Hi,
I'm using OpenRail (version 10.07.01.32) to model a track corridor, but the alignments are coming from an alg file. When I import the cant alignment a factor of 83.333 is applied to all of the applied cant values. I can use the cant editor to correct these, but every time the alignment is updated and I re-import the cant I have to correct all the values again. Where is this factor coming from and how do I get rid of it?
A second problem I'm having is when I apply the cant to the corridor (after fixing all the values, of course). My corridor has three tracks, LRT1, LRT2 and Freight. The corridor is attached to LRT1; LRT2 and Freight are point controlled horizontally and vertically to their respective alignments. With just the horizontal and vertical point controls applied all three tracks follow their alignments/profiles and everything works great. When I add the point controls for the cant alignments LRT1 works fine, but LRT2 and Freight get messed up vertically. In some places it looks like they are following the LRT1 profile, but then in others they are doing something completely different from any of the profiles. The difference in LRT2 between the actual profile and what happens when cant is applied is only a few inches, but enough to cause problems in getting correct grading, especially at one of the grade crossings that's in the middle of a curve. The difference in the Freight elevations is more extreme and gets up to about 400' between the actual and when cant is applied, and jumps from level with LRT1 to 400' above everything else in a single template drop.
I've attached a few screen shots below to help illustrate this point: LRT1 is in the middle, LRT2 on the left and Freight on the right. In screen shot 1 The red dot at LRT 2 is the correct TOR elevation, but the track has been pushed down to about the LRT1 TOR. Screen shot 2 is the same location, but zoomed out to see the freight track also. Here it looks like Freight is also following LRT1's profile. It should be lower, down where the phantom (btw, when will we see the fix for this) ballast component is. Screen shot 3 is the next template drop, 20' later. Suddenly the freight track is now 400' above the other two. Screen shot 4 is the end of the corridor. Here LRT2 should be about even with LRT1 (again, per the red dot), but is now several inches higher instead.
On the freight side I thought maybe it was because the freight stationing is reverse of the LRT stationing (ie, LRT runs from west to east, but freight runs from east to west), as the elevations for the freight at the beginning of the corridor look like they might line up with the end (beginning?) of the freight profile, but that doesn't explain why the LRT2 track is also not correct, nor why the horizontal/vertical point control works fine without the cant.
I assume you apply the cant from of LRT1 to LRT2 and freight using rails and CL-CANT of LRT2 and freight. But cant base line is alway at corridor reference elevation (used to be like that in Rail Track and I have believe it is the same in OpenRail, but have to confirm). So if you control the LRT2 and Freight alignment vertically it becomes wrong. In this case you must raise LRT2 and Freight rails using vertical offset measured from LRT1 by using the equal sign beside the vertical constraint value.
Yes, I'm applying the cant to each tracks rails and centerline point. So basically, the cant tools do not work in a multi-track corridor. My LRT2 and Freight tracks have two completely independent profiles from LRT1. I need them to follow their own verticals. Applying a vertical offset from LRT1 is not a reasonable solution. I'll have a hundred different point controls and still probably won't have the correct profile, and updating that would be a nightmare. I have an idea for how to get around all this, but it's stupid that I can't have multiple tracks following their own profiles and cant alignments in one corridor.
Any ideas on the first question. about the factor being applied to all my cant values when I import into ORD?
Yes you are correct. The cant point control does not apply to multitracks that doesn't have the same profile.
Concerning the factor it is something to be fixed in OpenRail import
How do I fix it in OpenRail import? When I import the cant it doesn't give me any options other than selecting the alignments I want to import. Where is the setting or preference for applying this factor hiding?
Did you check the working units ? It looks like a mismatch between ALG units and design file units.
I don't experience any issue with ALG import (2019-R2 10.07.03.17) except the equilibirium factor. But I can select all cant and change using properties dialog.
The working units are the same.
I attached a copy of the ORD cant file but I got an error uploading the alg file. Is there another way I can send it to you to troubleshoot?
10-25-19_Foothill_2B_TRK.CANT.dgn
you can drop it here:
https://bentley.sharefile.com/r-r47335b672cc41caa
Did you all resolve the 83.333 import factor issue? We are having the same concern (OpenRail 10.07.03.18)
Thanks
I don't see any issue with cant import at the moment (2020-R1). What version are you using ?
Also maybe not related to the version but something with the setting like imperial/metric.