How to make track section?

how to make track section? I use Gmax and I need spanish gauge track section (1.668 m) and metric gauge,thanks¡

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There is some very useful information on http://www.xtracks.tk Click on "trackmaking" Also, I've found using Gmax, that in the material editor you want to use a Mip LOD Bias of -1.0 and the Z Buffer Mode should be "Test Only" for the roadbed (acleantrack1.ace). This allows the roadbed to be drawn over each other when tracks cross, but the rails still show through.Also you'll have to figure out the tsection.dat file, but there are some good explanations at the beginning of that file. Get the most recent version from the file library.Mark

Moffat Road Tabernash to Phippsburg
All track complete
Currently working on Mtracks

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Making tracks is not something you can learn easily ! It's not just creating their physical shapes accurately in GMAX or similar which is difficult enough to learn, it is also knowing how to declare their physics and animations if switches, allowing the use of MSTS trackbed and rail textures or create new ones and have a section for them allocated in the Global Tsection.dat if good enough for general release.1.668m is Broad Gauge, still used in Spain ? 1 metre Gauge is used in Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe.You could get away with using MSTS Standard Gauge and Xtracks Narrow Gauge, which I think is 3 feet, close enough to make both look like they were 1.668 and 1 metre when used in the same route. There are also Double-Gauge tracks and switches in Xtracks, should they be required in sections were Standard and Narrow gauge use the same trackbed.This would really be the ideal solution or else you would have to create Rolling Stock for these new gauges as well, because Standard Gauge Rolling stock would run inside the rails of new Broad Gauge tracks and outside those of metre gauge.Another problem when using Narrow Gauge tracks on their own and have them join Double-Gauge or cross Standard Gauge sections is that their rails are lower then those of the other gauges, looking odd where they cross other gauge tracks.Lots to think about, no doubt to be commented on by two of the Masters, Okrasa and Roman ! O t t o

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Right now I'm building a route that uses broad gauge, of the same width, but just for simplicity I make it with standard gauge in the Route Editor, and you shouldn't see the difference.
But if you want the standard gauge to look like broad gauge, I recommend you to replace the default Acleantrack2.ace texture, for another track texture in which the rail looks narrower, there are several different textures available in the libraries, even trackbeds (Acleantrack1.ace) that will reproduce your track much better.

Eduardo.
(My E-mail is in my profile)

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Be warned, making track sections is not difficult (compared to doing scenery items or rolling stock) but takes a lot of time if you are going to produce a usable set of sections. You will need many straights & curves and then you will also need switches and possibly crossings.
Don't think this is something you will be able to put together over a weekend or two.
I would suggest using the existing normal gauge and 3ft gauge tracks and spend the time on building your route instead. While a 10% difference will be noticable if you look close it is doubtfull the extra time spent on making all those track sections is really worth it.


//Okrasa
Chief Engineer
okrasa @ xtracks.tk
http://www.geocities.com/okrasaghia
http://www.xtracks.tk

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