I recently purchased TransDEM by Roland Ziegler. I really need to start making my routes using the software, yet I can't figure out how to make the DEM for the route I want (Mods take note that this might be useful for other users as well, so making this a sticky is recommended.) I really can't make sense of the tutorial and so I seek the help of the community. I want to make a DEM of the IMRR from Taylorville, IL To Manito/Crescent, Il Via Havana, Il. Can someone please get me started?
TransDEM - Getting Started
- Thread starter mp202
- Start date
Hello BlakeDooley,
Before using Transdem, it is really necessary to read the two manuals. When buying a program, we all want to start using it immediately.
I also wanted to start building the route using Transdem and found out that I just was missing some basic information.
So, I started with reading both manuals and afterwards I went through the tutorials, even several times.
When the reading and tutorials were done, I started collecting information about the region of my route I had in mind.
In order to create your DEM-files of your region, you will be needing some digital elevation data ( HGT ). Within the transdem manual you can find how to create your dem-files for your region using the hgt-files.
For your region, you need to have the geographical positions ( Latitude and Longitude ).
I also advice you to become a member of the Transdem forum.
Best regards
Kurt :wave:
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Practice, Practice, Practice...
I heartily agree with belgian46's suggestions. Especially about doing the tutorials more than once. I've been spending all my time off during this Thanksgiving here in the USA creating a route over and over again to practice with TransDEM and Surveyor. Be sure and begin with something small - like 5 or 10 miles to start with and maybe a siding or two. Try not to overwhelm yourself with too much on your first try after the tutorials.
Looking at the area I think you're interested in, you might try a small route first from Taylorville, IL northeast to Stonington, IL. That's about 9 miles of railroad with a small yard just northeast of Taylorville and some industry sidings in Stonington. Once you get familiar with the tools on this small area, you'll be ready to tackle your larger area.
The TransDEM tutorials show you how to use Open Street Maps (http://www.openstreetmap.us/) to get DEMs. It shows some others too. I personally use the USGS services at: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/
Search for posts here by geophil - he's the author of TransDEM. His real name is Dr. Roland Ziegler and is very helpful.
Have fun!
Andrew
I heartily agree with belgian46's suggestions. Especially about doing the tutorials more than once. I've been spending all my time off during this Thanksgiving here in the USA creating a route over and over again to practice with TransDEM and Surveyor. Be sure and begin with something small - like 5 or 10 miles to start with and maybe a siding or two. Try not to overwhelm yourself with too much on your first try after the tutorials.
Looking at the area I think you're interested in, you might try a small route first from Taylorville, IL northeast to Stonington, IL. That's about 9 miles of railroad with a small yard just northeast of Taylorville and some industry sidings in Stonington. Once you get familiar with the tools on this small area, you'll be ready to tackle your larger area.
The TransDEM tutorials show you how to use Open Street Maps (http://www.openstreetmap.us/) to get DEMs. It shows some others too. I personally use the USGS services at: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/
Search for posts here by geophil - he's the author of TransDEM. His real name is Dr. Roland Ziegler and is very helpful.
Have fun!
Andrew
In addition to the two documents, there are some cdp files which come with the package which you will have to install into trainz via content manager. These are required to draw the map on the terrain and the tiles which then assist you in Surveyor to work out where you are.
A summary of what to do
1) Work through his Muengsten tutorial, in which you will be advised about installing the ground texture CDPs and using his supplied map and DEM data
2) Locate some digital elevation data from one of the free servers for your country, the Transdem forums will help with these.
3) Locate and scan into jpeg format an appropriate map of the route
4) Identify on this map four points in each corner of the map, and work out their coordinates in appropriate (UTM) values
5) Repeat the Muengsten tutorial but this time use your scanned map and your downloaded DEM files.
It is also worthwhile reading the posts in these forums regarding editing and committing assets in Content manager, I had to "help" a couple of my efforts to actually show up in surveyor by tweaking the configs for them.
A summary of what to do
1) Work through his Muengsten tutorial, in which you will be advised about installing the ground texture CDPs and using his supplied map and DEM data
2) Locate some digital elevation data from one of the free servers for your country, the Transdem forums will help with these.
3) Locate and scan into jpeg format an appropriate map of the route
4) Identify on this map four points in each corner of the map, and work out their coordinates in appropriate (UTM) values
5) Repeat the Muengsten tutorial but this time use your scanned map and your downloaded DEM files.
It is also worthwhile reading the posts in these forums regarding editing and committing assets in Content manager, I had to "help" a couple of my efforts to actually show up in surveyor by tweaking the configs for them.
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Hey there BD! I have no problem telling you I'm a computer moron, but I was able to figure it out. I did not read both tutorials, just the parts in the quick start. After I got the hang of it, it was really very easy. Go through the quick start, do the tutorials, and before you know it you'll be looking at your new route. I'm sure you'll be like me and think TransDEM is worth every penny and a whole lot more. I don't even understand TS12 yet, but I got my route all laid out, I'm starting to find out that was the easy part! It will come to you, I felt the same as you until I got going on it. My main problem was that I seemed to not read every word in the tutorials and my complete lack of experience with TS12. Still, there it is, on my screen, MY ROUTE! As an Aussie told me, it's just like magic!
Cheers....Rick
Cheers....Rick
I have to agree with the others...do the tutorials as they WILL help. Also post questions on the TransDEM forum as those guys are great at fixing things. One word of warning though, once you figure the software out you'll be falling down the rabbit hole behind Alice! This software becomes as addictive as Trainz!
Dave
Dave
Transdem is really quite an easy programme to use. The key is to start modestly, pick a route which only occupies one lat/lon DEM section. Don't worry about Tiger lines etc. for your first effort, just use the built in Map Tile Server to get the map overlay from Open Street Map. Don't mess about with the Seamless Server (for the US), the pre-packed NASA SRTM at 30m resolution is perfectly adequate for a first attempt.
Above all, remember Transdem is only the first step in creating a route, there is far more work to come laying it out and decorating it to a reasonably finished state.
Keep at it, once you are proficient in the programme, it is so simple you will probably find (like me) you spend more time setting up wannabee routes in Transdem than ever actually getting round to finishing in Surveyor.
Above all, remember Transdem is only the first step in creating a route, there is far more work to come laying it out and decorating it to a reasonably finished state.
Keep at it, once you are proficient in the programme, it is so simple you will probably find (like me) you spend more time setting up wannabee routes in Transdem than ever actually getting round to finishing in Surveyor.