Railworks America

Hey everyone,

Just wondering if anyone knew if there was any available LIDAR data for download. I'm looking to get LIDAR data for my route to replace the DEM I already have in my route. I was wondering if anyone knew if you could convert the LIDAR data to work in TS2014 or if it was even compatible? I've been looking at google maps and trying to base my elevation off of the maps, I'm close but I would think that using the LIDAR would be most accurate.

Can anyone help me out? Sorry if I didn't make much sense.

Ken

I haven't sought data for a long time but just yesterday I copied this from the USGS site so I would guess there's some LIDAR data available there somewhere...

NED
Source Data Maps/Aerial Photos/Lidar
Source Resolution 3m, 10-m & 30-m DEMs

I would expect only certain areas have been scanned. I think I once heard they were using it to fill gaps in the data gathered by satellites from equatorial orbits (mountains block their "view")

That's good to know, I might have to redownload from usgs if it's available for the area I'm doing. I only did 1/9 and. 1/3 ARC data for it, but if LIDAR is more detailed and it's downloadable I will do so.

Just to clarify, does google maps terrain use LIDAR data or is it something else?

Low resolution void-filled SRTM.

Really? and they have that much detail in the terrain? I would have thought the DEM I downloaded from the USGS was just as detailed...i wonder if i should update my terrain files?

xxuntitledxx wrote:... I'm close but I would think that using the LIDAR would be most accurate. ...

A colleague of mine who was involved in GIS (Geographic Information System) development told me about a proposal to update the National Elevation Dataset on a state-by-stat basis. It was his understanding that this would hav resulted in terrain equivalent to one-foot contours. By comparison, the 1/9 arc second data currently available for some areas is roughly equivalent to a three-foot contour. I retired before the project got anywhere, and I understand it has been postponed due to budget cuts.

As it stands, the 1/9 arc second data is pretty impressive where it's available, but I'm not clear that TS2014 can handle that level of resolution. What impact a higher level of resolution would have on framerates is not clear, but if my experience with MSTS was any indication, lower-end systems might struggle with it.

TS handles 1/9 arcsec just fine; it's what the Alleghany route is built on. It's so accurate (except on the north side of some hills) that I've located homesteads and roads up in the mountains around home that I didn't even know about. "Flying" along old logging roads gives some clues to whether they were roads or railroads. That helped me locate the old Henderson logging tracks that Pete's BLC portion of the Alleghany route was built on. It even revealed the location of two closed tunnels (one I had heard of). Looking at the bare terrain is very revealing in mountainous territory that is normally hidden in trees. The Greenbrier Valley is karst (cave) territory and has lots of sinkholes, but I was very surprised of how many when I loaded up the terrain in TS. Loaded into a 3D environment, flying around over the terrain is even more interesting than in Google Earth.

I have 1/9 ARC data on about half of my route, the end I'm working on currently is 1/3, the 1/9 is available in IMG format but I'm not able to convert it for TS. Any ideas on how I can convert it? It would make finishing this route a little easier.

Will Microdem read it? It's been a long time since I worked with it.

It'll open the file but it's all black with no elevation data in it. I'm opening the .img file in MicroDEM from the IMG download I got from the NED database. If I can figure out which file is the right file I can convert it for TS. I have a few extensions: .dbf, .img, .img.aux, .prj, .sbn, .sbx, .shp, .shx, and an xml file. Any clue which one I need?

Sorry if I sound half out of it, I'm just responding back after a really long day. I should be more coherent tomorrow lol.

Ken

Thanks for the info. I'll definitely be using that, I already have most of the stuff required to do that. I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

Okay, so I followed the steps in the link and I have all of the IMG files converted, however... how can I merge all of the separate files into one continuous file? I've been using MicroDEM but all of .bil files come up blank. If I open them individually they are black, so I'm guessing MicroDEM just won't read them or what? Does anyone use other programs to combine elevation files?

Anybody care to help?