Help with facia mounted track schematics

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I want to create track diagrams on my computer to print out and mount on my facia in lieu of the ones many paint on or creat with car striping, etc. Does anyone have a suggestion concerning software to do this or a method of using software I may already have. Be advised, I am CAD illiterate and I’m not going to spend $300 or something on software just for this purpose. I want to do this on a shoestring budget if possible. Anyway, all suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

Ron

2

MSpaint should do what your looking for and it is a normal program already on your computer.

Johnnny_reb

3

Here’s a couple of programs. The first ones freeware.
http://www.posteriza.com/es/index.php?lang=en_US

http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2004/11/02/divide-and-conquer-print-big-posters-on-any-small-printer

http://www.programsdb.com/program/799/13535/ProPoster.html

EDIT-Sorry. I thought you were looking for a program to blow up an existing picture of your plan.

4

Off the top of my head I would say get XTRKCAD 4.02, which is public domain software now. Once you have it installed check the help section in the program and run through the demos to get the feel of it. It’s a little daunting for some at first but if you play with it and then return to the demos for a refresher you will get it. Anyway, the program has a tool for creating control panels with the 1/4" tracings, indicator lights, pushbuttons, etc. then you can print it out.

You can download the program here.

There is a Yahoo group for XTRKCAD and a few guys here are familiar enough to help you if you need advice.

Regards,

Kevin

5

This is the printed image of my layout that I designed with Atlas RRs RTS 7.0

6

Medina,

I have RTS and have drawn my layout with it, but how do you get that nice color image out of it? I have never had any luck getting an image out of the program (apart from printing) that I can use on the internet.

Ron

7

Save as and choose a file type.

8

Open the progam to the layout you want, then “Save As” a bitmap to “My Pictures”. Now you can open it with Microsoft Paint and color anything you want, add scenery, whatever. Now “Save As”, a .jpg and upload to your favorite web hosting site (like Photobucket) and post the link. If you post the url link you get this:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Track%20Plans/4X8NSCALEOLDWEST.jpg

or you can post the img tags to get this (this forum shrinks the image automatically, so you have to click on it to get it full size):