TUTORIAL: Downloading DEM / SRTM terrain data

[BoostedFridge]

Furthermore, if you use the 1" SRTM in anything beyond a trivially small route, you will be TempDumped to death. I gave up eventually after maybe 50 TempDumps on 3x3 to 19x19. If the route is "small", i.e., you are DEMming within 20-30 miles of the reference Lat/Long, then the 1" data works great, very reliable. So it is not the data it is TS2019. Just an FYI.

Not to sound harsh, but this is not true at all.

I have generated routes over 100 miles long using 1 arc/second SRTM. I also use it to generate the majority of the distant terrain on my routes, which has often been 100+ sq miles per route.

The 'temp dump' crash is usually RAM related in 32 bit TS. If you're doing a bunch of repeated 'large scale' activities in the route editor (importing 19x19 chunks of terrain, painting large areas with a big brush size, adding and adjusting a plethora of gradient points, etc...) the game runs into an issue where it doesn't 'clear' its amount of RAM used. Once this hits its breaking point of around 3.2-3.4GB, the game crashes and displays the 'temp dump' error message. A fix for this is periodically hitting the 'play' button in the route editor to switch from editing mode to the in game/play mode, then pressing escape and going back to the route editor. This clears a bunch of the games allocated RAM. If you have 2 monitors, or run the game in windowed mode with the task manager open, you can watch this.


Are you getting the 'temp dump & crash' repeatedly in the same area? If so, check to see if you are at the extreme north end of the Lat/Long grid square. Often, the 1 arc second files are missing the last 75 yards/meters along the northern edge of the tile. If you try importing a block of SRTM that would include that gap, the game crashes. Go back to the route that you experienced all these issues with and look at the Latitude coordinates. If they are getting close to the north end of the tile, then this would be your problem. Import the tiles until you are up against the 'border' between the next lat/long grid square to the north, then use a combination of the level and blend tools to connect your terrain.

Latitude Border tile gap.jpg

[buzz456]

Hitting the F2 key while in the world editor every couple of minutes will also do wonders to help out with the crashing issue.

[Dakota]

@BoostedFridge, thank you! I have hope. I am extending the huge Cajon Pass Alpha route from Yermo to Vegas. I'lll try the F2/Play/Edit trick. I set up a separate test route centered on Kelso, about 90 miles long, and I had no problem with the 1" data. Too bad it can't be copied into the big route (that one is centered at Cajon Pass BNSF Summit). Anyway I'll give it some more effort.

[Dakota]

I just deleted some posts that turned out to be a result of my own mistakes and incomplete research. My apologies. I will report my results with the Searchlight Simulations 1/3" tools, ReDem not needed. I have even more hope now.

[Dakota]

Following bnsfsubdivisions tutorial linked from this post by @BoostedFridge, I was able to coax BILxSRTM.exe in 1/3 arcsecond mode to convert the BIL file for N35W116 from MicroDem to 81 HGT files for one test square USGS_NED_13_n35w116_GridFloat. The files are named N34W116T11.hgt through N34W116T99.hgt. They are all 2818 KB in size, which is the size for a single 3" resolution HGT file for a grid square. Why are they named N34xxxx for the otherwise N35xxx square?

Railworks.exe does not see this data. I attached Mark Russinovich's Process Monitor to RailWorks.exe and I can see that, when importing DEM for a position of 34.5 -115.5 it is trying to open N34W116.hgt once for each requested tile (e.g. for 5x5 it tries this 25 times). It is never looking for the HGT files with names like N34W116Tnn.hgt. It seems that RailWorks does not understand these formats? In any case the 1/3 " DEM data is not being imported. The program is never even trying to open the files.

What am I missing? Or how in hell do I get ReDem? or...

So... is there someone out there would would be willing to run some BIL files through ReDem for me? Maybe 10 or so? I'd be willing to donate...

[dzadro57]

Thanks

[BoostedFridge]

Following bnsfsubdivisions tutorial linked from this post by @BoostedFridge, I was able to coax BILxSRTM.exe in 1/3 arcsecond mode to convert the BIL file for N35W116 from MicroDem to 81 HGT files for one test square USGS_NED_13_n35w116_GridFloat. The files are named N34W116T11.hgt through N34W116T99.hgt. They are all 2818 KB in size, which is the size for a single 3" resolution HGT file for a grid square. Why are they named N34xxxx for the otherwise N35xxx square?

