TransDEM inquiries

[Chris004]

You might want to consider another neat thing too. If you can trace the route in Google Earth, then the .kmz file can be imported into TransDEM, when you get it, to plot your tracks in place and ready to fix up and put in the other objects. You'll see that it'll be a lot easier than raising and lowering the terrain manually. I did this once and it was perty good!

John

This just keep getting better and better. I gotta get TransDEM right now. I'll keep re-reading this thread and hopefully I won't need too much hand-holding.

What's the best tutorial for this out there? I have a few too many, don't know enough to tell the good from the bad

 

[ccowan2126]

You need to download the "earth" height information as well from here: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/John

I don't see "earth" height information here. I do see things like, Elevation Availability, NED this-and-that, TNM contours, etc. etc. May as well be Latin for all I understand. I am assuming that the 180 page manual that is included with the TransDEM program has all the info needed.

This, in no way, diminishes my appreciation for your input and information on the subject, John; it just means I still have a lot to learn...I hope it is going to be worth it.

Thanks, again.

 

[JCitron]

I don't see "earth" height information here. I do see things like, Elevation Availability, NED this-and-that, TNM contours, etc. etc. May as well be Latin for all I understand. I am assuming that the 180 page manual that is included with the TransDEM program has all the info needed.

This, in no way, diminishes my appreciation for your input and information on the subject, John; it just means I still have a lot to learn...I hope it is going to be worth it.

Thanks, again.

That is the "earth height" information. You want to use 1/3 Arc-second height versions of your maps. The 1-arc are too low res and the 1/9 are awesome, but too high res unless you are doing a really small area. All of this is obtained from the TNM viewer. You navigate this map, zoom in, and choose your download from the download button.

No worries..., I'm just trying to help you because you're interested and in learning something new. This will be more than worth it in the end. The manual will congeal a lot of what I've been trying to say here.

John

 

[Chris750]

This just keep getting better and better. I gotta get TransDEM right now. I'll keep re-reading this thread and hopefully I won't need too much hand-holding.

What's the best tutorial for this out there? I have a few too many, don't know enough to tell the good from the bad

Use the ones that come with the program, don't use any of the ones online, they just mess you up. Believe me, I went through it.

 

[JCitron]

Use the ones that come with the program, don't use any of the ones online, they just mess you up. Believe me, I went through it.

Absolutely! Once you go through the tutorials supplied with TransDEM, you'll be able to do a lot very quickly, and then it only gets better.

John

 

[JCitron]

Use the ones that come with the program, don't use any of the ones online, they just mess you up. Believe me, I went through it.

Absolutely! Once you go through the tutorials supplied with TransDEM, you'll be able to do a lot very quickly, and then it only gets better.

John

 

[Thai1On]

...I hope it is going to be worth it.

Thanks, again.

Wait until you make your first DEM with raster maps and import it into trainz, you are going to be hopelessly hooked . A whole new world will open up to you and the route ideas will be endless.

Dave

 

[MeowRailroad]

If it is in Latin, I may be able to help as I am learning it. :hehe:

 

[Chris750]

Actually I found the Transdem pdfs to be written rather technically which was a bit of a hindrance for me. Spending 23 years in the army definitely uses up your brain cells; spelling is horrible, grammar sucks, math is no longer required, I've always said the army made me stupid.

Anyway, yeah some of the stuff is a bit technical but when you buy the program you have access to Roland's help forum, which he replies too normally in a day (but once again sometimes technical language) and if it comes down to it his email. He wrote the program and knows it inside out so sometimes it is crystal clear to him but gibberish to you.

 

[ccowan2126]

Just purchased TranzDEM (the Trainz version). Current exchange rates put it at $28 and change...quite the bargain. Wow! A lot of reading to do! I have all winter, though. Can't wait to get started.

 

[Thai1On]

It looks tough, but take your time and do the tutorials and you'll be fine. Once you make your first map on your own the world of route building will explode! You're going to have a great time with this program. I couldn't be without it in Trainz.

Dave

 

[steamboateng]

Congrats on your TransDEM purchase. It is, in my opinion, the single most powerful route-building tool available to the Trainz community. Weather or not you're into prototype routes or simply freelance, TransDEM will save you countless hours of terrain creation. It is accurate in its terrain generation, and accepts georeferenced map overlays from a variety of sources. Roland has improved the program and its interface over its many iterations, making it very user friendly.
Best of luck with your routes.