseiteTransDEMEngl.htm

geophil has created a stellar program and offers great support and tutorials at http://forum.transdem.de/

And the rest of us registered users are normally willing to help you with the learning curve and in the long run you will be better for it...

 

[RoysTrainz]

Not surprised but still amazing nobody refer to my Vancouver Calgary WIP 7 years

When i started reading this thread slowly I started looking wondering nobody refer to me not even cascaderailroad who pm'd me on my work long time ago.
No not surprised and never ask for flowers better buy them yourself.
Yes I use and prepared Transdem files on this huge route and I do not fear any 'competition' in the contrary it will show what real trainz and relentless efforts of making the best allow and make a 'close' to prototypical route of that proportion.
I not share the details and the burden that is one to find out themselves but for sure you don't know what you start unless your criteria are made for midgets to jump over that wall.
I noted that in my older threads where i collected many picts and posted them they were all deleted by auran probably I stored them in trianzdev and they cleaned up that link....well my route is making progress in the sense of meeting criteria before moving on again after many 'quality' delays and professional work in private life.
Last but not least you need a good very good computer with the latest bells and whistles to keep pace and still enjoy crashed by trainz dbase and wonder why you still keep on doing this marvelous hobby.
It's a hobby and a nice one.
Phil thanks again for the good job you did years ago I still enjoy the fruit of that work.
Good luck

Roy

 

[kdescente]

Ok might I suggest since geophil has already stated that the personal license does not allow for commercial work instead of soliciting what will surely cost more than 30 dollars you consider purchasing the program at http://www.rolandziegler.de/StreckeUndLandschaft/startseiteTransDEMEngl.htm

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I am infact a licensed, registered owner of Roland's TransDem software. I lack the time to be able to learn the software properly, and apply it to this project. I have tried- and failed miserably at a few attempts at this myself... But the biggest factor is time to learn the software that I simply dont have.:'(

 

[HiBaller]

Even a 250 mile segment will take a lot of years to complete. We had around 4 or 5 of us working on the Darjeeling route, which was only 57 miles long and it took us over three years.

Taking a look at the Google Earth coverage of your route, I'd go for maybe 40 or 50 mile modules - if that.

Bill

 

[JCitron]

It's not just the amount of time involved with this type of project, but the stability of the route once it's built. As you know there's a lot more to a route than just the tracks and the terrain. By the time you add in your vegetation, buildings, splines, and other details, this will put even more of a burden on your's or anyone else's machine. And. This is way before you've added any rolling stock or locomotives. A route this size would definitely bring any machine to its knees no matter what!

The other thing too, with really huge routes, it's also quite difficult to manage the data. By keeping the route to a 40-50 mile segment, there's a better chance of saving the project to removable media than trying to backup the complete route.

Another thought comes to mind. If you intend to build the complete route, and in sections, you could use the iPortal to hand-off trains to the different sections of the route as you go from one area to another.

John

 

[Jerker]

G'day kdescente,

...you wrote...

..."...Sorry, I should have mentioned that I am infact a licensed, registered owner of Roland's TransDem software..."...

...which changes the whole scenario. Exactly which aspect of the "learning curve" of TransDEM, aside from the time (which if one is truly dedicated to one's hobby, one makes) of course, is causing you concern? I am sure that the rest of us TransDEM users will be only too pleased to assist you over any hurdles you might be having.

Jerker {}

 

[backyard]

...no limits...

As long as you use the Find Object tool for navigation instead of fly-over or manipulating the mini-map you won't have problems, because Trainz dumps practically every cache at the drop of a hat...especially if you stay in the cab whilst operating.

TransDEM is only affected by terrain elevation. Since your talking real mountains, 50-miles may be too large to deal with. Twenty or Thirty easy miles beats all day at 50-miles...

Now, have you ever thought about what running a 600-mile route is like? Like how many days it takes a train to run at 8 or 10 hours a day? Your logging off, taking a shower, eat & going to bed tired. Even if you staged 20-30 trains, you will eventually be board out of your mind...burned out, or simply go out of your mind...especially if you have a crash a couple of hundred miles out...
And then, there is the matter of uploading to share....

 

[mrscsi]

As long as you use the Find Object tool for navigation instead of fly-over or manipulating the mini-map you won't have problems, because Trainz dumps practically every cache at the drop of a hat...especially if you stay in the cab whilst operating.

TransDEM is only affected by terrain elevation. Since your talking real mountains, 50-miles may be too large to deal with. Twenty or Thirty easy miles beats all day at 50-miles...

Now, have you ever thought about what running a 600-mile route is like? Like how many days it takes a train to run at 8 or 10 hours a day? Your logging off, taking a shower, eat & going to bed tired. Even if you staged 20-30 trains, you will eventually be board out of your mind...burned out, or simply go out of your mind...especially if you have a crash a couple of hundred miles out...
And then, there is the matter of uploading to share....

I'm going out of my mind just tracking the Barstow main yard...

 

[OverlordNZ]

I am sorry to interfere, but the standard TransDEM license does not permit commercial use - for obvious reasons, you listed them: "effort, time, stress and skill required" applies to software development the very same way it does to using this software, to a far greater extent, though.

I'm pretty sure the 'not for commercial use' means you can't profit from it. If the one doing this 'and paying people' for it is not planning on selling the route or otherwise making money off it I don't see any license violation..

--

 

[mrscsi]

I'm pretty sure the 'not for commercial use' means you can't profit from it. If the one doing this 'and paying people' for it is not planning on selling the route or otherwise making money off it I don't see any license violation..

--

I guess geophil would have to sort that out. I remember a post not long ago where someone who was unemployed was offering to make maps for a fee.

Now I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. I do sympathize with being unemployed but paying $30 to someone who has spent years developing this tool for a personal license and then taking it and offering to use it for a fee kind of sticks in my crawl...

I have a vested interest I've bought the program and want development on it to continue. I'm sure all the other registered users feel the same way. Actually I wish N3V and Geophil could somehow get together and license it as a built-in tool for trainz...

I think everybody who uses trainz should pony up 30 bucks and buy it. I'm actually trying to do my part by putting some route samples online for free download...

And I'll admit that I came to the party really really late...

After seeing what it can do I wish I had bought it when it first was released. But anyway I'm rambling on at this point. I just believe out of courtesy that registered users shouldn't profit by using it, because $30 really truly shouldn't give you the right to potentially make hundreds of times that amount with it unless you have an explicit commercial license...

 

[cascaderailroad]

My route is huge enough at @ 80 miles, with 5 branchlines scattering out in all different directions. I don't know why anyone would want a route that is an entire RR Division, that would take @ 11+ hours to run ... I think even a 100 mile route would get boring, quick, riding in the cab.

Seems that eveyone wants a huge DEM, a mega route.

Small routes are best.

Sometimes I think that the PRR East Slope & West Slope are just two sliding boards up and over the mountain summit.