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Considering the effort I made to create some realistic rails years ago, I thought I would now try to improve upon that effort after being enticed with the option of having different track types available in the Nutracks grf. I have really enjoyed using the Nutracks grf for some time, especially the ability to keep slow branch lines. I have been mucking about with different sizes and colours for a few months now and posted some results a while back with standard and narrow gauge. Here is my latest work. I'm satisfied with the two track variants under/near the locos but the other small changes I've moved away from are just visible nearby. The track bed is a WIP with different colours and density for line speed.

These look really stunning . You happen to have more screenshots?

Looks really wonderful! Would help nutracks a _huuuuge_ amount in my opinion!

Very nice. Glad to see more sets move away from TTD's 3-foot-thick rails.

PikkaBird wrote:Very nice. Glad to see more sets move away from TTD's 3-foot-thick rails.

but but they make me feel safe....

Not much chance of code (at least in NuTracks) right now, but they do look so much better than my old "click some random pixels" ones.

Made some more progress. Will just replace graphics for now . These are the differences in track I have settled on.

is that just me or do these look off-center?

These look amazing. Didn't expect anything else from an AUSSET artist, obv.

Is there a way to download this?

Darthrafael wrote:Is there a way to download this?

This forum is for development and discussion, with occasional test files posted. Finished and released NewGRFs have their own forum.

Eddi wrote:is that just me or do these look off-center?

Yes. I think they do, but only by a few pixels.

coalroads artist wrote:Made some more progress. Will just replace graphics for now . These are the differences in track I have settled on.

Hmm...I don't see a difference between medium and high speed track.
Very high speed track is definitely too dark for a concrete bed, while the bright lines on the medium and high speed track beds are too thick. However, the rails seem centered enough, only the ballast is asymmetric (which is great). If you posted your source graphics, I could try fixing things.

I'm definitely still hoping for better NuTracks graphics.

Track is narrower to a gauge that I like so that rail is under vehicles and to do this the rail brought forward so will not look centered.

oberhümer: There are subtle difference which I know not everyone will like but I like what I have drawn after studying many photos. The top is very low speed. I have two high speed tracks if that is confusing (In hind sight shouldn't of placed two, haha). The differences I have made are subtle with change in rail thickness and ballast profile to sleeper coverings. In regards to ballast colour, it does vary all over the world and when it is laid, with older ballast being darker. I based my colour off the HS2 tracks in the UK from a few videos... although I have changed a few different colours and might still do but probably won't change it too much as it is what I like but anyone can fix it if they like to their own tastes..

Looks like I've run into a problem I should've foreseen from the start which has to do with my off centered tracks! One reason I started drawing these graphics was to have a narrower gauge! Sorry if I got anyone excited for these....

Why give up so soon? These are some great sprites that could work fine with just a little modification.

oberhümer the narrow gauge NU-Tracks was glitch a problem.

oberhümer thanks, but I did muck around for a few hours after posting with some different combinations/positions. I don't really like not having the rail seen from the side, which is my dilemma if I want narrower tracks and have them centered. The diesels and carriages look fine without seeing the rail but with a steam locomotive, it's kind of hard to ignore for me considering the large wheels sitting in line with rails and not covering them in such a view. I might just do them at the normal gauge later, but I don't want to commit any more game playing time to redo them atm. I can hand over my completed stuff if you really wanted to have this look...

Your tracks look really extremely nice Congrats.

coalroads artist wrote:oberhümer thanks, but I did muck around for a few hours after posting with some different combinations/positions. I don't really like not having the rail seen from the side, which is my dilemma if I want narrower tracks and have them centered.

As a suggestion: maybee could you find a compromise and use a narrower track as the standard, but not so narrow as you did ? (I don't know how many space you have left for that). In this way, the track would still be narrower, but less hidden.

In any case, even if you stay with the same gauge, I don't find it shocking that the tracks are partially hidden (even the "exposed" part). That's actually more realistic. Don't you think ?

By the way, as a side and personal note: I don't like so much the idea of an off-centered railtrack. That would look weird, for instance in stations. Probably also in other cases.

coalroads artist wrote: [...] with a steam locomotive, it's kind of hard to ignore for me considering the large wheels sitting in line with rails and not covering them in such a view

As Eddi said, off-centred tracks won´t work, because of the way TTD uses the available track segments.

For vehicle positioning, you might adjust the vehicle sprite offsets rather than trying to dislocate the tracks.

regards
Michael