Generate rail reports

00:00

In this final Rail Back to Basics video, we will review the different reports in Civil 3D and look at Project Explorer.

00:11

We will also briefly look at Dynamo for Civil 3D and how it can add content to our corridor model.

00:18

With a complete model, we can generate geometry reports for different Civil 3D elements

00:24

In tool space, under the Toolbox tab, we can expand the alignment reports and see our different options.

00:30

We will execute the station and curve report and choose the alignments that we want for this report.

00:37

So, let's pick the eastbound and the westbound alignments and we'll select OK.

00:41

We can choose the format of the report that we want to create this report in, and we will select save.

00:49

Then, we can review the details, and this will contain most of the relevant geometric information for both alignments.

00:59

Now, let's look at Project Explorer.

01:01

On the Home tab, we can launch Project Explorer.

01:05

The Project Explorer window will show us a preview of all the intelligent information within our model.

01:11

And we can review things like alignments and profile data.

01:15

We can look at the assemblies and we can even review our corridor.

01:19

With this compare feature, we can view the relationship between elements like our existing ground and our corridor model.

01:27

We can also view that station by station.

01:30

We can also review some of the rail feature lines that we created, or the platform lines.

01:36

We can also generate custom reports.

01:39

So, under the Object Data tab, we can create and customize the output to get any details that we need.

01:46

The fields show the report name and the type, the elements in the reports, and the preview of the output information.

01:53

So, let's set up a few reports by selecting New Object Set.

01:57

And here, we can set the output format either as an external file,

02:02

or as a table that will update manually or dynamically when the elements change.

02:07

So, let's set up this one as a manual table, and we can pick the point where we want the table to be created in our CAD file.

02:15

We'll pick an area below our corridor, and we can determine what data is shown in that report.

02:21

And we have the ability to report on all the different Civil 3D elements.

02:25

Here, we'll just focus on the alignment data.

02:28

We have several different set-ups that we can choose from in the drop-down list.

02:33

So, let's go to the entities report and we can see each element for our rail alignment.

02:39

From this, we can toggle On or Off all the details that we need to report on.

02:45

We can also change the order of the items by moving them up or down.

02:50

We can also control the report output by changing the report interval.

02:55

Or, we can review the other element parameters.

02:58

We'll also set up a report for cant data as well.

03:02

Once we have our items selected, we can also revise the report name.

03:06

Here, we can change the starting station label to just Station, and we can also control the things like text alignment and the appearance.

03:16

We can revise any item that appears in purple.

03:20

We can also give this object set a name, and we are all set here.

03:25

In the objects field, we can determine which elements we want to report on.

03:28

So, let's add our Eastbound alignment and our Westbound alignment.

03:34

Then, we'll double-click on the sub-object type, and we can determine which report we want to show.

03:40

So, for the Eastbound, we will choose alignment elements, and we can see the output preview down here.

03:47

For the Westbound track, let's pick the cant curves report.

03:51

We’ll get a preview of that as well.

03:54

If we want to compare things like the rail lines that we created earlier, we can do that as well.

03:60

So, we'll open up a new object set, and we'll set this one up as a CSV report.

04:06

Then, we'll go to the Feature Lines Reports and we'll select the point reports.

04:12

Then, we'll determine the reporting elements.

04:14

And we want to include a comparison element so that we can compare either the left and right rail, or the Eastbound and Westbound rails.

04:23

Looks like we're set here.

04:24

So, let's pick the elements that we want to report on, and we'll go to the feature line list.

04:29

We'll pick the Eastbound left line, and we'll compare that to the right line.

04:34

Or, we can compare it to the Westbound left line.

04:37

So, we'll pick a couple of elements, and we'll set those up.

04:40

When we review the output, we won't see the data regarding our feature lines yet.

04:44

We need to determine the comparison element in the Compare To column.

04:48

So, let's compare this Eastbound left rail to the Eastbound right rail first.

04:54

And now, we can see that output data.

04:56

We can tell what the cant value is based on that offset Z Value column.

05:02

We can also see items like our gauge line value.

05:07

And for the Eastbound right rail line, we'll compare that to the Westbound right line, and we'll show those values as well.

