USA Map

ncairlines

New member
Okay I have had this great idea and I have started working on it.
What if we could make a map that was virtually a model of the US rail system. It wouldn't be 100% or even 75% accurate but a loose model of the US with a loose model of the rail roads. We would have it so that the model is somewhat to scale, im not sure how much but I just have a loose idea with the Manhattan that I have already built. So my question really is? is there anyway I could have others help me. I think this might take a very long time by myself but if a lot of people help then it might take just a couple of months. Is there anyway this is possible?
 
If I were to make a route just from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh, I would make it in at least 3-4 separate iPortal routes, of @ 125 miles each.

You could do just hundreds of dioramas, all joined together, of just the famous railfaning locations
 
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Okay I have had this great idea and I have started working on it.

Congratulations on your very first post to the forums. Like many of us you have started out on your very first (???) Trainz project with a very ambitious idea. All of my projects have been very modest in comparison - a hundred kms or so and, at best, about 50% accuracy - but they have all taken at least a year to complete. I shudder to think how long recreating the entire US rail system at only 50% accuracy would take.

PS: It would be a good idea to register your copy of Trainz so that, at the very least, we will all know which version you have and will be better able to supply advice (and therapy) when needed.
 
yeah, I made a complete map of the entire north american continent with TRS2006. I included every city and town and every mile of track, and every fire hydrant. It's been in the process of uploading to the DLS since 2007.






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Everyone who builds routes is eager to work on the biggest, super-sized, route they can get their paws on, but once they start the project, rarely does it ever become an actual route due to the fact that the route builder is faced with miles, upon miles of laying track and switches, placing buildings, and other objects. This is in addition to the numerous amount of trees required to represent many areas of the US with its dense forests in the Northeast, Dixie Belt along the Gulf Coast, Pacific Northwest, and other mountainous regions such as the Rockies, and Appalachian Mountains, Ozarks, and others. Sure objects, such as trees and even textures can be copied and pasted into place, but that still doesn't cut the numbness and overpowered feeling that comes along with the size of the project.

Rather than start with such an ambitious project, we suggest, and I'm speaking for all of us here, on something more manageable. I don't mean a single baseboard, but instead maybe a few and expand from there. Use this as both a learning tool and as a route that you can improve upon. Set a theme and stay with it. Being consistent through out the route building process helps keep things on track, and makes an underlying theme plausible, especially if you have a backstory to go along with the route. My route was originally an idea I had for a model railroad with factories in central New England running their goods to the Atlantic. This theme is something that has stayed pretty close on track since its inception in late 2003. The route is still in existence, with portions rebuilt as my building techniques have changed. It is still being worked on today 12 years later, and is far from complete.

We're not trying to discourage you with your project, but instead help you be a satisfied Trainz user rather than a frustrated one. In addition, I do suggest you register your Trainz version. This will give you access to the Download Station, as well as support. If you are having difficulties registering your software, please contact the helpdesk.

John
 
A few years ago now someone came on to the old Forum before it crashed to say he was going to build the whole 11,000 miles of the Gt Britain railway system and to be honest I gave a sigh and then shook my head while smiling. He was new and one had to make allowances for that but he would never I suggest been able to finish it! Gigantic things like that and this idea for America coule be inspirational but I think you have to be ready to keep your feet on the ground as some brilliant ideas can be too big to even contemplate!I know a regualr Trainzer who admitted he usually never finsied a route he would build so doing Britain and this more up to date idea may be too ambitious? It is one thing thinking like Caesar whilst being actually like him is much different! :)
 
If I were to make a route just from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh, I would make it in at least 3-4 separate iPortal routes, of @ 125 miles each.

You could do just hundreds of dioramas, all joined together, of just the famous railfaning locations
I was wondering about something like that. Like okay. I have a copy of the Amtrak system and lets say I do that at about 25% accuracy and then like a 10% town accuracy along the way. Then I throw in some major CSX, NS, UP, and BNSF routes and then I would have the US. Then you would have some base scenery but then once the scenery gets out of sight for the train then it just blanks or just doesn't exist.
To give you a scale idea, Manhattan from idk like I-495 south to the tip take about 1/3 of a plate thing
 
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