Re 44 wrote: BlueHillsCPR wrote: Re 4-4 wrote:I cannot find 3D viewing in XTrkCad, is this the case? RTS has 3D viewing but as previously mentioned it's libraries are limited. I think the only thing XTRKCAD has is the profile command. Check the Help section under demos.Thanks Kevin, I cannot find anything in the help or demos, anyone else know for sure?
BlueHillsCPR wrote: Re 4-4 wrote:I cannot find 3D viewing in XTrkCad, is this the case? RTS has 3D viewing but as previously mentioned it's libraries are limited. I think the only thing XTRKCAD has is the profile command. Check the Help section under demos.
Re 4-4 wrote:I cannot find 3D viewing in XTrkCad, is this the case? RTS has 3D viewing but as previously mentioned it's libraries are limited.
I cannot find 3D viewing in XTrkCad, is this the case? RTS has 3D viewing but as previously mentioned it's libraries are limited.
I think the only thing XTRKCAD has is the profile command. Check the Help section under demos.
Thanks Kevin,
I cannot find anything in the help or demos, anyone else know for sure?
There is no 3-D rendering in XtrCad. It does do elevations and grade, and can generate an elevation profile.
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
gerhard_k wrote:Jackn2mpu - you said "if I had an Intel Mac, then I could run Winblows XP and either of the two programs I mentioned above". I'm just a basic Mac user - can you tell me what would it take for me to run XtrkCad on my 512MB MacBook? TIA - Gerhard
If you don't have an Intel processor in your Mac, there are (or were) software programs that allow the use of Windows and programs requiring Windows. Sorry that I don't recall their names, but should be easy to find.
Under the CHANGE menu, PROFILE command.
Described in the Demos and help section.
In XTRKCAD 4.02, under the help menu, in demos/elevations and Profile/Profile. That is the extent of the 3D as far as I know.
From the Help contents.
"The Profile dialog draws a profile showing elevations, distances and grades for a path on the layout."
"Once you have defined a few elevations, you can display the Elevation Profile for the layout along a path of connected track segments. The Profile display shows the length of the track, the elevation of each defined elevation point and the grades between them. You can even adjust the elevations directly on the Profile display."
"Profile - display the elevation profile of a definable stretch of track (Section 2.2.10)"
Am I correct that Trainz is not "track planning" software, but simulation software?
Correct. Trainz is sim software that lets you layout track, create scenery, add structures, etc. etc. and run trains on it. It is cool...maybe one of the best trains sims available, but I'd rather work on the layout than sit in front of the computer. It is great for times when a guy has no layout though I suppose.
I am about to purchase 3rd PlanIt but XTrkCad may do the job, for $0. and am curious about Traninz.
thanks
gerhard_k wrote:can you tell me what would it take for me to run XtrkCad on my 512MB MacBook? TIA - Gerhard
As Jack says if your macbook is based on the Intel CPU rather than Motorola you can use software to allow you to dual boot between the mac OS10? and a flavor of Windows, letting you install and run Windows based software on your mac...what sacrilege!
Also as mentioned with XP if you want to do too much beyond look at it you might want more RAM...although It should work fine with 512 if you are not multitasking etc.
de N2MPU Jack
Proud NRA Life Member and supporter of the 2nd. Amendment
God, guns, and rock and roll!
Modeling the NYC/NYNH&H in HO and CPRail/D&H in N
Trainman24 wrote:Get Cadrail 9 or 10, I have 9, the only thing is you HAVE to read the manual, HAVE TO.
Ahh, but XTRKCAD is FREE AND open source!
Kzinwarrior wrote:Anyone else's track will require different software and there just isn't much you can do about it.Just my opinions,K.
Just my opinions,
K.
That's the honest truth about RTS and the great thing about XTRKCAD. It has libraries for most of the popular track products. Even better, the yahoo group has libraries for obscure track products, structures, etc. Then there is the fact that if you are savvy you can make your own parameter files for it and the sky is the limit.
