Planning software

[Tinplate 260E]

Hi guys! I am new to the forum... I collect mostly pre-war Lionel, and am starting to plan a layout which will be in a 10x36 space, and I am interested in getting a track planning program to set it up right... Any suggestions on what is best? I am pretty handy on the computer...  Thanks!

[FilmCarp]

Wow.  You posted exactly the same post that I would have posted.  I would love to hear what others have tried, and what the learning curve was like.

[SleeperN06]

I use Xtrakcad which is a free program. It has a lot of sizes of track in the library and even allows you to make your own track pieces. I use it for both my N-scale and O gauge.

Here is the link http://www.xtrkcad.org/Wikka/HomePage

The learning curve depends on whether or not you any experience or not with cad programs, but I didn’t find it too hard although I started out on Atlas RTS. Atlas is no longer offering it, but you could probably still find it.

[gunrunnerjohn]

I've looked at a number of them, and hands down the easiest one to get up and running with is AnyRail, they have a free demo version you can check out, it allows 50 track pieces.  After trying several over free ones, I got Anyrail and never looked back.

[FilmCarp]

Thanks guys,

  My only concern about AnyRail is that it does not look like it supports O gauge Gargraves track.  I think he is working on it.

[SleeperN06]

I had a similar concerns when I first looked at it years ago. I also model in N-scale and a few years back Atlas had some curved switches coming out that I needed and I was able to make them in the XtrkCad.

I also was able to make a complete library of Realtrak just by plugging the dimensions, so for me nothing can beat XtrkCad. If you don’t want to learn how to make your own pieces there are forums where you can download what others have done. I myself have given away lots of stuff that I made.

I don't remember it now but there was another program that charged you separately for each track type.