Tips and Tricks-Surveyor

[Bill69]

I discovered this by accident. I have a test track with a straight rated at 100mph. Fine for express workings but local and slow goods workings tend to try to bust the boiler trying to make the speed, so how to slow them down?
While trying to get Alastair to run in the right direction I put several track marks along it only, in my haste to see it work, I put "Drive to..." instead of "Drive via..." and hey presto! he slows as he comes to the track mark and then speeds up before slowing for the next one. I found that by varying the distances between the marks you can pretty much set the maximum speed. So, for slow or local working use "Drive to..." while for express working use "Drive via" (Or you can just leave them out altogether!)

There is a max speed tag available to use in the config file of the loco's engine spec. If it is not in the config originally it can be added, I am not sure what the figure given is, it might be metres per min. but it's certainly not Km per hr. or miles per hr. I have quite a few locos that have a max speed of about 58mph. running under AI so it must work. One of them has the tag 'max speed 24.5' this is in the motor section of the engine config file.

Cheers,
Bill69

 

[NorfolkSouthern9708]

Nope that only straightens on section of track.
I am sure I used something else on a layout in trs2004

It straightens any spine.

 

[gisa]

It straightens any spine.

Almost. Some splines can't be straightened but I'd say about 80% of them can. Definitely a useful option for that 80% though!

:wave:

Gisa ^^

 

[escafeld]

The track straightening tool straightens all the splines I've tried it on.

 

[gisa]

I can definitely think of some that do not work. This might be because something specific is missing in the config.txt When I get home later and if I have time, I will try to find an example or two. If I recall, some of those splines in question were fences...

:wave:

Gisa ^^

 

[jadebullet]

Straighten track works on all of the fences that I have used.

 

[Bill69]

I can definitely think of some that do not work. This might be because something specific is missing in the config.txt When I get home later and if I have time, I will try to find an example or two. If I recall, some of those splines in question were fences...

:wave:

Gisa ^^

Straighten track works on all fences I have used. Also works on roads, does not work on bridges or tunnels.
cheers,
Bill69

 

[gisa]

Sorry for the delay.

Tried on these three splines twice and it does not work on them:

KUID:69937:200044 (fence - treated pine log)
KUID:82763:1104 (fence 3 bar pebbles and rusty rails)
KUID:37603:37011 (LP pipeline .5 meter)

Unless I'm doing it wrong, it does not work on these splines. The config.txt might be missing something...this if for 04 BTW.

That being said, I'd say about 90% or more of splines can be straightened using this technique.

:wave:

Gisa ^^

 

[p-dehnert]

The 3 assets are of kind bridge, which can't be straightened.

Peter

 

[gisa]

The 3 assets are of kind bridge, which can't be straightened.

Peter

Ah...the caramilk mystery is SOLVED!

Thanks Peter.

So straighten track works on splines, except for the kind bridge, tunnels and bridges (wish it worked on the latter).

:wave:

Gisa ^^

 

[Tiger313]

*snip*
So straighten track works on splines, except for the kind bridge, tunnels and bridges (wish it worked on the latter).
*snip*

This is where I use stretches of fixed track, usually FT Straight 10m. I put down a whole line of those where I want my bridge span to be, making sure I have 30m sticking out both sides.Then I leave the first 10m on each side, but delete the next 20m, and replace it for the track that I am normally using. Use the straighten tool on those two 20m of tracks. Then I delete all the fixed track in the middle and replace it for the bridge I want to use. Lastly, elete the two sections of fixed track at the ends and the bridge is ready for connecting. Tadaaa... a perfectly straight bridge!

 

[gisa]

Interesting. I'll have to do that next time I go about making a straight bridge!

Good tip!

:wave:

Gisa ^^

 

[Tiger313]

Anytime!

 

[cascaderailroad]

Perhaps...In the bridge config file, change the height to -1 ,and it won't snap to the grid, and will be perfectly straight (This is the case with tunnels, maybe it will work here). You can also edit in your own type of track. However future downloaders of your route will also need to alter their config file, or things will look goofy.

 

[Tiger313]

If you plan on uploading the route for others to enjoy, you shouldn't be fidgeting with item config files unless you upload those too. Fidgeting with config files can cause major fu... malfunctions. :hehe:

 

[Bill69]

Perhaps...In the bridge config file, change the height to -1 ,and it won't snap to the grid, and will be perfectly straight (This is the case with tunnels, maybe it will work here). You can also edit in your own type of track. However future downloaders of your route will also need to alter their config file, or things will look goofy.

Any bridge that does not have the tag 'bendy 1' in the config file will be straight if you place it without splines in the middle, in other words only a spline point at each end.

Cheers,
Bill69

 

[gisa]

Just realized/discovered something minor but perhaps useful for others in surveyor.

Up until now, when I tried to move some splines, I would click on the objects tab, the spline tab and then the move spline tab. However, because the objects tab blocks a significant portion of the screen. You can however, move objects or splines (or do other functions, like lay track) even if the tab is closed, so long as you have selected the proper button. This is useful if you are doing one function multiple times but one should remember what button they pressed so they don't forget they are moving something instead of adding something or what not...

It would be useful if a small word showed up at the top telling you what you selected. Something big enough to read but small enough not to obscure the work area...

Happy trainzing!

:wave:

Gisa ^^

 

[escafeld]

Just realized/discovered something minor but perhaps useful for others in surveyor.

Up until now, when I tried to move some splines, I would click on the objects tab, the spline tab and then the move spline tab. However, because the objects tab blocks a significant portion of the screen, it gets in the way. You can however, move objects or splines (or do other functions, like lay track) even if the tab is closed, so long as you have selected the proper button. This is useful if you are doing one function multiple times but one should remember what button they pressed so they don't forget they are moving something instead of adding something or what not...

It would be useful if a small word showed up at the top telling you what you selected. Something big enough to read but small enough not to obscure the work area...

Happy trainzing!

:wave:

Gisa ^^

I guess you left a little text out of the second paragraph, which I've added in bold. Might not be your words, but it fits.

Yes, it's amazing how not reading the manual can limit our knowledge of the functionality of TRAINZ. It was ages before I discovered what Mini Map did, doh!

 

[gisa]

I guess you left a little text out of the second paragraph, which I've added in bold. Might not be your words, but it fits.

Yes, it's amazing how not reading the manual can limit our knowledge of the functionality of TRAINZ. It was ages before I discovered what Mini Map did, doh!

Yes I did forget to add that in and for that I thank you. I suppose not having a good night sleep for five days and working much more than usual affected my mind in a negative way...if you've gone through this, then I'm sure you'll be quite understanding. There was no way you could have known that though so that's fine.

I do resent your sarcasm however as it was completely uncalled for. Why? What did you hope to gain by doing that? I took the time to post here to help others who may have missed this in the manual, like myself. Sometimes people forget things they have learned or missed the first time around. I hope others can forgive me for not having a Ph.D in knowing every exact thing in the trainz manual!

Comments like this make people not want to post and not feel welcome here. I might need to proofread my posts more but maybe you should think about the impact your words will have on others before you post them.


Gisa

 

[escafeld]

When depicting the seashore, it's not possible, as yet, to have breakers on the waves.

Drop the sea level and add white to the baseboard to represent the waves breaking.

...then raise the sea level back up.