Now I like RTS too and for a long time it was all I used. Now that I have learned XTRKCAD I enjoy track planning even more.
I love my Vista machine. It's powerful, intuitive and has never crashed. Let me say that again. It has never crashed. Wanna know the secret? You can't upgrade your current PC to Vista any more than you can upgrade your Honda to a Ferrari. You have to start over with a new machine built specifically for Vista. And it ain't cheap. Don't believe any salesperson who tries to tell you so. Now if Microsoul had told people this from the start, we wouldn't have so many complaints.
Back on topic....
I've had RTS since day one. Back when you had to buy it in the hobby store. Yeah. Needless to say, there's little I can't do with it after all this time. That said, once you step away from Atlas products you're sorta screwed. I was about to abandon Atlas when the rumors of code 55 started to surface. Yup, they pulled me back in. Now, if you're happy with Atlas track you'll never really need anything more than RTS. Anyone else's track will require different software and there just isn't much you can do about it.
jackn2mpu wrote:Like I mentioned in a previous post, if I had an Intel Mac then I could run Winblows XP and either of the two programs I mentioned above. But being cash-strapped for the near future, a new computer isn't in the works.
The sad thing is I can pick up a basic second hand P3 or 4 for around $100 or slightly more that would run XP and the programs you want to use without a hitch. Try that with a mac...probably not.
TakeFive wrote:Jackn2mpu, Try Railmodeller for the Mac, it's listed at Apple, but hard to find. To get it go here:http://www.railmodeller.com/
Kevin,
Thanks for the prompt reply to my question about the size of the XtrkCad file. I'll download it this weekend and give it a try. You have to understand that I live in the eastern panhandle of WV in an area of low density housing that most of the high speed providers don't want to service, in spite of the fact that we're just 70 miles west of Washington, DC. We just got phone service last year. Until then, we were forced to use carrier pigeons (just joking!).
Thanks,
Bob
I'm about to start on a track plan for my N scale layout which will be in a 21' x 28' room in my basement. In the past I've always used the pencil and paper method but I would like to give the latest version of XtrkCad a try. I live in an area that does not have high speed internet connections so I'm dependent on AOL dial-up. How large is the Xtrk Cad file and how long would it take to download it through a dial-up connection? Are we talking minutes, hours, days or weeks?
Not to rain on your mac parade guys but even though I will likely look to mac if I buy a new computer...I'm keeping the three desktops, one laptop, and a video surveillance system that all run Windows of one flavour or another. There is just too much good software that I use that is not available for the mac.
That said. Those systems will continue to run XP or older versions of Windows. I'll never install Vista on anything I own and I am through with Gates and his need to pump out buggy beta grade operating systems every year or so in order to further line his pockets.
Now then...back to the layout software as we have run seriously
Jackn2mpu: Hurray for the Mac indeed! But I have found Empire Express to be a good, simple, easy, basic program albeit without a lot of bells and whistles. I could even make my own, more accurate Walthers/Shinohara curved switches without much difficulty. But if you want more goodies, have you tried Railmodeller?
Dante
BlueHillsCPR wrote: SleeperN06 wrote:I have never had any problems with Atlas RTS, but I'm still using XP. I wish the RTS library were bigger. I found that not all the available Atlas N track is in the database. I have not tried XTRKCAD but I'm going to give it a try. Years ago I downloaded a Track CAD program that required you to draw each piece of track, what a pain-in-the-neck that was. Atlas is so easy and I cannot complain. I use it all the time.I agree, I have not had problems with RTS either. It is the easiest track planning software I have found so far. Now that I have learned XTRKCAD I likely won't ever go back to RTS though. The libraries are one of the advantages with XTRKCAD for sure. The fact that guys are making track libraries etc. to extend it is really great.My condolences to anyone who is using Vista. Billy boy may have finally done for Apple what Apple could never do on it's own in the past...convince die hard PC users to buy a mac. I started with the mac, then went to PC and swore I would never go back. With the advent of Vista...our next computer purchase in this household will be a mac.
