Downloading from the Atlas RTS progarm

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hey Guys,

How’s everybody doing this spring, I have a question that I hope I can get help with, I want to use the RTS 08 download progarm from Atlas to draw my layout plan, My room size is 19ft 1/2 ft X 171/2 ft and I will be working with Nscale, now the question is this, I want to use a parts of plans from differnet plans that I like, some plans are drawn in 1in scale, I want to use 1/4 scale =1ft scale has anybody ues this program and how would I get started?? Thanks for the help[banghead]

2

You are probably not going to like the answers:

  • For any of the track planning software, 99% of the time they only import native format files. A scan of a drawing or track plan is not going to import into an editable file with any of the software I know of (if I’m wrong on this point, I’d like to know it). A few programs will import .dxf files, which are generated by Autocad programs.
  • Unless you know what make turnouts and what radius curves at each point were used in the track plan you wish to import, how is the software going to know? To use published track plans (or portions thereof) you almost always have to redraw the plan with your chosen turnout geometry and your chose radius curves and your chosen easements (or not).

While I am a big fan of RTS (for small layouts), I’m not sure it’s very suited for what you are trying to do. RTS has only Atlas track libraries. RTS does very well with quickly laying out track with Atlas turnouts and crossings (both Custom Line and Snap Switches) and fixed radius Snap Track curves. While it does handle connecting groups of track sections with flex track very nicely, I’m not so sure how well the flex track tool would work with multiple flex track sections end-to-end.

Since you have a fairly large layout space in N scale, I would think a program that is focused on flex track and multiple makes of commercial turnouts would be a better bet. XtrkCad is also a free download, but has a much steeper learning curve than RTS. OTOH, it deals with larger layouts much better than the laying of Snap Track in RTS. No matter which package you choose, you are going to have to redraw the chosen layout portions from printed plans - unless it happens to be available in the native format of your planning software.

HTH

Fred W

3

I have used RTS, and like fwright stated, I don’t think it is well suited for use other than a general idea of what you may need, and if you use only Atlas products, and you are designing your own track plan for the reasons he mentioned.

When I began my expansion I tried to use RTS. I first tried to add my basic double oval as a start point. I counted track sections, curves, measured radius,turnouts, etc. Guess what. According to RTS it didn’t work. No not all of the track was Atlas. Some was various brands that may get scoffed at. (though they have held up as well for what 37 years?) Yes I suppose you can fudge and not have the track line up in the program, but I gave up. Some of the things I wanted was from another track plan in MRR magazine and it also didn’t work. Of course the track plan didn’t fit anyway so maybe RTS was right!

RTS is kinda fun to play with and I still do. But I wouldn’t get too wrapped up in it. I’m not really complaining about it. I mean what can I expect for free from a company that makes track? I still think Graph paper and a compass is the way to go.

4

RTS is a spin-off from WinRail by Blumert Software/Germany, which “sports” an extensive library of different track systems and structures. It has also a 3-D feature, which is not really working. I find it easy to use, especially when you plan to use flex-track. Transforming MRR track plans is a bit awkward, as they are usually designed by applying NMRA standards, but not actual track systems. A nice feature is that you can save your plan in different formats like jpeg. I like to do it to work over my plans using Microsoft Paint.

The attached plan has been made using RTS/WinRAil:

For each piece of track, I can see its length, radius and cost. I can also print the layout on a 1:1 basis to transfer it to my subroadbed.

Again, I think RTS works quite well.

5

Flex track tips: Build 90 degree curves first, and remember your slope. To get a good curve, set a piece of straight so the ends or on a grid point, then another turned 90*, and over and down the grids on a 1:1 ratio. I’d use 12ft grid for HO, N could probably get by with 6.in

When your building funny partial curves, use a flex 90 curve as a template so the two pieces of straight fall somewhere on the curve.

To gtet two paralell curves, Build the first one, then take a switch, angld up to lay the outside railroad line, or down to form the inside. Then connect another of the same switch diverging route to diverging route, and lay track so the end is even with the joit of the curve and switch. Cut the switch template off the curve, cpy the piece, and paste it to the other end of the curve. Ten lay Flex between the templates. When your done, take them off, or move them over to lay more curves.

Keep some extra room on the RTS file to keep pieces, such as your curves and the template pieces