All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

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hminky
Posts: 10
Joined: 17 Feb 2011 15:21

All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

#1 Post by hminky »

Found this reference over on Elvas Tower Forum:

http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita. ... 4/polyline

Download Railway Network, the file has all the routes in the US in a .shp file.

In TransDEM load the DEM of your desired railroad area and the under Routes load the .shp file.

Image

All the railroading in Southwest VA, Kentucky, Tennessee corner, zoom in to find the chunk desired.

Image

Make a Trainz route from the desire area, that is the Interstate Railroad in Southwest Virginia.

Image

Image

Appalachia, Virgina

Harold
SharkNose
Posts: 65
Joined: 20 Nov 2012 01:41

Re: All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

#2 Post by SharkNose »

Nice! Not super detailed, but still has some New Jersey lines abandoned 30 years ago.

Andrew
hminky
Posts: 10
Joined: 17 Feb 2011 15:21

Re: All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

#3 Post by hminky »

I converted the .shp to a .kmz and am looking on Google Earth at the Millville, NJ area where I grew up and there are routes long abandoned showing up.

Same with Delaware where I am living now.

Neat!
Harold
Jerker
Posts: 170
Joined: 30 Jan 2011 13:03

Re: All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

#4 Post by Jerker »

G'day hminsky,

...you do realise, Harold, that you could save yourself some further work, depending upon the accuracy of those poly-lines, by 'setting' the export up in such a way so as to export the desired track asset of your choice, in lieu of those poly-lines (or along with it, if that is your wish), which would leave you only with the task of making fine adjustments to the track, instead of needing the time to 'lay' them, as well..

Jerker {:)}
hminky
Posts: 10
Joined: 17 Feb 2011 15:21

Re: All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

#5 Post by hminky »

You mean like this:

Image

Harold
Jerker
Posts: 170
Joined: 30 Jan 2011 13:03

Re: All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

#6 Post by Jerker »

G'day hminsky,

..yep, that's the general idea, Harold, although there might be a bit more work involved than I thought to align that lot according to how I see the alignment should be but at least you're aware of the process...

Jerker {:)}
Jerker
Posts: 170
Joined: 30 Jan 2011 13:03

Re: All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

#7 Post by Jerker »

G'day hminsky,

...something I have just noticed, Harold, after seeing the image you have posted above (in the thread paralleling this one in the regular Trainz Forum), prompts me to enquire which of the DEM resolutions you are using there? From the image, I get the impression you are only using the SRTM 1 arcsec (30 meter) dataset, rather then the much higher resolution NED 1/3 arcsec (10 meter) dataset?...

Jerker {:)}
hminky
Posts: 10
Joined: 17 Feb 2011 15:21

Re: All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

#8 Post by hminky »

It is 1/3 data.

The map looks like real life.

Harold
Jerker
Posts: 170
Joined: 30 Jan 2011 13:03

Re: All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

#9 Post by Jerker »

G'day hminsky,

...fair enough, Harold, it just doesn't look as 'detailed' as I would expect for the 1/3 arcsec resolution...

Jerker {:)}
Jayco-man
Posts: 21
Joined: 15 Nov 2014 07:21

Re: All the Rail Lines in the US for TransDEM

#10 Post by Jayco-man »

Which .shp file do I put into Trans-Dem. There or two files, Rail_lines >shp and Rail_nodes .shp or do I import both. Thanks in advance. New at all of this.
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