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rgarber (688 posts)
Dec-01-01, 00:39 AM (EST) "DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" After much deliberation I have decided to release my DEM Tutorial guide. I initially offered this to be published by a respectable company, but they decided there's not much of a market for this time of PDF. Rather than shop around for more prospective publishers of the guide I am gonna try offering this myself via PayPal, via my website: www.edmfamily.com/msts/index.htmThis tutorial focuses on how I added DEM terrain to my upcoming route, codename Boddiddly. Under the tuteledge of Lawrence Kellie, this process turned out to be incredibly easy. All those sleepless nights, padded cell moments, profuse sweating over adding DEM turned out to be all for naught. Let me tell you... my fear for you all is you will find this process so addicting, you may all wind up forgoing finishing your routes to just add DEM data. Heh heh... like Lawrence has! Lawrence, himself, is making this easy for you by providing the programs you need via his website. With his site, and this tutorial you should find yourself adding DEM data with relative ease. This tutorial also includes Lawrence's 'you can even do 1 tile' magic forumula that has an added benefit of keeping your route safe, even if you mess up. It gets rid of the trough you can experience with other DEM processes, and it covers how to merge different DEMs of different resolutions... easily.After doing one small section, Lawrence left me to do several more. I dreaded the moment I was on my own. But to my surprise I ripped through the next sections because I simply followed the steps. It really is that easy.BE SURE YOU READ THIS! This tutorial was redone to be published and it is of a great quality. The tutorial is not for the promotion of any product or website. The programs I used are suggestions only and you may substitute with what you feel is comfortable to you. The $5 donation represents my labor in the construction of this PDF and that alone. Any view points or opinions within the tutorial are mine alone and not of anybody else's.If you are interested in this tutorial please see the site above and then email me with your interest. Thanks!Rich Garber
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Table of Contents

Subject Author Message Date ID RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... Hawk Dec-01-01 1 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... LawrenceKellie Dec-01-01 3 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... LawrenceKellie Dec-01-01 2 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... Hawk Dec-01-01 4 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... rgarber Dec-01-01 5 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... LawrenceKellie Dec-01-01 6 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... Hawk Dec-01-01 7 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... rgarber Dec-01-01 8 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... Hawk Dec-01-01 9 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... LawrenceKellie Dec-01-01 10 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... Hawk Dec-01-01 11 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... rgarber Dec-01-01 12 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... Hack Dec-02-01 13 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... rgarber Dec-02-01 14 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... Hack Dec-02-01 21 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... jchamb Dec-02-01 15 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... Crossbuck Dec-02-01 16 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... jchamb Dec-02-01 17 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... Crossbuck Dec-02-01 18 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... rgarber Dec-02-01 19 RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $... jchamb Dec-02-01 20

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Hawk (231 posts)
Dec-01-01, 12:37 PM (EST) 1. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" LAST EDITED ON Dec-01-01 AT 01:01 PM (EST)E-mail is on the way.
BTW Rich-When you make a map with DEM, wouldn't you be able to see the track bed in certain places, a raised bed, or a cut, if you knew where to look?
