Ordnance survey maps
- Thread starter 72Glory
- Start date
stagecoach
75377
You can download the 1km basemaps from the DLS. keep them in a separate folder in your custom folder for ease of use. Goto www.streetmap.co.uk select the area required and zoom to 1000m and the centre square can be saved using right click save picture as. Convert image to a jpg file. replace the basemap image with this new image. Now just open surveyor and use the basemap as you would an object.
A little bit more about the basemaps...
Stagecoach is right. The basemaps are the way to go. I've used them a couple of times to layout some model railroad routes.
You have to edit the basemap-objects, and use the .jpg, or bmp (which is recommended over jpegs) as the bitmap image, and resize them to fit the basemap.
The reason why I say to use bmps instead of jpegs is that jpegs tend to have a high compression, and they can cause your system to lag big time even in surveyor. This is because your video card has to uncompress them more on the fly to display them unlike the other formats which are less compressed. This is a common issue not just with Trainz, or even 3D modeling. I've seen this with the Harlequin RIP when sending jobs to an imagesetter or digital proofer such as a Prediction 2230.
Anyway, remember that the Basemap objects are 1000 x 1000 meters, and our baseboards are 720 x 720 meters so you'll have to add some extra baseboards around to fill in the open spaces if there are any.
I'm not at home at the moment so I can't remember the actual details about the basemaps, but the author has a nice tutorial on his web site.
John
Stagecoach is right. The basemaps are the way to go. I've used them a couple of times to layout some model railroad routes.
You have to edit the basemap-objects, and use the .jpg, or bmp (which is recommended over jpegs) as the bitmap image, and resize them to fit the basemap.
The reason why I say to use bmps instead of jpegs is that jpegs tend to have a high compression, and they can cause your system to lag big time even in surveyor. This is because your video card has to uncompress them more on the fly to display them unlike the other formats which are less compressed. This is a common issue not just with Trainz, or even 3D modeling. I've seen this with the Harlequin RIP when sending jobs to an imagesetter or digital proofer such as a Prediction 2230.
Anyway, remember that the Basemap objects are 1000 x 1000 meters, and our baseboards are 720 x 720 meters so you'll have to add some extra baseboards around to fill in the open spaces if there are any.
I'm not at home at the moment so I can't remember the actual details about the basemaps, but the author has a nice tutorial on his web site.
John
There are nine basemaps called ‘1km Basemap A’ to ‘1km Basemap I’ – KUIDS 119912:60004:2 to 119912:60012:2.
When you have downloaded them you will need to find them individually in your download folder and then it’s simply a matter of exchanging each 1024x1024 image file for the one you have created. Whatever you have named the map images, you will have to name them exactly the same as the image file they each replace.
I scanned my OS map, cut out each individual 1000mx1000m square, resized them all to 1024x1024 and stuck them in a folder I called ‘OS basemaps’. I named each square the same as the map square on the OS map e.g. ‘73 deg by 48 degs’ and so on. That way I only had to look at my map to know which ones to copy next. I never delete these squares, I always copy them to 1km Basemap folder so that I can recall a square out of my OS basemaps folder if I wish to use it again.
Note on scanning – The higher the resolution, the better the clarity in Surveyor. Scanning a 1 inch OS map at 600 dpi and cutting out the squares gives you an image of about 374x374 which you will then resize to 1024x1024. Try and keep the OS map 'square-on' in the scanner or you will have to rotate the image before you attempt to cut the squares out.
Dave
P.S. You might want to up the contrast of the basemaps.
When you have downloaded them you will need to find them individually in your download folder and then it’s simply a matter of exchanging each 1024x1024 image file for the one you have created. Whatever you have named the map images, you will have to name them exactly the same as the image file they each replace.
I scanned my OS map, cut out each individual 1000mx1000m square, resized them all to 1024x1024 and stuck them in a folder I called ‘OS basemaps’. I named each square the same as the map square on the OS map e.g. ‘73 deg by 48 degs’ and so on. That way I only had to look at my map to know which ones to copy next. I never delete these squares, I always copy them to 1km Basemap folder so that I can recall a square out of my OS basemaps folder if I wish to use it again.
Note on scanning – The higher the resolution, the better the clarity in Surveyor. Scanning a 1 inch OS map at 600 dpi and cutting out the squares gives you an image of about 374x374 which you will then resize to 1024x1024. Try and keep the OS map 'square-on' in the scanner or you will have to rotate the image before you attempt to cut the squares out.
Dave
P.S. You might want to up the contrast of the basemaps.
Last edited:
Capt_Haddock
New member
You could even go the whole hog (not to be confused with HOG) and use Switchdocs excellent MapMaker (download from http://trainz.luvr.net/projects-view.php?pid=743 ).
This enables you to combine Ordnance Survey maps with NASA STRM data to produce fully 3D routes. A bit fiddly to use but works very well as long as you follow Norbert’s instructions to the letter.
If you decide to give it a try let me know and I will have a go at writing a short tutorial adapting the procedure to work with OS maps.
Regards
Chris
This enables you to combine Ordnance Survey maps with NASA STRM data to produce fully 3D routes. A bit fiddly to use but works very well as long as you follow Norbert’s instructions to the letter.
If you decide to give it a try let me know and I will have a go at writing a short tutorial adapting the procedure to work with OS maps.
Regards
Chris
Another option is TransDEM. It's payware, though. See here for a tutorial with O/S maps, SRTM DEM and Planning Portal:
http://rapidshare.com/files/4092693/TransDEM-English-Routes.pdf.html
geophil
http://rapidshare.com/files/4092693/TransDEM-English-Routes.pdf.html
geophil
titaniclover
TS2010EE SP3; Build 49933
at trainzluvr when its finished downloading it tell me this file is invalid or corrupt. now what?
titaniclover
TS2010EE SP3; Build 49933
ok but i tryed it 3 times before posting.
Hi Geophil. Would you be kind enough to link to the TransDEM tutorial again please. I've decided to have a go at TransDEM after all and have two versions of my route, which will eventually cover all of the routes that existed in Nottinghamshire UK, during the '60s. It's going to be a long task, but I'm not going anywhere, God willing, as they say. 
The layout covers 862 baseboards so far and I can expect this to double at least. I'm 65 so if I create one baseboard a day to extend the layout, one day each to add scenery and texture, one day each to DEM the existing boa...... What's the life expectancy of a Geek?
Best wishes, Dave
The layout covers 862 baseboards so far and I can expect this to double at least. I'm 65 so if I create one baseboard a day to extend the layout, one day each to add scenery and texture, one day each to DEM the existing boa...... What's the life expectancy of a Geek?
Best wishes, Dave
Hi Dave,
you find the current download link for the tutorial here: http://forum.uktrainz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5382
(I'll keep an eye on the link posted there.)
geophil
you find the current download link for the tutorial here: http://forum.uktrainz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5382
(I'll keep an eye on the link posted there.)
geophil