Is 3,000m the limit for track spline heights in Trainz?

JonMyrlennBailey

Well-known member
I can't get my track any higher than this in TS 2022. I'm trying to lay a helicopter route in West From Denver. I got through Rollins Pass to the east portal of Moffat Tunnel. I won't be able get my drivable whirly bird (startup Army Huey) to climb over James Peak, Colorado, Rocky Mountains, Continental Divide west to Winter Park Resort one the west portal of the tunnel. I'm not sure a Bell helicopter is capable of such altitudes anyway. The Moffat Tunnel is some 2,800+ meters above sea level. In Surveyor Classic, I ran my helicopter line from over the city of Denver on the east part of this route thus far. I guess this bird will have to turn around here at the at portal and head back to Denver which is a mile high. Those goats won't be getting buzzed by my drive-able Huey.


pichost
 
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The height range for the terrain in Trainz has always been from -3000m to +3000m. I am guessing that this may also apply to spline heights as well but I have never had to test that.

If you really do need to add a mountain or spline that exceeds 3000m (9,842ft) in height then there is a relatively simple mathematical trick you can use.
  1. Identify the highest point above 3000m that has to be added. For example, 4045m (13,271ft)
  2. Identify a baseline point below this, lets say 2000m, where you will start scaling the height changes. The difference between the two is 2025m (4045-2000= 2025). This has to be scaled down to 1000m (the difference between 3000m and 2000m).
  3. The ratio of the two height differences is 2025/1000 = 2.025, roughly 2 to 1.
  4. So every 2m increase in real height above your baseline point (2000m) has to be reduced to a 1m height difference above 2000m in Trainz height.
  5. Or, if you prefer every 20m real height increase above 2000m is 10m in Trainz height, or every 200m in real height becomes 100m in Trainz height.
Sure, it is not "real world" but unless someone is a real accuracy fanatic or nut (like a "rivet counter") who is going to notice?

EDIT: An alternative method that must be applied from the very start of route building is to set your Region asset to a base height of -2000m (or so) and simply adjust all your heights by that amount - so 4025m becomes 2025m which is below the upper limit of 3000m.
 
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Thank you, pware, but since I am editing the pre-existing West From Denver already, I will forgo all this trouble. Why Trainz software engineers limit heights like this, I can't say. I wonder how this limitation might affect the route creation of Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada. My ultimate dream route for Trainz would be Sparks, Nevada to Sacramento, California via the Roseville yard in Placer County. Amtrak California Zephyr follows this route which is Union Pacific right-of-way.
 
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