like most people

[ad602000]

I was going to build the biggest and the best layout ever. Then after laying 3kms of track it was obvious to me that My skills weren't that good. I have got the hang of laying smooth track after having read copious tutorials. My problem is, when laying track and smoothing spline etc. the track embankment (where needed) created by TRS appears to be way to wide to look prototypical. I have seen layouts either on the PC or in screenshots, where the embankment profile is much more realistic. Can somebody advise how this is achieved?

cheers
pete

 

[ejlynch]

I was going to build the biggest and the best layout ever. Then after laying 3kms of track it was obvious to me that My skills weren't that good. I have got the hang of laying smooth track after having read copious tutorials. My problem is, when laying track and smoothing spline etc. the track embankment (where needed) created by TRS appears to be way to wide to look prototypical. I have seen layouts either on the PC or in screenshots, where the embankment profile is much more realistic. Can somebody advise how this is achieved?

cheers
pete

Lay the track.
Make the embankment
Move thre track over closer to the embankment
Manually raise the opposite side to suit , VERY carefully !!!

That is my way of doing things.
cheers

 

[ad602000]

thanks for that, but what do you do in the case where the track lies higher than surrounding countryside, i.e. the track is on top of the raised ground with downward slopes both sides?.

I've also noticed that some people seem to be able to get the bas board grid running in all different directions at once. How is this done?

pete

 

[lewisner]

Using the "Smooth Spline" button is a quick but not very accurate way to make Cuttings and Embankments because the angle of the sides will be far too shallow.A better way is to lay the track at the height you want and raise or lower the graound so that you have a roughly 45 degree angle to the sides.I als make a point of painting the cutting and embankment sides with a coarse type of grass (grass a1) and making surrounded fields a different (usually finer) type of grass to emphasise that the railside grass is uncultivated.

 

[dreddman]

HA! Like me Pete when you finaly raise your head from Gmax You forget how to play Trainz or never got round to learning how to play Trainz I create all these things with no where to drive em lol back to the test layout

 

[FootplatePhil]

Hi Pete - interested to hear your having a crack at a layout - would that be the Goulburn to Bomballa branch ? Looking forward to hear how you go. On the embankment, lewisner is on the money with his instructions. I would add that its easier to lay embankments parrallel or at 45 degrees to the grid, and through the centre of the squares, so I try and 'fudge' alignments slightly if I can, when I have long sections of straight line. If your modelling a real world prototype of cause there are limitations to how much you can 'fudge'. And too much use of angles which are a factor of 45 degrees isn't the best look either. On using the "Smooth Spline" - mostly I avoid it as it creates embankments which are to wide. Also, using it you can still get a small gap between ground and track, so you get a floating rails effect.
Phil.

 

[ad602000]

Hi Phil,

No that was going to be the big layout, but the raised ground under the track looks so clunky, so I thought I would have a go at a small one first, saw an interesting article on the Woolgoolga tramway recently, I figure it will be under 20 boards, basically a narrow gauge logging layout on the north coast. Two private lines heading down to a jetty, nothing fancy no signaling on this one to primitive a setup.

good to see your head up

Dreddman did you get my PM re that piece of rollingstock?

cheers
pete