Total distance of the rails on the map

One Trainz mate asked me, if it is possible to get info about total lenght of all railway tracks on single map. Is there a way how to get such info (without driving all the map by loco)?

That is a difficult question to answer partly because do you include the lengths of all sidings, loops as well as branch lines? And what about sections of parallel double and multiple tracks - do they also get included with a figure for the length of each separate track?

There is/was a surveyor tool that would give you the distance between two "markers" that you placed on the track but it seemed to have a maximum allowed distance and all points in between the two markers had to be switched correctly for it to work. I cannot recall the name of the asset.

That is call "Track scanner" KUID2:117746:23230:1 It works up to TANE and most likely at TRS19. Very accurate. Very often people ask for a way to measure distances and the answers suggest to use box cars or other solutions. I use Track Scanner. Easy and to the point.

Is this valid? I was running UMR2020 this morning and noted that 62 rail miles was about 150 tiles in length (plus/minur 1 or 2 tiles).

llebrez said:

"Track scanner" KUID2:117746:23230:1 It works up to TANE and most likely at TRS19. Very accurate.

Click to expand...

That is it! I have used it in TANE but it does appear to have an upper limit for the distance it could measure (25kms rings a bell for some reason - but that could just be the distance to the next pub).

1611mac said:

Is this valid? I was running UMR2020 this morning and noted that 62 rail miles was about 150 tiles in length (plus/minur 1 or 2 tiles).

Click to expand...

A baseboard tile is 720m x 720m. So 150 of them, end to end, is 108km or just over 67 miles.

Thanks guys, I will check it out ;-)

llebrez said:

That is call "Track scanner" KUID2:117746:23230:1 It works up to TANE and most likely at TRS19. Very accurate. Very often people ask for a way to measure distances and the answers suggest to use box cars or other solutions. I use Track Scanner. Easy and to the point.

Click to expand...

I just tried it and it works in TRS19. It uses the GSTrackSearch Class from the scripting API so the game itself calculates the distance between objects along the track path. You have to place 2 track scanner objects on the track route and then request one of them scan the track to find the the other

pware said:

That is it! I have used it in TANE but it does appear to have an upper limit for the distance it could measure (25kms rings a bell for some reason - but that could just be the distance to the next pub).

Click to expand...

I looked at the code in the script and there is no limit in it that restricts the distance searched. However there are a number of limitations built into the GSTrackSearch objects that form the basis for determining the distance:
* TrackSearch will stop after 25km.
* TrackSearch will stop after 500 queries. (search steps thru every object (junctions, signals, markers, speed boards and any other trackside or scenery with track) along the route 1 query per object)
* TrackSearch will stop in certain internal error conditions. (The route would need to be very corrupt for them to occur.)
* And since TANE SP2 - TrackSearch will stop if it reaches the end of currently-available data (I think this is because the mapfiles are now broken up into per baseboard files rather than per route files.)

I haven't seen the last problem on my own route with a main line of 53.66 km (33.56 miles). It required 3 measurements to get the total distance end to end with objects placed at 23.44, 24.90 and 5.33 km apart. I had to go over the whole route a couple of times and set the turnouts correctly. I also found a problem section in the last 5.3 km that I eventually deleted and undeleted 4 track stretches before it found the last object. Everything looked fine and the turnouts were set and reset but it didn't find the last object until I did the del/undel on the 4 pieces of track.

Another problem with it is the track search will fail - terminate early before finding the object - if it reaches the end of track based on its current search path, encounters certain scenery with track based objects or a junction set against the search direction. So it will not automatically find the shorest path to the 2nd track scanner object or it may not even find the 2nd object. You have to make sure that all turnouts are set for the track path you want to determine the distance on. Essentially a train must be able to travel between the 2 track scanner objects with the trunouts as set.

The dialog window will always indicate a number of lists of the trackside objects found and the distance between the 2 objects. However that distance will only be correct if the dialog also indicates "Found Track Scanner Object" in the search. If it does not say that most likely a junction(s) was not set correctly. Check the path and try again.

Bob Pearson

Very useful Trackview rule from Klaus Malorny also has to include some kind of scanner, it also shows some distances.

I ran a train end to end it was 42+ miles, just under 9 hours against traffic, on auto. Heavy Grade, three summits. Starting my 4th year, this Jan., working on it. Just need to finish the two ports and cities. This is my 1st layout, started as a learning route,all free hand, it just grew on me. :hehe: The Trees and details is daunting, I only do it this as a meditation painting, now that the track work is done, designed to run trains on auto. If I did this over again it would only take less than a year to do what I did. :hehe: Anyway when its done it will be uploaded for new members to use as they like, for fun.

So pictures and videos soon next year. The route is called Shuswap Southern, it has a space port, because its on another planet, and two port cities. End to End Route. I love the the sound of a triple header steam pounding its way up a heavy grade.