After recreating several TransDEM maps of existing rail lines from around the world I thought it might be fun to unleash my inner railway engineer and build a railway where none has ever been built. Using data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (
SRTM) which provides free 30 meter or 1 arc-second resolution data for most of the globe's land surface, I can build a basemap with TransDEM of just about any place on earth. If you've visited the area in person, it helps to interpret the topography and fill-in the gaps and details. But even if you've never seen the place, just apply some logic and imagination. Think of it as a super-charged Transport Fever but where the maps are way bigger. Just be careful to not bite off more than your computer can chew or you'll be looking at a jerky slide show as it tries to render your masterpiece.