Surveyor: how long is a vertex unit?

I have a strange question, related to Surveyor. How long, in real-world units, is one vertex unit?

To elaborate, when you select a vertex on a spline, you get a number showing the height of the vertex relative to an elevation of zero (the lowest point on the layout). Can this number be converted into feet or meters? I know that by means of rulers one can pace out a specific length on the baseboard. In TS2010, roughly three “squares” in surveyor equate to 100 feet in real scale. Sadly, rulers can’t be set vertically (at least I don’t think they can), and that’s what I need.

I’m working on a very long length of track with a steady, but subtle grade. In this case, I think it will be easier to mathematically compute the track elevation and apply it to the track vertices than it would be to use the grade function. (It's a long story.)

Thanks in advance,

Richard

Disclaimer: if it turns out this is a standard function of the program, then I haven't discovered it because I'm a bit of a bonehead. But I would appreciate knowing about it.

I am not sure exactly what your question is, so I hope this covers it:
- Height is in meters (and this can not be changes to my knowledge).
- The grid of a baseboard is 10 by 10 meters (so a 720x720 for a baseboard).

The spline height is in meters, and numerals can be typed in the box to the 0.000 decimal place ... Google Earth can be set to display heights in meters ... a metric/foot conversion site can help ... as can Googleing a height in feet will show in meters, and versa visa

Grades are a ratio, so they apply equally to metric and imperial measurements

Once you go metric, you'll find it easy to convert feet and miles

The windows store app you need is called 'unit conversion tool' and works in Windows 8 or 10. There are also downloadable Excel gradient tools available on the web.
cheers
Graeme

1 unit is 1 meter or 39.37 inches, or a snot more than 3-feet.

The calculator for Windows 8 & 10 has a built-in converter and there are other converter applications out there which are useful.

Unless it's a really, really critical measurement, I use 3 feet as the base and multiply or divide as needed.

Actually, this is perfect. Converting from feet to meters and back is just basic math.

I have a very long range of track, up to eight miles, that has a slow, but consistent grade that averages just over %0.5. I’m making it fluctuate somewhat for the same of realism. But if I’m doing the math correctly – and please correct me if I’m not – the altitude of the track increases an average of 6” every 100 feet. Converted to metric, that’s an altitude increase of just over 15 centimeters. I’ve been using the ruler function to pace out spline points every 100 scale feet. To keep it simple, in Surveyor, that would be a vertex height increase of 0.15 at each successive point, which I will apply manually.

I thought that was a gentle incline, but in Surveyor it may look pretty steep after a while. I'll have to see how it looks.

I’m approaching this the way one would approach a plywood and plaster model layout. That is, figure out how much a grade you’re willing to tolerate, and make terrain to fit! That's a rather backward in the world of simulators, but this is a “protolance” layout, so what the heck.

Thanks gang!

All you have to do is type in the numeral in the box of the desired gradient, and press the button "apply gradient" (ie: 1.72%) ... remember to keep checking backwards every 3 gradients applied, as sometimes a gradient in back gets corrupted, for some odd reason ... apply 3, and keep checking backwards 4 or more gradients

Is this a DEM ... or is it a built by hand route ?

DEM's take special care, and techniques when laying gradients