Procedural Track

[RailSimulator]

Greetings Guys,

Now this is something I have made previous threads on before but with the new Trainz 2022 I have yet to see anything on it, what I am of course referring to is procedural track. Now before I get any comments saying procedural track is already a thing and has been for some time now, what I mean by this is the ability to make diamond crossovers and both single and double slip points. Im not entirely sure if this has been a requested thing be many or few but with self made points having been a thing for awhile now, has the idea of self made daimonds and slip points been abandoned, is it in the works I have no clue. Further more before anyone comments about there already being daimonds and slip points in the game oron the DLS, I am well aware of those where you connect the track and off you go, but in my opinion this doesnt offer anywhere near as much flexibility as far as laying track goes. Surely if self created points are a thing now and have been for some time, then diamonds and slip points should at least be something to add with an update or in the works, something. Anyway if anyone knows the Planet Aurans plans in regards to this or have something theyd like to say about this particular I guess issue then please feel free to write your replies.

Kindest regards, RailSimulator.
P.S. I am and have been a Trainz fan for awhile now so this is by no means a verbal assault on the game or its developers.

 

[JCitron]

Slip points and crossovers are a sticking point still and a request has been placed since the technology was introduced in TANE. I agree the fixed track ones are not what I'm looking for either and would simply like to just put them down along with the rest of the track, besides the one sized fix-track for all doesn't always fit in every location.

Maybe, oh maybe, we'll see this as part of an update at some point. When? Real soon now(tm).

 

[Christopher824]

I think with the current procedural track, it works okay. You just have to put more effort into it to get the desired results, and, imo it offers more flexibility.

Here is a good read on slips and crossings, just after the turntables
http://igg.org.uk/rail/2-track/02track2.htm

Images of diamond and double slip made in TRS19 using proceural track in the gallery

https://images.n3vgames.com/trainzportal/mytrainz/481577/screenshots/336938/1000/Diamond-Crossing.jpg

https://images.n3vgames.com/trainzportal/mytrainz/481577/screenshots/336937/1000/Double-Slip.jpg

And used with an EIT
https://cdetrainz.com/tutorials_diamond_crossing.aspx

 

[lspdyiu]

There’s a lot of non procedural trackage since before tane was out and was going to up all these to at least tane build.
Most of them are “legacy” (ie: textures look either horrible or cartoonish) in some ways. If I can I’ll ask everyone here to up them to at least procedural and maybe ditch the legacy ones. However, I can’t provide adequate promises.

I’ve stumbled upon creating slips and this hadn’t always been successful on forming them right. The same for 3-way turnouts. If you add a junction to that part of the turnout section you’ll probably get is a red flashing circle indicating there’s not enough room to simulate switch blades or if the elevation of the trackwork is uneven. Sometimes the same problem can occur if there’s an extra spline point. Hopefully N3V can improvise the code so that these additional turnouts function correctly.

The exception of overcoming these problems is to use either mike10’s, andi06 and rmm’s for the double slips. Though they’re practical to use but lacks texture lods.

Boat’s ASB 90 deg. crossover template is also a good fit. You adapt the type of track you desire and it will update it to the one you selected.

warm regards,
darrren

 

[lspdyiu]

@Christopher, I am jealous of what track is that. And it also has a pandrol clip system.

The double slip you’ve brought up, is that the VERY least that it can be as tight?
I believe that one is an outside slip.
I tried making an inside slip and the switch blades overlap (glitched) the other main rail. What’s worse the sleepers are hidden. I guess an inside slip had to be sacrificed.

 

[Christopher824]

@Christopher, I am jealous of what track is that. And it also has a pandrol clip system.
...

DMT Pro Track on the DLS

 

[Christopher824]

...
The double slip you’ve brought up, is that the VERY least that it can be as tight?
...

The Rulers are the key. Set the rulers to the degree you want the slip. Slide your junctions along the ruler untill you get the effect you want. It could be any angle. Then straighten on the out side so you do not have any malformed junctions to complete.

 

[lspdyiu]

The Rulers are the key. Set the rulers to the degree you want the slip. Slide your junctions along the ruler untill you get the effect you want. It could be any angle. Then straighten on the out side so you do not have any malformed junctions to complete.

I wasn’t aware of using rulers as I mainly rely on using either the baseboard and or turnout templates to set the radius and or length.
Say, this reminds me, does anyone have a calculator to measure the absolute radius and lengths of curves and turnouts?

 

[Frank_Dean]

I know that it is not what you are looking for, but until the moment in which it is developed how to implement diamond crossings automatically in the procedural tracks, it is necessary to use other techniques or objects tracks that simulate a crossing and that when we see them they seem real.
In the DLS there are several examples of track objects to simulate crossings, the best known:
<kuid2:45324:26004:1> Crossing Checkrail 12
<kuid2:45324:26005:1> Crossing Checkrail 24
<kuid2:45324:26006:1> Crossing Checkrail 32


Perhaps and if all goes well in the next few weeks, there will be more track objects in the DLS to simulate diamond crossings, in various gauges.

 

[lspdyiu]

Crossing ChkR can be a compromise on sharp curvatures whenever the track geometry requires finer touches and these assets (even at the minimum) do not really provide the aesthetics on curves as the rails can get somehow a “tapered” look.

 

[Christopher824]

...
<kuid2:45324:26004:1> Crossing Checkrail 12
<kuid2:45324:26005:1> Crossing Checkrail 24
<kuid2:45324:26006:1> Crossing Checkrail 32
...

Yes, these are the ones I use also

 

[Christopher824]

Crossing ChkR can be a compromise on sharp curvatures whenever the track geometry requires finer touches and these assets (even at the minimum) do not really provide the aesthetics on curves as the rails can get somehow a “tapered” look.

You can't use the long ones on a curve or gradiant

 

[RailSimulator]

Although I do agree to an extent it just more if the technology is there then why not give it a try and let we the trainz community give constructive feedback on what needs to be improve and all that it can be achieved with some time yes but if youre doing say Chicago's Union station where diamonds and slip points are everywhere that kind of work could take many many many hours.

 

[justinroth]

I made some diamond crossing assets, with each rail being a separate spline as well as the initial beginning and end of the check rail and also the bolts. This allows more flexibility in placement, with angled crossings ect. I believe they are on the DLS I will have to check when home.