What if you'd like to create a real route? As real as possible, at least. I'm gonna tell you a secret - you don't have to go to specific location and see how it looks like ;) Try to use GIS instead. It's very simple and completely free:
All you need is freeware QGIS program, which allows you to create digital features and content, based on aerial photography, OSM maps and many other sources from real world. How does it help you in being BVE developer?
- You can PLAN your route all the way, without using "analog" tools like piece of paper and pen
- You can put into the project every single feature like tracks, signals, platforms, environmental objects, and then MEASURE them, or distances between them, to get real values
- You can add attributes to each feature like name, value, category etc. and then sort them, count them, or do whatever you like
- Once you create your own template you can use it in further projects
Of course this will take some time. And you still have to hand-write your code in Notepad, as you always do. But you'll have great support in your route plan, and you'll have an full overview on what features you need, what are their dimensions and where to exactly put them.
Quick step-by-step manual on how to create your own project:
- Download QGIS and create new project. In bottom-right corner you can set coordinate system, i.e. EPSG:3857
- You need to add raster layer, like Google Maps. Open Plugins menu and install QuickMapServices or OpenLayers plugin.
- Then you can create vector layers. You can use 3 types of geometries: point, line or area. Go to Layers -> Create layer -> New shapefile layer. There you can also add attribute fields. Make sure your vector layer in in the same coordinate system as your project.
Creating BVE routes never been easier ;)