• the route that will be the base route. This route will form the backbone of the merged routes. It will usually be the larger route or the route that contains Session data that you want to keep in the merge.
• the route that will be the to-be-merged route. This route will be joined to the base route.
• the orientation (North-South or East-West) of both routes. Are they both the same or are they different?
• the baseboards in both routes where they will be joined. The join must be along edges with no overlaps.
• the height of the baseboards in both routes at the merge point. Are they the same height or different heights?
• any layers in the two routes that have the same name.
• which layers in both routes contain the tracks and the track objects (signals, switches, speed signs, etc).

• The easiest and most common problems will be fixed during the merging process itself.
• Sometimes textures from the base route will bleed into the to-be-merged route particularly if the latter route is not textured. The solution to this can be found in the Trainz Wiki How to Use Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool.
• The most common problem in the "hard to fix but do-able" category is merging two routes that have been built at different heights or altitudes. This will create a vertical cliff along the merge line, as shown on the left. The solutions to this will vary depending on the height difference. Common solutions are:-
  • add extra baseboards between the two routes to create an easy gradient between them. See the "Tips" box below. If the height difference is large then many additional baseboards will be needed. If the difference is too big then other options may have to be considered.
  • use a spiral tunnel or switchback/zigzag to build track between the two levels. This will reduce number of extra baseboards.
  • add portals to both routes so that a consist entering the portal on one route will emerge from the portal on the other route. Portals can have their own issues and this solution may not suit everyone and every layout.

• Another fixable problem can occur if a layer containing track from the to-be-merged route ends up below the layer that also contains track in the base route. This can be fixed by merging the lower track layer into the higher track layer either during the merging process or afterwards using the Layer Tools in Surveyor.

• the new bridging route is merged with the Base route.
• the selected to-be-merged route is merged with the Base + bridging route.

The answer depends on whether or not the Session contains assets (scenery, consists) and settings (rules, driver commands, industry and wagon loads, weather, time of day, etc) that you want to continue to use in the new merged Route and its Session. If this is the case then load the Session. If the Session contains nothing that you need, then only load the Route.

Note that when you add the to-be-merged route its Route assets and data will be loaded but not any Session assets or data so this is the only opportunity you will have to load any Session assets and data. If the Session attached to the Base Route contains nothing that you need then load the Route only into Surveyor.

The two tabs shown on the left are the:-

• Terrain Tab which is automatically selected when the MiniMap is first displayed. This shows the baseboards of the to-be-merged route superimposed on the baseboards of the base route. A red background colour on this tab, as shown in the figure on the left, indicates that the two routes have baseboards that are in conflict - they are overlapping. The overlapping baseboards are shown in red on the MiniMap.
• Layers Tab. This shows the layers that have been copied from both routes. A red background colour on this tab indicates that the two routes have layers that are in conflict.

Notes: You can zoom the MiniMap in and out using the mouse control wheel. There appears to be no keyboard zoom control. You can move the centre of focus (the centre of the MiniMap view) by moving the mouse pointer to a new position and clicking with the right button. The four arrows shown at the top, bottom and both sides of the map display can be clicked to move the to-be-merged route in the direction shown by each arrow.

TRS19/Trainz Plus

The Map Conflict tab icon in TRS19 and Trainz Plus

	Steps: Click on the direction arrows shown at the top, bottom and sides of the MiniMap window to move the to-be-merged route into its correct position Each click will move the to-be-merged route one baseboard in the selected direction

In the example shown on the left, clicking the Left arrow 5 times moved the to-be-merged route 5 baseboards to the left to a position where there were no overlapping baseboards and all terrain conflicts were resolved.

A route merge will not proceed until ALL the terrain and layer conflicts have been eliminated.

After renaming ...

TRS19/Trainz Plus

The Layers Conflict tab icon in TRS19 and Trainz Plus

CAUTION: Deleting a layer will delete all its contents.

After clicking the Delete Icon ...

1. Select the layer that is to be merged
2. Click on the Merge icon (next to the Delete Icon)

CAUTION: When selecting a layer to merge into be aware that layers containing track objects such as signals, switches, speed signs, etc CANNOT be placed above a layer that contains the track.

	Steps: Select the layer it will be merged into Click the icon

After merging ...

... the conflict has now been resolved.

• the texture bleeds are relatively easy to solve after the merge has occurred and that solution can be found in the Trainz Wiki at How to Use Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool.
• the other issues are more difficult or time consuming to solve after the merge. A better option is to restart the merge process from the original routes (that is why you should make backup copies first) using the steps described below.

Create a new Trainz route using just two bare baseboards with:-

• an East-West orientation for an East-West merge, or
• a North-South orientation for a North-South merge

Do not worry about the height of the baseboards. Save the route using an easy to remember name such as Merge Dummy

Load the base route into Surveyor - see the section Selecting and Loading the Routes to Merge.

1. Select the Merge Route option and load the Merge Dummy into Surveyor (the images below show a 2x2 baseboard Merge Dummy route)
2. Move the Merge Dummy route into position so that it will overlap, by one baseboard each, the first route and the yet to be loaded second route
3. Resolve any Layer conflicts
4. Accept the merge

1. Select the Merge Route option and load the second route into Surveyor
2. Move the second route into its merge position with the first route. It must overlap, by one baseboard, the Merge Dummy route
3. Resolve any Layer conflicts
4. Accept the merge

Do not worry if the bare baseboards in the Merge Dummy route show any texture bleeds because the final step is to:-

• Delete each of the baseboards from the Merge Dummy route

More Tutorials and Guides to Using Trainz

• How to Guides
• Driver Commands List
• Session Rules List (Alphabetical) with Parameters
• Session Rules List (Categories) With Parameters