Most probably this has been asked before, though I haven’t seen it recently and I couldn’t be bothered to search for an answer, so…
Can I have recommendations for a free and easy to use software for making a track plan that has landscape features?
It must be free and it mustn’t be technical in presentation. I want to show what my line looks like in the garden using a picture/diagram rather than a photo.
Lots of websites have very attractive plans of their lines. I want one too!
I use my copy of AppleWorks and ClarisWorks to do most of my garden railway design and production drawing with. You have not said which operating system you are using on your computer (I use Mac OS 10.4). I would consult the local GNU mirrors in Japan for free software. You should be able to down load a copy of OPEN OFFICE from there. It is a free ‘workalike’ of MS-Office (and in my view it is superior!) there is a draw package in there.
Alternatively if you would like to send me some scanned hand drawing I will convert them to drawings for you.
I have a Dell Dimension 5100C with Windows XP OS. It has Office 03. I thought that there might be a simple programme that has ready made track shapes that one could play around with.
I haven’t got round to drawing anything yet [:I]. I could always draw a pic and scan it, but I just wondered whether anyone else has used something easy to do the job.
Thanks for the offer Ralph [:)]. If I can’t find anything with ready-made templates or images then I’ll get busy with a pencil. I must admit to only ever using the printer for printing, copying and making photos. I’d better try the scanner button too.
I am unsure of what you want; if you want to show scenery and background take a photgraph and post it.
However if you wi***o do it for planning purposes, being an old bloke, i set my area 3 out on graph paper about quarter size or even a tenth size. We actuall y made cardboard templates transferred the entire thing to marine ply and i cut it out with my Jig (saber) saw and we had some really complex shapes.
One of the problems i see many younger people getting into, is spending to much time and brain power planning a layout, instead of going out and designing a layout to suit you allotted space.
If want to get some great ideas to do with alpine track work and that is my next project in my area 4, look at Bernina pass and Abrussio and look at Ablula line with google.
I think the spelling is ok if you have any trouble let me know and i will check spelling out.
Yes, heaven forbid! They may actually end up with something that hasn’t the spaghetti look with continous S-curves without transitions and all of it done in R1.
Best regards from one who does layout planning as a job!!!
Planning done with ease of building and reliable operations in mind! Never design a problem for someone else, that you wouldn’t be happy to build for yourself! [^][^][^][^][}:)][8D][8D]
All I wanted to do was represent my line graphically on my website. [banghead]
I’m not looking for track planning as I have a very simple circuit and am quite happy with it. What I want to do is show the basic shape of the circuit (birdseye view) in relation to stations, signals and landscape.
Yes, photos are great, I enjoy getting flat on the grass for that realistic shot. I just wanted a simple yet attractive diagram looking down on the line, with labels for stations and other features.
Perhaps people don’t bother to do this. Or perhaps they really do go to great lengths. Have a look through GardenRail magazine and you will often see what I’m talking about in many articles of peoples railways.
The scenery doodling on the above took about fifteen minutes, how much detail and how much time you want to spend is up to you.
YES, you can do a complete trackplan with all the detail in MS Paint (look under Accessories in Windows XP). To get the curves you create a circle and then use the eraser to get rid of whatever section of the circle you don’t need.
As I said it isn’t fancy like “Illustrator” or other graphic programs, but it will get your job done! And the learning curve is not steep!
PS If LGB would produce a graphics program or track planning software, I’m sure Ian would have recommended that. Regardless of how good or how limited it would be![:p][:D][:D][:D]
Here is my drawing for the track layout and its signalling. The layout is roughly 11m square. The strange table is the interlocking logic table -ignore it!!!
If this is the sort of thing you want then let me know.
You’ll have to wait until I get back from Sunny Florida where I will be putting the finishing touches on LGB’s major Display at the Walt Disney World Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. 8 weeks of pure marketing to untainted “new blood”. [;)][:)][;)][:D][:)][:D][;)][:D][:)]
“untainted new blood”??? Hmmmmmmmm… is that the same as “hasn’t got a clue what Large Scale modelrailroading is about” ???
I look at them as potential hobbyists not uninformed masses. My job is to help them get started with this wonderful hobby.
I also look at them as unbiased people who don’t prejudge a product because it has a particular label on it. [;)][;)][;)][:D][:D][:D][:)][:)][:)][:)]
I never judge a LS product by its label. What counts for me is good design, scale fidelity, adherence to prototype and technical finesse. All that said, I also know who is more likely than others to fit the bill. [;)][:)][;)]
But we stray from the subject of this thread:
What Matthew wanted to know is:
Which is what he got from me. Do you have any recommendations???
BTW, even though I know that CADrail used in conjunction with PhotoPaint or PhotoElements ot PaintShopPro gives you many more possibilities, they all have a hefty learning curve and a substantial price tag.
So therefore it is MS Visio (if it came with MS Office) together with MS Paint. [:)][:)][;)][;)][:D][:D]
I even offered him free advice on MS Paint, in case he needs any! [;)][:p][:p]
Can’t beat the price, though I’m not sure how long the “trial” period is for. You can buy the software for around US$50, and it also comes bundled with many cameras, printers, and scanners.
Here is a link to a .pdf version of my trackplan accompanying my construction series that begins with the June '06 GR. While I drew this using a combination of Adobe Illustrator and a full version of Photoshop, there’s nothing that I did there that I couldn’t have done using Elements. http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/006/572kghna.asp
Good luck, and post your plan once you’ve drawn it.
I haven’t made it past the Corel Draw suite, yet. And I hate the thought of lucking into an Adobe CS at a good price and having to learn all that stuff.
As my sister in law puts it: "There’s only so much you can stuff into your head,unless you get rid of some of the no-longer-required items, you’re in trouble (sooner or later) " [;)][:o)][;)]
