TranzDEM created Baseboards and Junctions

[dave_jarrett]

Has anyone else experienced the following?

I have used TranzDEM to create my terrained baseboards, and am now trying to add tracks.

When I try to create a junction, the junction seems to be created but I do not get any Junction name or levers.

As an experiment I created a blank baseboard, and was able to create the junctions as I would expect. But when I then overwrote the blank baseboard with a TranzDEM created one, I was again unable to create a Junction.

I am sure I have missed something in the manual, but cannot for the life of me find what.

Can anyone offer any advice please?

Many thanks

Dave

 

[RPearson]

The surveyor option to auto add the junction lever is probably turned off. In surveyor open the surveyor menu on the top tool bar and turn auto place switches on. You can by the way add in junction levers manually. The auto feature only uses the default lever.

Bob Pearson

 

[dave_jarrett]

Hi Bob

I checked that, and it is set to auto add.

Where can I find how to add the levers manually?

Dave

 

[nwhitney]

In surveyor, go to trackside objects, F4 then Ctrl Y, choose the lever you want and click where you want it. If you're too far away from the junction, the red/green arrows will show as both red.
Norm

 

[dave_jarrett]

Thank you Norm

 

[geophil]

I have seen this phenomenon as well. Are you using 2D or 3D vector data? I noticed missing levers when I placed 2D vectors at elevations other than 0. If 2D, have you tried adding terrain elevation to the 2D data when exporting track? I just did a little test and levers appeared for me this way (with TRS2004), somewhere in the Appalachians at 600 m altitude.

 

[RPearson]

Dave, not sure how Roland has TransDem set up to add in the junction levers I don't own a copy. I originally thought you were adding the track manually to to the Transdem terrain. I have my own utility that creates trk files from cad drawings. It uses 3d vector data imported using dxf files similar to TransDem. Right now I don't have an option to auto add juncion levers so they have to be added in manually. The ones I normally use have different versions depending on which side they are placed and whether divergent track is to right or left. I have always done this even when laying track manually because I don't like Auran's default lever - I've never seen one like that sitting out in the open in the US - only in junction towers.

When the trk file is created outside Surveyor the only way I know to "auto" add the levers is to program the utility that creates the track to explicity write the levers into the obs file; although it easy enough to do I'm holding off til Auran provides TRS2006 versions of the obs file format (2 years and counting isn't long when dealing with Auran) - for me it will be a future addition at some point.

Placing the levers manually takes a bit of care. Adding to what Norm mentioned above, as long as you get both a red and green arrow showing the junction will work. The current wisdom on it to avoid troubles with the AI and signals is to place the lever on the lead-in track to the junction close to but before the spline point where the junction is formed. Some say to keep it just outside the circle locating the spline point position but I normally put it inside but before the end of the lead-in leg which is at the center of the circle. If nothing else it definitely looks better this way.

Does TransDem have an option to use levers other than the default one?

Bob Pearson

 

[geophil]

Does TransDem have an option to use levers other than the default one?

Yes, the user can set the KUID and the relative position of the "lever" object. He can also set a junction name prefix.

TransDEM junction placement works best with proper and accurate 3D vector data. I don't recommend it for the rather coarse polylines created by tracing the route on the topographic map.

 

[dave_jarrett]

Bob,Phil

Bob
I was adding track manually, and your advice as to where to position the lever was gratefully taken on board.

Phil
I was not trying to use TranzDEM to add junctions, and so I dont think the 2D/3D issues is relevant (or is it?) Everything is at DEM height, if I understood your question correctly.