Any freeware track planning software for a Mac ?

[Big Windy]

I searched and found a few programs for $$,but free would be sweet. Atlas doesn't support the Mac OS,so I'm hoping there is a Freebie out there. Thanks,Jerry

[Stourbridge Lion]

Jerry - Welcome to trains.com!

[fwright]

XtrkCad is open source, and is free.  It is a very good track planning program with extensive, maintained libraries for nearly every scale, gauge and track manufacturer.  The learning curve is not trivial (as is true for most of the better packages).

XtrkCad has been successfully ported to the Mac.  More information and support can be had at the XtrkCad Yahoo Users Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/XTrkCad).

Fred W

[peahrens]

I'm with Fred on XTrackCAD as a worthy free candidate.  Suggest do go through the tutorial to get started. On specific issues the user group is helpful as Fred notes.  I had problems with 2 things.  I think it may important how "easements" is set.  And moving something precisely (instead of a whole inch, etc) requires having "snapgrid" NOT "enabled" under "View" menu.  You can have snapgrid "Show" on under View, just not "Enabled".

Find the download here:

http://www.xtrkcad.org/Wikka/HomePage

 

[Big Windy]

After losing three days of installing fixes and Xtracks forums I have to find another track planner,I cant get the parameters installed!! The clincher was trying on a Windows computer and ran into the same thing. I have started using Atlas RTS . Thanks for pointing me to the source anyway ,unless someone has another for a Mac.

[fwright]

I don't know what when wrong with your Mac install, although I have heard of the issue before.  With Windows, losing parameter files during install is much, much rarer - I have never experienced it personally, and I typically reinstall Windows XP annually (due to hardware upgrades and other issues).

I assume you realize you must load the desired parameter files when 1st starting a layout - none load by default.

I'm sorry it didn't work out.  As you know, RTS is limited to Atlas track - no curved turnouts.  But the learning curve is much smaller for RTS than XtrkCad.  FWIW, I find version RTS 8.0 to work better than 10.0. 

Fred W

[dante]

For $35, you can download Empire Express from www.Haddonsoftware.com.  It does not have a lot of bells and whistles but is very easy to learn using the tutorial.  I believe they still have a free demo.

Dante

[cuyama]

Big Windy

After losing three days of installing fixes and Xtracks forums I have to find another track planner,I cant get the parameters installed!! 

Even though it costs money ($39 as shareware), a mac-specific program like Railmodeller might be more satisfactory than nominally free solutions that take days to try to make work. I haven't looked at it in quite a while, but it had a reasonable set of functions.

[Kakapo]

Bit late, however.. ..on the Mac (macOS/OS X) there's now RailModeller Express, available for free on the Mac App Store for small layouts. There's also a paid version for more ambitious modelers. Cheers, Jay

[jjdamnit]

Hello all,

What OS are you running? (To find out click on the apple in the upper left corner go to "About This Mac". It will give you the Name of the OS and the version number.

I am running OS X Sierra, 10.12.5.

Go to the Dock open the App Store, Search for RailModeller. (App Store can also be found in the Applications Folder.)

If you do not have an Apple Store account you will need to make a User Name and Password.

There are two versions of RailModeller; one is the Pro version- -$39.99, and the other is the Express version- -Free.

I bought the Pro version and have had no regrets. I haven't tried the Express.

Hope this helps.

[Mo-Pac]

I guess better late than never. For a free program for Mac users like ourselves. Try Traxeditor.com