Belgium (question)

Hi,

As yet I have not built anything in my TS12. mainly because I like my TR2009 better. However I thought I might make a start by attempting to build the Belgium coastal tramway with the help of Google earth, so I can get it right (or near enough).
Having never been on it, does anyone know what the track gauge is? as it looks to be narrow gauge.

Thanks

1 meter. (Wiki is your friend.)

I believe someone may be trying to build this already. I started a couple of times but it ended up in the virtual trash can as it wasn't turning out how it expected.

Co-incidentally, there is a speeded up cab ride on You Tube which I've just been watching which gives an excellent overview of the main line (best to turn off the funky pron style music though!).

Thanks TheStan How is Wiki my friend? Vern thanks I'll try and find it.

Google led me to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coast_Tram_(Belgium)

Thanks, I've looked at some of the you tube vids and Wiki. It's obviously too big for TS12 so maybe the part answer would be to build only part of it perhaps at the turn of the century (not so many modern buildings).

It's not so much the length but the fact that much of it runs through built up areas including ports and harbour sides that I found just a bit too daunting for a solo project.

68km is too big for TS12 or just a lot to build? I would go for an earlier period anyway. In a way, Trainz (and model rail, etc.) can be a wonderful time machine.

carr said:

As yet I have not built anything in my TS12. mainly because I like my TR2009 better. However I thought I might make a start by attempting to build the Belgium coastal tramway with the help of Google earth, so I can get it right (or near enough).

Click to expand...

Kurt (belgian46) is working on this route, using geo data, including a vector map.

(TheStan) Yes too big to build with 70 stops, good luck to belgian46. The earlier period would be ok but it ran further inland and not along the present route. Cant find an old enough map of original route. Any way the thought was there.

TheStan said:

68km is too big for TS12 or just a lot to build? I would go for an earlier period anyway. In a way, Trainz (and model rail, etc.) can be a wonderful time machine.

Click to expand...

Well I always reckon on @1 month per 25 - 30km based on a route largely in open country. For urban areas you can probably triple that as getting roads and multiple buildings placed takes a long time (unless you want to see routes like we used to have in RRT3 where a city was represented by 5 or 6 houses and a couple of industries). Hopefully if TANE runs to some form of auto-placement the process could be speeded up but realistically working in spare time that 70km is going to take six or seven months without distraction.

Hello everybody,

As Geophil ( thank you Roland for giving the necessary information to other Trainzers ) mentioned in his answer #9, I'm busy with a tram-train route. The tramroute goes from De Panne to Knokke ( vice-versa ) and is 65 km long.
My first idea was to make the original 1885- 1895 route Oostende - Nieuwpoort going inland to Diksmuide. However, my major problem is - making the assets myself. My drawing skills on paper and computer ( blender, Gmax ) are very poor. I get my better results ( that is, for example a simple house ) with google sketchup ( with the help of tutorials ).

Luckily, I have a lot of help from fellow trainzers ( worldwide ):clap: - otherwise my semi-realistic route would have stayed on the drawingboard.

Within several coastal cities ( Knokke, Duinbergen, Zeebrugge, Blankenberge, Oostende, Koksijde, De Panne ) a railwaystation is also present. So my railwayroute goes from Knokke, Duinbergen, Zeebrugge, Oostende into the direction of Brugge and De Panne, Koksijde into the direction of Gent.

Up to now - 75 % of the line Knokke - Zeebrugge has been done and 100 % of the track ( tram ) and 75 % of the track ( train ) has been placed by using Roland's great Transdem tool. All tram stopplaces have been placed.

I have been busy for 2 years now, and restarted 3 times ( because I wasn't satisfied with the result or because my skills were not good enough or Trainz could not execute it. The route is being made in Trs2010 - I tried a conversion to TS12 ( but having the merging issue in TS12, I decided to continue in TRS2010 ).

I still have to do a lot of work - trying to make the route as realistic as possible, with trams, trains, ships, helicopters, airplanes, etc etc ...


@ Carr : during my search for information and if I'm not mistaken, an old map of the original route can be found in Raymond Vancraeynests book - De tram maakte de kust. ( the tram made the coast ). I have no copy of the book, but I know someone who has. I can always ask if I may borrow the book for a couple of days and if the map is available, make a photograph of it.

Screenshot of the route : http://home.scarlet.be/klan1703/FOTO.html - info of tramways in Belgium : http://trambelgium.atspace.com/

Best regards

Kurt :wave:

Just like to thank those of you who replied. Having changed my mind over the coastal tramway (Too Daunting). I thought I would have a go at the THUIN line to Bonniers instead. As I think single line with passing loops is more up my street.

But does anyone have any details of the line as it was. As, having followed the line on Google I guess it used to go a bit further then the track that's left.

carr said:

Just like to thank those of you who replied. Having changed my mind over the coastal tramway (Too Daunting). I thought I would have a go at the THUIN line to Bonniers instead. As I think single line with passing loops is more up my street.

But does anyone have any details of the line as it was. As, having followed the line on Google I guess it used to go a bit further then the track that's left.

Click to expand...

Hello Carr,

Did you have a look at their website http://www.asvi.be/index/index.htm ? The meuseumtramline goes between Thuin and Lobbes, using electrical trams. This is a remaining line of the tramline 91 and 92 going to Anderleus.
The line went to Lobbes Bonniers, but this part of the line is no longer used.

Due to the fact that their website contains a link for English visitors - I suppose you can ask them some questions ( via the contact link ) for further details about the line.

Best regards

Kurt :wave:

Hi,
Just to say thanks for all your help and advise and that I have made a start.

[URL=http://s978.photobucket.com/user/mcarrara1/media/Trainz%20Trams/Thuin3_zps624e4ebe.jpg.html] [/URL]

Hello Carr,

Just started and already at the cemetery. This tramroute will be done in no time. After checking out the pictures - reference picture 1 - will you also be doing a part of the trainline?

Best regards

Kurt :wave:

belgian46,

Hi, Basically yes I have part included the railway from Thurin Station to Lobbes with portals beyond these two stations. Which may or may not get extended once I have finished the tram route which I will be taking to Bonniers even though that part of the route is not used. Would you know if it is planned that the line goes further south then the depot? As I note the track is there but no overheads. Also I can't work out if the southern section of track has been narrowed down to 1mtr yet.

Hello Carr,

If you go to their website http://www.asvi.be/index/index.htm and click on "click here to continue in English" and then click on "our line" you will see a map ( click on enlarge ). The red line shows the exact route going North or going South. The red dots in the North mean that this part of the route must be redone.
The complete line is 1mtr ( when you click on download and have a look at the leaflet in high resolution - you will find that in 2000 the line became a 1mtr line.

There is just something odd - I had a look in Google earth and GE shows a view in August 2009. On the line you will see that cars are parked on the tramline. Perhaps some changes were done during that period and cars were allowed to stand on the tramline.

Best regards

Kurt :wave:

Belgian46, Yes I saw the trams on GE, It must have been a special running day as there are quite a few of them along the line. I had a look at the leaflet and web site which does not say what the future plans are. Anyway progress is being made on my layout.


[URL=http://s978.photobucket.com/user/mcarrara1/media/Trainz%20Trams/Thurin11_zps75562ae6.jpg.html][/URL]

Hello Carr,

Lovely view, especially in combination with the green AM73 train. What would you like to know about future plans?

Did you use Transdem to create the tram/train route?

Best regards

Kurt :wave: