Track Grade Question

[polywogs]

I know this has been asked about a hundred times, but here's my problem.

I microdem'd a the retired Bay City, Cass City, Sanduski and peck line.
Tiger'd the roads and streams.
Found a USGS UTM 24000 map that has the line, scaled it and placed it in the Tiger graphic after painting the line the correct color.
Hog'd it all together after scaling
Everything looks right, the hills, streams, and M19. But...

Is there an easier way to set the grade under the tracks other than bulldozing them with Surveyor?

Would like to leave Vertical Height toggle in terrain follow mode for looks.

 

[Tokkyu40]

I don't speak Michigander so I'm not sure what the problem is, but I'll try.
All track work and route building is done under Surveyer, so you can't avoid that, but if you're smoothing the ground with the terrain tools, then it's easier to open the track tools, click on the advanced section and set the height of the spline points on the track, then use the smooth tool to level the ground under the track.
I hope I accidently got the right answer for you. I get lost easily, so I make no warantee.

Claude

 

[Dermmy]

If you used HOG and have the Tiger data (which is what I assume you meant be 'Tiger'd the roads and streams' - I don't speak Michigander either) then i am not sure why you would throw a scaled map into the mix also.

Tiger data is approximate at best. Trying to scale and size a map to exactly the DEM dimensions would I imagine be no more accurate. Depending on the DEM resolution (10 or 30 meters) features like cuttings and embankments probably won't show up.

If you are using HOG/DEM then I recommend Wewain's tute here. It refers to an earlier version of Microdem than is currently available and assumes TRS04, but it is not much of a leap to apply it to current versions and there is plenty of help to be had in the forum...

Andy

 

[Dap]

Polywogs,

I am laying about 100 miles of track on a HOG/DEM map with the track route marked. I also have the Grade & Curve charts (G&C) for the line. I lay the track where the marks are then adjust the track height according to the G&C.

I make sure that I put a spline point every place the G&C gives an elevation (at the beginning of any change in grade). If there are curves between these points, I need to add extra spline points to define the curve. Then, rather than calculate the elevation for each of these spline points, I use the grade tool to set the track and any spline points in between to conform to the proper grade.

Then I use the Smooth tool in the advanced section ot the track tool. This makes minor changes to the topography needed to accommodate the track in its proper place.

Hope this helps.

 

[polywogs]

Yes, I have been told the language is somewhat hard to follow, but it's easier than Yooper. Yooper is really hard, but fun.

I can see on the 1:24000 where the retired rail line passes through the steeper hills and obviously must have used the fill dirt to build grades in the lower marsh areas. I am just curious about any tools that can set the grade between the straight track vertex points.

I wonder if the map its self could be converted to some sort of DEM view and back to Trainz format again? If this already exists I would be tempted to write the widgets necessary to do the work, you know 2PI = Circle stuff.

 

[Dermmy]

polywogs have a look at TransDem, an excellent payware utility that does everything you want - see this thread for more info, or do a forum search for "transdem"

Andy