Gradiant display in the Driver UI

FootplatePhil

Trainz Tragic since 2002
During test runs of my Weddin route after import into TRS2019 I noticed to my dismay that at some points the Driver UI was showing gradients much higher than I thought I had laid down (at the critical steepest grades it was showing values much higher than the actual prototype 2% max grade). I don't use DEM data. Thinking I had made some sort of huge error, and that I was in for some major terraforming I went into Surveyor, only to find the Track Tools gradient measure was showing gradients more in line with my intention, and the prototype.

Has anyone else noticed this? Anyone have an explanation? More importantly, which in-game measure is correct?
 
As far as I know there has always been a difference in the displayed (in the Map Tool) and measured (in the Surveyor track tool) gradient values. There was a thread on this some time (years?) ago but I believe (and no doubt someone will correct me if I am wrong) the difference is caused by where you measure the gradient - along the spline length or at the spline points where the spline gradient value is set.

The TRS19 gradient display in the Driver UI could, I suspect, be a product of all the gradients (however they are measured) along the track - a distance that may cover many spline segments.

My theory.
 
During test runs of my Weddin route after import into TRS2019 I noticed to my dismay that at some points the Driver UI was showing gradients much higher than I thought I had laid down (at the critical steepest grades it was showing values much higher than the actual prototype 2% max grade).
You can lay track with a particular gradient along a length, or between points of a particular height, but the actual gradients that will apply for portions of that length can be very different. The average will work out as calculated, but intermediate points can vary widely. This is particularly the case if you apply a gradient to track with multiple curves, and where the gradient changes.
 
You can lay track with a particular gradient along a length, or between points of a particular height, but the actual gradients that will apply for portions of that length can be very different. The average will work out as calculated, but intermediate points can vary widely. This is particularly the case if you apply a gradient to track with multiple curves, and where the gradient changes.

The Surveyor Gradient Tool purports to give the average gradient between spline points. Perhaps the UI gradient value is a max value between spline points (or some other points of it's choosing)?
 
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