Railway Station: Building 3D Models Using AutoCAD and 3D Studio Max

This tutorial will be useful for all of you who are trying to create a 3d model from a real model pursuing to have precise measurements. Our approach will be to create a model of a railway station. So here are 2 photos of the mentioned station.
 

This tutorial will be useful for all of you who are trying to create a 3d model from a real model pursuing to have precise measurements. Our approach will be to create a model of a railway station. So here are 2 photos of the mentioned station.

Drawing in AutoCAD

After measuring comes the time to draw the different orthographic views in AutoCAD. It is good also to dimension all the parts to be sure that we have drawn them correctly. When working with AutoCAD, keep on mind that closed splines should be easily extruded in 3D Studio Max. As much as precise you will be in AutoCAD as little reediting of the splines you will need in 3D Studio Max. I am a new user of AutoCAD, so be merciful and patient when using my *.dwg. It needs some postproduction, but it was more efficient for me to do it in 3D Studio Max.

AutoCAD Orthographic views views.zip, and file autocad.zip


Work in 3D Studio Max
a. Import *.dwg file
b. Completely replace current scene
c. Set AutoCAD DWG file Window as shown below.


Fine-tuning the Splines
a. Select all groups, open them, select all splines and convert them to editable spline (this will correct the bounding boxes of the splines) then close the groups
b. Hide all the groups except one and do the next with all of them
c. Some post process of splines is necessary - attaching belonging parts, welding overlaying vertices and etc.

Hint: Attach the splines for windows and window shutter, this should avoid you from some Boolean operations after extruding the splines

From Splines to Model
a. Extrude the main walls
b. Extrude the details, windows and doors
c. Duplicate the windows and doors, hide duplicates
d. Split objects using boolean / split (results of subtraction was not always as desirable)
e. Delete unnecessary polys, remove unnecessary edges and points
f. Move and detach the windows polys
g. Extrude holes
h. Unhide and fit hidden duplicates of doors and windows
i. Detach and Attach polys to different object corresponding to same materials
j. Assign materials
k. Render


And after all of this we have a precise 3D model of railway station.



(Front And Back Perspective Renders)

Railway Station model.zip