What route editing addons are available?

[dak4482]

Now that I have Zusi and its in English is there a list of useful tools for adding track to large areas such as the Microdem tool or others? What is being used out there and are there English directions for its use? Is there any way of adding markers for laying track? I would like to model a LARGE county size area here in the states and am wondering as to the limitations of the program as far as the size of area it will handle. Any help would be appreciated.

Dan Kosko

[Roland Ziegler]

Hi Dan,

there are a couple of route editing helper tools available, they are called Ziegler Tools, and, yes, I've written them. You will find them on the Zusi CD. However, these tools currently have a common drawback: they do not yet have an English interface or English documentation. (Still looking for volunteers on the translation issue).

These tools cover Zusi terraforming based on DEMs and make track laying easier. The terraform tool "Geländeformer" accepts MicroDEM format. Track laying can be based on SDTS vector data, converted to dxf. You can also use MSTS markers. The tool for that is "Streckenkonverter". Track laying itself is aided by "Absteckrechner" which takes the "raw routes" as input and creates bits of track in a partially automated way. You select two points in the raw route and this tool creates the track between these points, including proper transition curves, and smooth change of grades.

Concerning the total length ot the route: Currently Zusi loads the whole route into memory at once. This implies certain limitations on the dimensions of the route. Dynamic loading will be a feature of Zusi 3.

[dak4482]

Hi Roland,

Thanks for the info. Have to pull out my handy translater and start cracking!!! Cant wait for Zusi 3. That is wonderful that it will use MSTS markers. I have a huge set of them just waiting to be used for a very detailed route. By the way what is this TRANS DEM that I saw mentioned? Is it similar to MicroDem?

Dan

[Daniel Rüscher aka Merlin]

Transdem is a little bit like Microdem... Its a Zusi-adapted DEM client... with a lot of special features that are needed for Trackdesigning for Zusi. It's programmed by Roland.

[Roland Ziegler]

TransDEM aims to put together common tasks of DEM import/generation and route digitizing from map into one tool. It combines a few elements of MicroDEM, TS Terraform and GeoGrid, a German map viewer, and adds a few others. I am currently working on a little editing tool to allow digitizing of routes from geo-referenced maps, including large scale track plans.

When using my tools, all created Zusi routes will be based on UTM coordinates. The UTM information will be preserved in the Zusi route file (.str). MSTS markers (which have lat/long coords), will automatically be converted to UTM. Properly created MSTS markers should be based on WGS84, same ellipsoid/geodetic datum as for UTM.

TransDEM supports a few other coordinate systems and datums but nothing specific yet for North America like NAD.

[Carsten Hölscher]

it is recommended, that you build your line in modules of about 5 to 15 km (for example 1 module per station). When all modules are created with the help of the Ziegler-tools, the can easily be merged to the complete line in the end. Modifications should always be done in the modules only.

Carsten

[dak4482]

Thanks to all for the replies and help. Is Transdem a "finished product"? Is it ok to use or still in developement?

[Roland Ziegler]

It's in beta stage, but should be stable enough to use. You can download it from my website. A Zusi CD12 installation of the Ziegler Tools is required for the TransDEM setup to work.