05:16

We can check the elevation difference to see if we need to make any adjustments to our profile.

05:22

When we have multiple object sets, we can run them all at once, or we can run them one at a time.

05:27

So, let's run our track data table first.

05:32

We can view that table output.

05:34

We see the track data table.

05:38

We can review those values and the cant data as well.

05:41

So now, let's run the feature line report.

05:43

When we do that, we'll be prompted to open the output file.

05:47

And here we can review the complete results.

05:51

One last report we want to generate in Project Explorer is a Station Offset Report based on COGO points.

05:57

In the model, we have several different COGO points that represent the location of our contact system poles.

06:04

We want to create a CSV output that we'll use with a Dynamo script.

06:09

So, we'll set up an object set, we'll base that on COGO points.

06:14

The output will be for the points, and we'll turn everything off except the Compare Station and Compare Offset Values.

06:23

And we'll use all the points since all of our COGO points in this file are based on system pull locations.

06:29

We will compare these to the center line alignment of our corridor.

06:35

And now we'll run the report, and we'll use this output to place objects along our corridor, like our systems elements.

06:43

In the output CSV file, we'll need to add the Pole ID, but we'll use this to create accurate details in our model using Dynamo.

06:53

Before we get into Dynamo, we need to be sure that we have all the correct objects or blocks

06:58

in our active design file prior to running any of the scripts.

07:02

We have a tie, but we need to add our center pole, and we'll add that as a 3D block.

07:09

We have updated the CSV file to show the names of the blocks that we're going to use at each location.

07:17

So, under the Manage tab, we will launch Dynamo for Civil 3D.

07:22

We'll open the script file, and we'll navigate to our ACC project folder, and we'll pick our OCS file.

07:29

So briefly, Dynamo uses functions within AutoCAD and Civil 3D to run automated routines.

07:36

We can expand from these lists to see the different functions that it will utilize.

07:43

This routine that we'll use here will analyze our existing corridor from our file.

07:48

We've provided that name here.

07:50

We will use the baseline as a guide for our object placements.

07:55

We're using the center line data, and we'll read the CSV file that we created.

07:60

We can specify where that is by browsing to the file in our project folder.

08:05

Each of these columns will represent a value returned based on the location along the baseline, the offset from the baseline,

08:13

and the item that needs to be inserted.

08:16

In this case, it's the center OCS pole.

08:19

The block position, rotation, scale and layer are all determined in the reference node.

08:26

So, when we hit run, the items will be created and placed in the corridor in their proper location.

08:35

This really gives us the ability to add a lot of critical data to our model.

08:40

Now, let's create a vehicle envelope along our corridor.

08:43

We have a dynamic vehicle shape that we want to place along the Westbound and Eastbound alignments

08:50

and determine if we have any sort of fouling issues at the station platform.

08:55

In this case, we'll launch Dynamo Player.

08:58

We need to add the folder to open our vehicle routine, and we'll add a folder from our docs.

09:04

Once we have that set, we can now open the file, and we can actually review this in the standard Dynamo window first.

09:12

This routine has a number of input nodes that we can use as parameters for placing the vehicle envelope.

09:18

This routine will analyze the corridor and the cant, then place a vehicle shape along a corridor

09:25

and create a Solid based on those vehicle shapes.

09:29

So, in Dynamo Player we see only the nodes that affect those parameters.

09:34

This will be based on the corridor.

09:37

We'll base this on the Westbound alignment, and we can see the begin and end stations.

09:43

Then, we can select the shape for our vehicle outline from our CAD file.

09:47

Once we have all of our parameters set, we can select Run, and our Vehicle Solid is created.

09:54

We can review that for any sort of issues.

09:57

We’ll run the same routine on the eastbound side.

09:60

Let’s change the station limits and the spacing, and we'll run it again.

10:06

If we need to adjust anything here, we can do that and immediately see our results.

10:12

Again, this is a powerful and efficient way to add critical details to our model.

10:18

If you want to find out more about Dynamo, you can go to the Dynamo Community page.

10:23

Here, you can see questions, threads, and solutions to complex or routine tasks.

10:30

You can also visit the Autodesk Community page, where you can get more information on rail workflows,

10:37

submit questions, and communicate with rail and industry experts.