Track higher than ground

[railduffer]

When running a train on my route I can see a shadow between the roadbed and the ground. When in the route builder, and upon a closer view, the roadbed is slightly above the ground. The 8 meter grid does not help this situation when on rugged terrain.
When using the "Paint Tools", "Snap to Track" utility the track remains slightly elevated. In reading the solutions of plant material floating, one can adjust the height of grass clumps through a block adjustment. Is there a way to adjust the "Snap to Track" tool so that the roadbed or track might be even with or slightly below the ground?
I am guessing the Track file might be edited, but that would probably mean I would have to rebuild all track. I have no clue how to achieve a fix. I am using Scale Rail W1 Mainline.If I am being too picky, let me know.
Thanks for any suggestions.
I am a retired road building estimator. With the software we used I could build a template of the design cut or fill slopes, and drag it down the center line of the proposed road. Design cut or fill slopes would intersect with existing ground. There was a 3D image, and from there quantities of earth to be moved were determined. There was no grid.

[BoostedFridge]

I feel your pain on this one, as the same thing bothered me as well. Scalerail is darn near perfect otherwise, in my opinion.

You can handle this a few different ways...

1) Bring the ground up ever so slightly around the track.

I use the 'increase height' tool, with a brush size of 20 for single track, and 30 or 35 for double track. I recommend the circular brush, with a falloff of 1.0 and a speed between 1.5 and 2.5 (depending on your dexterity). I 'brush' the cursor along the track, while quickly tapping the mouse button. This works pretty well for raising the terrain just that little bit to cover the gap under the ballast. This solution is pretty foolproof, but may take a while depending on how much track you have laid.


2) Use the gradient tool to ever so slightly lower the track.

You have to be VERY careful with this method not to 'break' track joints. Click on the tool, and yellow arrows will appear at the ends of your track ribbons, and periodically along the track. As you move your cursor along the track, a yellow arrow will follow it. Clicking and holding the left mouse button creates a new point where you can adjust the grade by holding the mouse button and moving the cursor 'up' or 'down'. You can lower all of the track points slightly to bury the track ballast a bit. This method is easiest to perform as you are laying new track, as opposed to going back afterwards.

Also, if you have any scenarios where a train starts on top of a track ribbon you have modified, the scenario may not work after.


3) Edit the track's .bin file

This does not make any changes to the track that has already been laid; only track you lay after changing the file. If you have more track to lay on your route still, I would recommend making this change in combination with one of the other methods to handle your existing track.

I edit my xml files using a program called notepad++ which I thoroughly endorse. You can use notepad as well I believe.

Open your railworks folder. Scroll down in that folder until you can see the file called ' serz '.
Then open another window, and navigate to your Railworks -> Assets -> 3dTrains -> ScaleRail -> RailNetwork -> SR_Default -> Track folder.

Drag and drop the ' SR_133W1_MTrk.bin ' file on top of the ' serz ' file in your Railworks folder. (see below)

Track Offset.jpg

This will create an editable SR_133W1_MTrk.xml file, right underneath the orignal bin. Right click on the xml file and open the file with either Notepad, or Notepad++ (see below)

Track Offset 1.5.jpg

Once the file opens, scroll down until you see the line starting with ' EditorGroundOffset ' (this is line # 44 if you are using Notepad++)

Track Offset 2.jpg

The default value for this specific track type is ' 0.72 ' . Replacing that with a lower value will make all future track that you lay sit lower to the ground when laying track with the 'snap to terrain' button selected.

A value of ' 0.65 ' lowers the track enough where the shadow you described is minimized.

A value of ' 0.60 ' will have the ballast pile tucked completely against the terrain with no shadow at all.

After changing ONLY this value, save the file, and exit the program.


Next, click on the ' SR_133W1_MTrk ' XML file and drag and drop it over the ' serz ' program in your Railworks folder.

This will overwrite the existing ' SR_133W1_MTrk.bin ' file with an updated version with the changes you just made.

Launch Railworks, and go to your route editor. Now when you lay any ' SR W1: Mainline ' track, the start of the track ribbon will be at the new height above the terrain. To take full advantage of these changes, you are best having the 'snap to terrain' button selected when laying new track.

Track offset 3.jpg

4) There is a way using RW_Tools to globally raise/lower the height of ALL of your existing track on your route. I have not done this method myself, but I know that there are some folks on this forum who have. I hope they can chime in with how to do this.

This method lowers all track on the route, regardless of type. So if all of your track is the Scalerail Mainline type, then you just need to lower the track by a value of 0.07, or 0.12 depending on your preference. If you have other types of scalerail laid that have lower ballast or no ballast, such as the SR W1: Yard, or SR W1: Rail, then lowering the track too much will make this track go below the surface of the terrain.


If you only have a few miles of track laid, then I suggest using method #1 that I described to adjust the terrain to the track. If you have a lot of track laid, then the RW_Tools method would be best, with future track laid using the modified track.bin file as described above.

[railduffer]

Thank you "Fridge". I have been doing step one. It takes forever. I will attempt to alter the Scale Rail file for future use. I would love to learn the RW Tools method that you described, but I would need some instruction on this. I have about 30 miles of existing track on my route.
Again thanks.

[buzz456]

Additionally if you use super el you will notice the outside of the turn is always separated from the terrain unless you make provision.

[railduffer]

OK guys. I made the revision to the .bin file that you suggested "Fridge" so that future track would look better. Then, as an experiment, I tried the PAINTING TOOLS, SNAP TRACK TOOL to see what would happen. When I dragged the marker down the track I could see the ground jump up. So using the revised .bin file, it would seem that I will be able to revise all of my mainline track that is already in place. I'm sure this would also work for other SR track if needed.
For single track I used the circular brush, brush size of 10, brush falloff of 1.00, Base Width of 6.00. Double track would be wider.
Thanks "Fridge".

[BoostedFridge]

That is good information to have about the 'snap to track' working with the new offset values.

I'm glad this helped. Good luck with your route!