Axe Route Building - Track Rules and Their Importance?

[Axe]

Hi chaps. As part of my learning curve I'm starting and restarting new test routes just to learn the software etc and something I'm getting more concerned about is track rules.

I have read a little and yet am still missing what I feel is more important than I know.

I have based one test on the china clay route in which it had no track rules after pressing the button and with others they have plenty. Am I supposed to, or allowed to, or expected to swap between different rules throughout the route I build just so I can define a curve radius which suits me.

I feel they are important but I have no real idea where to start learning about that importance. I think it's something I should know about well before I lay track and plant vegetation around my beloved lakes.

I've read some Google results but can someone please put the importance of them in perspective please :-)

[Glenn]

Track rules, as you know, define various 'limits' and 'restrictions' for a given track being used.

Every piece of track you lay will have a set of track rules to define it so I am not sure what makes you think you have used track without any! (I have based one test on the china clay route in which it had no track rules)

It is ( relatively ) easy to make your own track rules. Or you can edit an existing bin file to change the various rules.

The bin files are usualy to be found here ( this example from the Brighton Mainline )> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\RailWorks\Assets\RSC\BrightonMainLine\RailNetwork\TrackRules

Theres those Asset files we spoke of before comming in to play now!

Track rules are created using the Blueprint editor, from within your source folder. You will probably only ever consider creating one if you become serious about the route you are building - usualy in order to create a set of rules specific to your needs. I made mine because I created my own 3D track (and related 3rd rail).

The bin files are edited in any programme that can edit such files - I use RW_Tools for this kind of work. It is quite easy to edit these files to something that you require. For instance, to change the radius of track curve to allow tighter curves, you would look for a line like this: <MinRadius d:type="sUInt32">200</MinRadius> and change the 200 to some other value, say 75, which will allow some rather tight curves!

All that probably confuses you even more! But as you progress and learn more, it does of course get easier to make sense of. Hope that help you a bit.

Here is a couple of pieces copied from that file to give you some idea of how it looks>

<Provider d:type="cDeltaString">RSC</Provider>
<Product d:type="cDeltaString">BrightonMainLine</Product>
</iBlueprintLibrary-cBlueprintSetID>
</BlueprintSetID>
<BlueprintID d:type="cDeltaString">RailNetwork\Track\track02_wood.xml</BlueprintID>
</iBlueprintLibrary-cAbsoluteBlueprintID>
<iBlueprintLibrary-cAbsoluteBlueprintID d:id="58675640">
<BlueprintSetID>
<iBlueprintLibrary-cBlueprintSetID>
<Provider d:type="cDeltaString">RSC</Provider>
<Product d:type="cDeltaString">BrightonMainLine</Product>
</iBlueprintLibrary-cBlueprintSetID>
</BlueprintSetID>
<BlueprintID d:type="cDeltaString">RailNetwork\Track\track02o_wood.xml</BlueprintID>
</iBlueprintLibrary-cAbsoluteBlueprintID>
</TrackTypes>

==============================================================

<TrackGauge d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="00000080C2F5F63F" d:precision="string">1.435</TrackGauge>
<ParallelDistance d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="000000E07A140A40" d:precision="string">3.26</ParallelDistance>
<MainLineTrackLimits>
<iTrackRulesBlueprint-sCurvatureLimits>
<MaxSpeedTolerance d:type="sUInt32">100</MaxSpeedTolerance>
<MinRadius d:type="sUInt32">500</MinRadius>
</iTrackRulesBlueprint-sCurvatureLimits>
</MainLineTrackLimits>
<YardTrackLimits>
<iTrackRulesBlueprint-sCurvatureLimits>
<MaxSpeedTolerance d:type="sUInt32">30</MaxSpeedTolerance>
<MinRadius d:type="sUInt32">100</MinRadius>
</iTrackRulesBlueprint-sCurvatureLimits>
</YardTrackLimits>
<PassengerTrackLimits>
<iTrackRulesBlueprint-sCurvatureLimits>
<MaxSpeedTolerance d:type="sUInt32">70</MaxSpeedTolerance>
<MinRadius d:type="sUInt32">200</MinRadius>
</iTrackRulesBlueprint-sCurvatureLimits>

==================================================================

[LucaZoneX]

There is only one rule - Dont use more than ONE trackrule.

If anyone says different, they likely don't use the Blueprint Editor (the official tool for generating content), or appreciate the impact of using multiple trackrules.

All official routes since Rail Simulator was invented, have been built using just one Trackrule.

[Glenn]

I accidently got track rules mixed up once and ended up laying several miles of track with "Multiple Track Rules" before I realised the mistake - and it caused a LOT of difficult problems to solve!

Best advice is to create your own rules when starting on a serious route building project, or at least make sure you stick to the one rules file, as stated above by LucaZoneX

[Axe]

Thanks guys.

Much to take in here but replies here are a little over what I asked.