Hawk
"And it comes to be, that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way." Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
LawrenceKellie (812 posts)
Dec-01-01, 01:15 PM (EST) 3. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" I'm not Rich, but I can respond to that.The answer *would* be "yes," if....DEM (at least in the US) basically comes in two resolutions 10m x 10m and 30m x 30m. These numbers are the distance between the points where the elevation is measured. The first one, means that measurements are taking every 10 meters (~30 feet). The second one means that measurements are taken every 30 meters (~90 feet).So the chances of seeing a track bed are pretty good with the 10m x 10m, specifically under certain conditions. I have had conditions where the track was laid on a jetty-like structure. In that case, yes, you can see it. But otherwise, it is pretty slim that you will see it.The final point is the relationship between the two sizes of DEM. You can compare with 10m DEM with the US distance measurement of "feet," and you can compare the 30m DEM with the US measurement of "yards." If you remember back to long lost days, there are three feet to a yard. However, how many square feet are there to a square yard? Right nine. So to find out how many square feet there are to a certain number of square yards, you have to multiple the square yards by nine.So what does this have to do with DEM? Since the number of elevational points in a 10m DEM is nine times greater than the number of points in a 30m DEM, the File Size! is nine times greater!THAT translates to each 7.5 minute 10m DEM file being about 2 MB, as opposed to 2 KB for the comparable 30m DEM. And THAT translates to an XYZ file for the 10m DEM of 34 MB! Yes, you read right, 34 MB per 7.5 minute DEM.And THAT translates to the an incredibly higher chance of an Out of Memory error occurring while processing the files with DEM-EX.(Now I bet you didn't expect to get all that information, did you?)Lawrence Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
LawrenceKellie (812 posts)
Dec-01-01, 01:04 PM (EST) 2. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" Of course, beings as my name is in the above message would you expect anything other than praise for this work?In all seriousness, this $5 is a very small price for the amount of information that you will be getting. The information in the tutorial is a culmination of months of experimentation of trying to get this process down to a repeatable series of steps. I wish that all of you could read the e-mail that traveled between Rich and myself during the two days of intense tutelage, especially the one which, in the spirit of Scotty of Star Trek IV, Rich claimed, "There be mountains here!"So don't walk, but run to your nearest e-mail client and get this tutorial.Lawrence Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Hawk (231 posts)
Dec-01-01, 01:16 PM (EST) 4. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" LAST EDITED ON Dec-01-01 AT 01:26 PM (EST)LAST EDITED ON Dec-01-01 AT 01:20 PM (EST)"There be mountains here!"
LOL!
I went to the site, but couldn't find a link to pay or download, so I e-mailed Rich.
Anxiously waiting in Georgia.
Hawk
I must have made this post between your two posts.
Your right! I didn't expect that much info, but I think I understand it.
Let's see if I got this right. With 30m, you probably won't see the bed, unless it's really pronounced. With 10m, you have a much better chance of seeing the bed, but a much greater chance of transfer loss.
Right?
Thank you, Thank you, and again, Thank you!!
"And it comes to be, that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way." Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
rgarber (688 posts)
Dec-01-01, 02:19 PM (EST) 5. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" Well, I nicknamed Lawrence the DEM guru because it's his process I wrote about. I wrote it down because I was afraid I would forget the process. It's so easy to do and the stuff Lawrence adds to the process is such that, you don't really have to understand what all the details are to add DEM to your route to get it done. He knows us to well! The worst language in the tutorial is latitude and longitude. Lawrence has done about 600 miles of his own DEM'ing and I guess he has it down to a science. But I'm not kidding when I say I dreaded the experience. After doing one small section I followed the steps on my own and before I knew it I was addicted to doing DEM. If it hadn't been my own experiencing from doing the Metro that kept saying to me.. 'ya know.. you still got to put down track and scenery', I'd still be adding more tiles and more DEM. And it's true. When I did the first section, there was nothing there but flat terrain. Then, like that, with hardly any effort of my own, there was all that gorgeous hilly terrain. And listen, having done my own route, WHAT A TIME SAVER!!! I'm trying to be calm, cool and collective about all this but once you start, it's hard to stop. And the results are nothing less than gorgeous! Now I am freelancing my route, basing it off the V&O by Allan McClelland. Where I wound up using DEM, it's mostly southern Ohio. From what I saw there isn't much track. From what I done so far I still use my Y key all the time. What I do is survey ahead looking for ways to get the track through without a whole lot of grade changes. So where I have to sculpt, I sculpt and do some hand carving. I expected that. But hills off in the immediate and far background... you can't beat this DEM stuff. But Lawrence is the guru of this stuff not me. All I did was put the steps down on paper. To make sure all this was kosher I had Paul DeVerter proof the tutorial and then Lawrence reviewed it. Plenty of pictures and all, but I want to stress, DEM's not hard and least not when you do it Lawrence's way. And for those who wind up having to merge resolutions, Lawrence worked a full day on this to no benefit of his own so I could finish. I tried my own way and it was turning out horrible. Lawrence got it figured and it's included in the tutorial. And yep, his technique on how to do it even down to 1 tile too is included. Rich Garber Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
LawrenceKellie (812 posts)
Dec-01-01, 02:40 PM (EST) 6. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" You are correct on your conclusion. However, I must stress this point! Using 10m DEM is killer on the computer CPU and RAM. I tried with 128MB RAM and I couldn't do a thing. Got better at 384, and now at 768 I can do as much as I want in one sitting--now I didn't not say "as much as YOU want," I said "as much as *I* want." I know the limits, and I don't "want" to do more than that.Lawrence Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Hawk (231 posts)
Dec-01-01, 03:32 PM (EST) 7. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" LAST EDITED ON Dec-01-01 AT 03:38 PM (EST)Hush Rich-
Your getting me too excited.