SleeperN06 wrote:I have never had any problems with Atlas RTS, but I'm still using XP. I wish the RTS library were bigger. I found that not all the available Atlas N track is in the database. I have not tried XTRKCAD but I'm going to give it a try. Years ago I downloaded a Track CAD program that required you to draw each piece of track, what a pain-in-the-neck that was. Atlas is so easy and I cannot complain. I use it all the time.
I agree, I have not had problems with RTS either. It is the easiest track planning software I have found so far. Now that I have learned XTRKCAD I likely won't ever go back to RTS though. The libraries are one of the advantages with XTRKCAD for sure. The fact that guys are making track libraries etc. to extend it is really great.
My condolences to anyone who is using Vista. Billy boy may have finally done for Apple what Apple could never do on it's own in the past...convince die hard PC users to buy a mac. I started with the mac, then went to PC and swore I would never go back. With the advent of Vista...our next computer purchase in this household will be a mac.
ChrisNH wrote:I use XtrkCad. If you use non-atlas track or plan to use a lot of flex track I think it is an excellent choice for freeware. Its quite powerful. The latest version (4.02) adds much better zooming which had been one of my beefs previously. My only current beef is how it handles easements. I want to be able to set a fix length easement based on my maximium car length rather then have it generate a spiral based on a constant. I have to fuss with it to get the results I want right now. Chris
I use XtrkCad. If you use non-atlas track or plan to use a lot of flex track I think it is an excellent choice for freeware. Its quite powerful. The latest version (4.02) adds much better zooming which had been one of my beefs previously.
My only current beef is how it handles easements. I want to be able to set a fix length easement based on my maximium car length rather then have it generate a spiral based on a constant. I have to fuss with it to get the results I want right now.
Chris
I concur on the easements. I ended up turning off easements because XtrkCad put them at the end of every curve, and I couldn't dictate the length. Since my main purpose in using the software is to see if my ideas will fit in the available space, I simply add a 1/2" to my intended radius in XtrkCad to provide room for the easements when it comes time to build. And even though I use mostly handlaid turnouts, I use commercial turnouts in the libraries with the software. Again, it reserves the necessary space, and a little more. The hoped for result is that even though the as-built won't match inch for inch the plan, the as-built will have a little bit more room for scenery and the like.
just my thoughts
Fred W
I think im starting to get a hang of the atlas one too. My initial problem was i didnt know how to open the diffrent librarys. Now that i figured that out im starting to get the hang of it. Trying to figure out some ideas for my multi scal Xmas layout.... heres a rough scetch of what ive come up with so far... still needs alot of work and thought.. lol..
The big circle in the middle is the Tree stand, and the smaller one will be a turntable, operation maybe, but even if not it a turntable adds some pzaz!
Vail and Southwestern RR wrote: pcarrell wrote: This may work better for you. It's not as easy to use as the Atlas software, but it's much more powerful. Make sure you register it and do the tutorial.http://www.xtrkcad.org/Wikka/HomePageWith this version, there is no need to register, nor any way to do it, anyway!
pcarrell wrote: This may work better for you. It's not as easy to use as the Atlas software, but it's much more powerful. Make sure you register it and do the tutorial.http://www.xtrkcad.org/Wikka/HomePage
This may work better for you. It's not as easy to use as the Atlas software, but it's much more powerful. Make sure you register it and do the tutorial.
http://www.xtrkcad.org/Wikka/HomePage
With this version, there is no need to register, nor any way to do it, anyway!
Oh, sorry. It's been a while since I downloaded it. I really don't use the program much either since I find that the Atlas one works pretty well for me.
92hatchattack wrote:You always think you have more room when its in your head, but once its on paper Ya never seem to have the room you thought you had. :(
Never have more true words been spoken.