I once had a demo of a layout design program on my wintelbox, but i cant seem to find it anymore.
Atlas offers a free HO layout design program, are there any for G scale?
None that I know of, I used Autocadd but I had access to it so i could use it free.
i had just found rail cad 8 and 3d planit, but i honestly after i installed them and gave them a trial run, i dont care for them. I guess i will have to just take the track i have and lay it out on the ground and see what it looks like.
Ondrek,
Check out www.rrtrack.com I think this is what most people are using. I have been looking at them all and this seems to be a good program. Hope this is a help, Good Luck.
Thats the one i used to have, I liked this one a lot, but i misplaced my download of it and the wintel box was ripped apart, and it finally got rebuilt, but gone was the demo file. i now use macs but i could use the RRtrack at work. but the rrtrack web page mentions the demo, but when you go to it, the page is “under construction”
I use RR-Track and have been quite happy with it. It has track libraries for Aristo, LGB and Lagas Creek libraries available. My layout is being built onto the side of a small ravine and it was great for doing dozens and dozens of “what-ifs” to get the grades down to something manageable. I’m also building in phases so I can have an overall view and tweak what I’m currently working on and not have to worry about messing up the overall track plan.
My first installation was a simple track through the front garden. For that one, I used the “lay track on the ground and see how it looks” method. A lot depends on how complicated your plans are. The more complicated the more important the tools.
when i try to go to rrtrack.com it dosn’t work! i have the Abricadata consept and desicn and it alows me to actually drive my vertual layout, plan it and then put trains on it, and design my layout. it’s great.
Hmmmmmmm
OK I hear you guys. RRTrack is OK for so-so layout planning.
Using CADrail or 3rdPlanit means you have to learn a thing or two about CAD while you go along i.e. to get proficient with CADrail will take between 20 and 24 hours of work.
Layout design is part of our business and, honestly guys, using a CAD program is the only way to go if you want accuracy. Of course there are those who say “Who needs accuracy in the garden?” It all depends; if you like surprises and repeated rebuilding you probably don’t, otherwise it’s not a bad concept.
I’ve been using CADrail since version 4 (1995) and IMHO it is the cat’s meow. As is 3rd Planit!
I tried many of the “bare bones” programs and have yet to find one that is accurate or intuitive enough to make up for being “simple”.
HJ
Can I fax or scan my RR design to you so you can CAD it? [:D]
I am all thumbs [:(]
Give me any heavy equipment and I “CAN DO” that job. Computers not my thing I think…[V]
Hi ondrek
There is a program called winrail they have a web site
that program has library’s for G scale avalable for it.
I did see a US program in clasic toy trains that would design track plans for all the popular toy brands and LGB but cannot remember who did it
regards John
I have used CadRail 7.x for some time and
really have learned to appreciate it. At first
the learning curve was awful (partly my fault–I didn’t purchase the printed manual, which I highly recommend for newbies!) I just had the program and help menus, the help menus are very good but of course a book in hand is soooo much better when you are just getting your feet (mouse) wet.
Now it has paid off, I am able to draw complex railroads on the pc. I dont plan to upgrade, version 7 has got more bells and whistles than I will ever need. One thing that is kind of cheesy, ver 7.x came with a very limited LGB library. Maybe they have a bigger one now, I gotta check that out some day.
But it does do everything I wanted it to do, and now I got the jist of the interface and controls.
I have dabled in “home” style cad programs before, never really gave autocad a look though, and then bought CadRail and understand that the steep learning curve is for a reason.
Regards,
Tom M.