Perhaps I should simply ask - what actually do they do and why are they so important? What are the consequences of not using them for their designated purpose? How important are they and why... All that stuff

Treat me like a newbie, err as I am ;-)

[Axe]

Just to add. I am finding I am asking some questions way above my (current) experience in the desire to be forearmed. Creatiing my own rules Glenn? I'm still asking what their importance of them actually is :-) Zoom out chaps please

[cilldroichid]

Their importance is for scenario creation, as I understand it, the scenario editor does not like different trackrules on connected track.

[Axe]

Originally posted by cilldroichid:

Their importance is for scenario creation, as I understand it, the scenario editor does not like different trackrules on connected track.

Thanks I have read they are important but I yet to understand at basic level what they are actually dictating with regards to route building :-) I would hate to build a routre and find out I hadn't understood their value and importance prior to the build.

[cilldroichid]

They don't really dictate anything as regards route building, what they do dictate is scenario creation. If you don't plan to run trains on your route you can use 101 different trackrules but if you do plan to run trains ONE trackrule is what is strongly recommended according to all the advice I have ever read. I don't know the technicalities of why that is, maybe another poster will.

[Axe]

Thanks I'm hoping to just have my simplified questions as asked above answered as I'm trying to be so specific regarding my questions I have refined above :-)

[Glenn]

In short, they are important because they are an integral part of every piece of track that you lay down. The tracks in TS can't exist without at least a basic 'Track-Rule'. Those rules are what makes the track and they define its 'qualities' i.e. its name / its max speed / its curvature radii / its 'wobbliness' / its track (the distance between the rails) and parralel distance from other track and so on and so on.

And sadly TS does not like you to mix different rules - i.e. different tracks from different sources and / or routes.

In the end, you pick a track rule from the list, for the route that you are making, and you stick to that rule for the making of the whole route.

Always remembering that those TrackRules bin files can be edited as I explained earlier.

[Glenn]

Forgive me if I got this wrong, but I am starting to wonder if maybe we are talking about the same thing. Reason is something you have said > "What are the consequences of not using them for their designated purpose?" < not using them? Designated purpose? You can't actually 'use them' as such, for anything. You pick a track rule from the list and lay a length of track and the track rule is an intrinsic part of that piece of track. That piece of track is defined by the track rule that you chose to use. Maybe in your early stages the best track rule for you to use would be the one at the top of the list > -All Track TR- and stick with it until you become more advanced.

I also wonder if it would be worth you having a go at creating your own Track Rule file to help you to understand them better. If you do want to give it a go (it's really not that hard) I would be happy to knock up a short tutorial for you and help wherever I can - and you can probably find plenty of tutorials via Google as well.

[pjt1974]

I regard the trackrule as just a template. The rule of the track can be edited once the track has been layed.

Use only one through the route.

Radius of curves can be adjusted in the right hand flyout box when you select which type of track you want by choosing whether it is Mainline, Passenger, Freight or Yard. Yard generally allows you a tighter curve than mainline. If you require something tighter than is available then it's probably too tight. Again, the track usage can edited once the track has been layed.

If you accidentally use a different track rule, this can be fixed by editing the Tracks.bin. RWTools is best for this although I think you can do it be converting it to a .xml file with Serz (supplied in TS) and editing it with Norepad++ or something similar, then converting it back to a .bin. No need to worry about that for the moment

Your own track rules are fine but it will need to be supplied with the route and would make the route not compatible with Steam workshop.

[Axe]

Thanks fellas. Sorry for being confused, I was rather concerned the track rule was rather more mystifying than it seems to be.

Glenn, thanks for your kind offer and the reason you are confused is the fact that at the time of those posts you have quoted I was uncertain how to best describe my questions. The thing is when one doesn't know something it's difficult to know which questions to ask :-) Please feel free to pull me up on something as there's a good chance I will be talking out my ear.

I have actually read a bit about editing the track rule but what I am learning is that I'm asking questions ahead of my abilities to try and get the hop on it specially when I think of this time as a time for laying the foundation so I don't have to come back later and undo stuff. But I do also know making mistakes is part of it all.

Thanks again - I'm extremely grateful for all your time and assistance :-)

[Glenn]

Just keep on asking - you never know unless you ask. And when I was a driving instructor, people often said they were afraid to ask "... in case you thought I was being stupid...".. Well that's just daft of course - not everyone can be a genius and know everything like me (LOL). Seriously though, no-one can be thought of as stupid just because they don't know something. And it's human nature to ask, to explore & to find out stuff.

[Axe]

I will do Glenn. I'm one of those people who does feel a little guilty of asking for others time and expertise as what I know has been hard won like with my websites (now sadly no longer) I learnt from scratch to producing saleable content. I spent 3 years or so with little assistance working all day up to 3-4 am before I fell asleep totally exhausted on my desk.

This is why I have experience with docs maybe the 'average' user does not. It all adds up :-)