I've still got to download the software. I'll probably wait until later tonight, when I can get a better connection on this old dial-up.
Lawrence-
Thanks for the fill-in. I already know more about DEM than I did this morning.
I've got 512mg Ram, and a GForce 2, 32mg card, so I guess I'll be in fair shape.
I think most of us are used to memory eaters after working in the editors, so it shouldn't be diffucult to keep in mind
I'm printing the Activity Tutorial (Rich's, from Abacus) as I type. When it's done, I'll be printing the DEM Tutorial.
I'm two-side-printing on 3-ring binder paper and I have a binder just waiting.
Thanks, guys. I can't wait.
Later,
Hawk"And it comes to be, that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way." Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
rgarber (688 posts)
Dec-01-01, 04:46 PM (EST) 8. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" All this talk about DEMs is making me want to add more tiles myself. I can just see it now... every one of us turning out to be like Lawrence. Thousands of miles of route with no trees, no roads, no buildings.. just mountains from DEMs! Rich Garber Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Hawk (231 posts)
Dec-01-01, 04:51 PM (EST) 9. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" LAST EDITED ON Dec-01-01 AT 04:53 PM (EST)LOL!!!!!!
I'm still printing the Activity Tut. Sheesh!!!!!!!
"And it comes to be, that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way." Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
LawrenceKellie (812 posts)
Dec-01-01, 04:53 PM (EST) 10. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" If you all turn out like me, you will be pretty wonderful people!Lawrence Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Hawk (231 posts)
Dec-01-01, 05:37 PM (EST) 11. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" Right-On!!!!!Hawk Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
rgarber (688 posts)
Dec-01-01, 07:06 PM (EST) 12. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" *turns to look at the audience with the ole Jack Benny look and says* now how are ya gonna argue with that?! Rich Garber Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Hack (443 posts)
Dec-02-01, 06:00 AM (EST) 13. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" I'm not clear on what to do on the site. Am I to email you asking for some way of paying through PayPal, or have I over looked a link someplace? Easy enough to create a link, no? BTW, I may never get to use the documents, but it's certainly a worthy cause. Cheers!
Marc - 3DTrains
http://www.3dtrains.com
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rgarber (688 posts)
Dec-02-01, 07:11 AM (EST) 14. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" Hack,Email me at rgarber@vnet.net There's a link at the bottom of the page. I'll make it more clearer. Rich Garber Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Hack (443 posts)
Dec-02-01, 07:06 PM (EST) 21. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" You might want to fix the link too. ;)Cheers!
Marc Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
jchamb (68 posts)
Dec-02-01, 10:39 AM (EST) 15. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" Offer him a barter for one of your F7s!
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Crossbuck (20 posts)
Dec-02-01, 10:46 AM (EST) 16. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" Or a GP9 (hint, hint). Nice work on the EMRRR loco's John. Have you thought of doing a GP9 in EMRR colors?Marv K Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
jchamb (68 posts)
Dec-02-01, 12:41 PM (EST) 17. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" Thanks for the compliment, but it's a whole lot easier to skin a loco than it is to create a route like EMRR! I just do what Rich orders Rich is working on beautiful DEM routes now, and I'm making stuff with TSM (it's addicting!)
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Crossbuck (20 posts)
Dec-02-01, 03:10 PM (EST) 18. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" Hey Rich? John's taking orders! Marv K Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
rgarber (688 posts)
Dec-02-01, 04:40 PM (EST) 19. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" Well... John has got the new TSM, and he's kinda hard to get a hold of anymore! He'll pop his head out of the sand for a moment to 'rub in' his new creation and then he disappears again... He might as well put a big 'OUT TO LUNCH' sign out if ya know what I mean! LOL! Rich Garber Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
jchamb (68 posts)
Dec-02-01, 06:59 PM (EST) 20. "RE: DEM Tutorial guide (donation: $5 US)" huh?somebody say something?uh, back to work...
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