Railworks.exe does not see this data. I attached Mark Russinovich's Process Monitor to RailWorks.exe and I can see that, when importing DEM for a position of 34.5 -115.5 it is trying to open N34W116.hgt once for each requested tile (e.g. for 5x5 it tries this 25 times). It is never looking for the HGT files with names like N34W116Tnn.hgt. It seems that RailWorks does not understand these formats? In any case the 1/3 " DEM data is not being imported. The program is never even trying to open the files.

What am I missing? Or how in hell do I get ReDem? or...

So... is there someone out there would would be willing to run some BIL files through ReDem for me? Maybe 10 or so? I'd be willing to donate...

Railworks can only handle one .hgt file for each lat/long grid square. Redem outputs into individual .bin files for each individual Railworks tile. That is how it is able to fool the game into drawing 1/3 arc second and 1/9 arc second files.

[CSXAC60CW]

Sorry if this bumping an old thread but I’m still having trouble with this tool, I have got everything done and followed every step correctly all the way to where I have all my HGT files, I had to create a DEM and a SRTM folder in the railworks directory. I go in game to import and it’s not there.. I believe my coordinates are correct, but I don’t know how to type the coordinates CORRECTLY. Because the ones I get from google earth are so long and train sim only lets you put so many numbers. so when I hit import nothing there. I don’t know what I’m missing after following every step

[CSXAC60CW]

I may be doing the whole route template incorrectly.. but I want the Sherman Hill ground textures

[BoostedFridge]

Sorry if this bumping an old thread

The thread is stickied at the top, so its not really bumping it. I would prefer to keep the thread to discussion related to the USGS download process though. Perhaps a mod could move these comments to another thread in this section.

I’m still having trouble with this tool, I have got everything done and followed every step correctly all the way to where I have all my HGT files,

Since you referenced HGT files, I am assuming that you are trying to generate 1/arc second terrain. If your source files were 1/3 arc second, or 1/9 arc second, then your output HGT files won't be read by Railworks. I've noted that very clearly in step 3 of the tutorial. If you were indeed using 1 arc second source files, then see below for other possible fixes for your issues.

If you used 1 arc second data, then your output files should be titled in a format like the picture below. Note the names and file sizes. You should only have ONE HGT file for each ~75 mile x ~50 mile lat/long grid. So if your route is ~100 miles long, you should only have two to four files.

5.jpg

This is my SRTM folder. The files shows are enough for FOUR separate 200 mile long routes. If your process gave your a large number of HGT files, then you were trying to use 1/3 or 1/9 arc second files.

I had to create a DEM and a SRTM folder in the railworks directory. I go in game to import and it’s not there.. I believe my coordinates are correct, but I don’t know how to type the coordinates CORRECTLY. Because the ones I get from google earth are so long and train sim only lets you put so many numbers. so when I hit import nothing there. I don’t know what I’m missing after following every step

You can truncate the latitude and longitude coordinates to five decimal places when entering them into Railworks.

If you are describing the process when you are creating a new route, and you have to select a route template, be sure to do so in this order:

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg

4.jpg

Once you enter your new route, verify that the coordinates showing at the top of the screen are the coordinates that you typed in, and not those of the template. (if you created your own custom template, than disregard this)

If all of the above was done correctly, and pressing import terrain does not load in new terrain, then the issue is with your .HGT files. I've seen people reverse their lat/long coordinates, download the wrong area files for their route, etc, etc. Reading the instructions in the tutorial clearly and following the steps to the letter is key.

If you're still having issues after going through the above, shoot me a PM, or start a new thread.

[RAILSOHIO]

I decided to venture back into route building. Of course I want to use higher resolution files,and have no luck being able to follow this process. Why? I can not download Microdem. After many attempts I disabled the firewall. But as soon as I attempted to install it,It was isolated by my computer as a threat. I have spent the last few days trying to get 1/9 and 1/3 DEM into this route with no luck. Is there any other option? Joe

[kris120]

Your browser or an extension could prevent you from downloading. Otherwise it could be defender or any other antivirus software.
We talk about https://www.usna.edu/Users/oceano/pguth ... crodem.htm ?