Track on rocky ledge -- how?

Peter --

Thanks. I've skimmed through the DHR content on the DLS. There is a lot! Do you mind giving me a hint or two what I should look for - the thumbnails and description don't provide much guidance.

I was actually there late last year. It was a wonderful experience, absolutely fascinating, particularly the way the track shares the road. Without the trains it's chaos. With ... .

DHR_01.JPG


DHR_02.JPG


DHR_03.JPG


DHR_04.JPG


DHR_05.JPG


DHR_06.JPG


Phil
 
Before I went much further I thought I'd better see if it would work. So this is a "proof of concept". It's rough and ready, less than an hour's work.

Remember -- it's a model railroad. The cliff ledge might be plastic mouldings bought from the local model railroad shop. The mountains painted plaster of paris on a wire mesh.

 
Phil

This how it works for the DHR. It is obvious that we have a problem with texture repetition, what you see was a test. The smaller shots show typical modules, wall and slope type. Bear in mind that these were made back in TRS2004 and new techniques could have helped. A typical module length is 6 metres, If I was making them again I would make an initial mesh possibly 5 modules, (30m) and create a full length texture on all the faces just making sure that the ends match at the join. I would then slice the mesh into 5 sections and export each one as a separate asset. These would be added as 1-2-3-4-5-1-2 so that hopefully, the repeated join is not seen so easily.

road section.jpg37631.jpg35609.jpg

PeterPM
 
Thanks, Peter. Appreciated.

I think I'll have to continue with the method in the video above. It's not ideal but it seems to be the best available, at least for now.

Phil
 
I have always dreamed of a route that spirals upward from 0.00 to 3000 ft with millions of trestles and tunnels in mountains ... or from -3000 ft, up to 3000 ft
 
Phil

It seems that you are using the trestle bridge to position the track and then add the hillside to suit. So. even though the trestle is hidden you still have the high poly load. Our system reverses this. We make the mesh with the roadbed at 0,0 so when the track is added it uses the roadbed as height guide. You could combine the two, use the a trestle clone to position the track, then add the rock walls which would embody the roadbed, and finally, bulk replace the trestle clone with standard track.

Just a thought.

PeterPM
 
Hi Peter --

The method I'm using is very time consuming. And now you are telling me that it is very frame rate hostile? So, all in all, it just sucks.

Unfortunately at the moment it's the best that that is available to me.

But what I hope is that this thread might prompt someone to come up with an alternative that is incredibly quick and easy to use, is frame rate friendly and looks ultra realistic. I suspect I might be hoping for too much? Or if it does eventuate it will be just after I've finished the layout.

Phi
 
Phil, I think the repetition problem could be ameliorated by breaking up the ledges a bit. A continuous ledge for that great a length may not be as striking as a ledge, then a slide area, then ledge again, maybe a small trestle over a gulch, another ledge, and so on. This would be more representative of mountain railroading.

Just a thought.

Pitkin
 
The breaking up of the ledges is definitely more realistic than a continuous long rock ledge.

If you can take a look at sir gibby's solution to this problem on his Murchison route. He created some cliff-edge splines which are actually bridges. The are used for those long stretches of edge-running which he has through out the mountains.
 
Funny I was just thinking about Murchison the other day and what a good source of hill country assets it contains. Unfortunately it is behind a pay wall which hasn't been updated for TANE. One route I would pay a reasonable price to buy again though at this stage more worthwhile upgrading it to "Next/TRS2018". Although some assets are on the author's website not much use if you're trying to confine your references to DLS and official DLC.
 
Rocky ledge track

philskene said:
I've managed to avoid this in the past but I can't this time. You may want to try this suggestion from a rank amateur: build the terrain first, then copy or add the track plan and adjust spline heights, then "Smooth spline" works wonders, then add textures. This is much easier and faster than fitting the terrain to the track.

I'm working on a new model Trainz railroad. The location? Somewhere in The Rockies. Difficult terrain, many steep grades, lots of tunnels. And places where the track in on a rocky ledge, with a cliff face upwards on one side and a drop downwards on the other. Something like this scene on a "real" model railroad:

Pano5.JPG


Or in real life:

Trains1_Durango%26Silverton_MI.jpg


Those who frequent the model Trainz thread in the screen shot Forum might have seen this image of my progress on my layout thus far. The trestles are place holders to show the grades. I'l like to replace some or even most with track on a narrow rock ledge.

KabFourword_07.jpg


I'm sure others will have encountered this before. I've searched the Forums for a solution to no avail.

Is there a solution? An easy way? Any way?

Phil
Click to expand...
You may want to try this suggestion from a rank amateur: build the terrain first, then copy or add the track plan and adjust spline heights, then "Smooth spline" works wonders, then add textures. This is much easier and faster than fitting the terrain to the track.
 
Hi greymaster --

I just wish it was that easy! But unfortunately while the"smooth spline" tool works wonders on tracks running north-south and east-west it gives very poor results otherwise, particularly on curves. Try it and you will see what I mean.

I have made progress. I've posted this video elsewhere to show the latest build (full screen/1080p):


The "solution" I'm using is not elegant and very time consuming but it seems the best that is available for now.
 
rocky ledge track

I am aware of the jagged terrain appearance when smoothing splines on curves. It would be much smoother if the grid blocks were smaller. But the overall final appearance is what matters, and whether curves are sharp or generous you can smooth down the obtrusive points easily. I do this daily on my route. Remember most views of hills, etc, are "distant" and texturing tends to smooth everything. But main thing is, do whatever suits you best and enjoy it. (And keep a close watch on speed on those ledges!)
Nick
 
Grid size has very little effect in TANE other than 5m grid is more accurate and looks a lot better and on a model train layout any 5m grid overhead is insignificant anyway.
 
Grid size

clam1952 said:
Grid size has very little effect in TANE other than 5m grid is more accurate and looks a lot better and on a model train layout any 5m grid overhead is insignificant anyway.
Click to expand...
I have tried to set grid size to 5mm, but nothing happens. Obviously I am missing something. Anybody have a hint on how to change grid size? thanks
 
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