I use XtrkCad for my layout And it worked like a champ. I start with graph paper draw it out then I confirm everything on XtrkCad to make sure that it works. It was the best thing that I got from this forum. I even got my scratch built buildings in there to help with my newest layout that I'm working on now. XtrkCad I found to be very versital in the use of it. Section track Flex track whatever is needed.
4x8 are fun too!!! RussellRail
I've been using the AnyRail software for a couple of months now. I find it incredibly easy to use, and it is NOT a CAD program, so the learning curve is pretty shallow (say about an hour). You can set up a 50 piece track for free, more than that and its $55 for the full version. It has just about all of the major track manufacturers (including Tru-Track, EZ Track etc. with the roadbed attached) and a variety of scales.
One thing I really like about it is that you can define your layout area, and even a train table area, FIRST, before you start placing track.
The only downside is that there are no buildings (except a couple of Walthers turntables and roundhouses. There are only a couple of generic tree shapes to use. Of course, if you can find the dimensions (Walthers Sourcebook), it's simple to draw them using the Shape tool.
When you're done, you can print a materials list (export to a spreadsheet if you want to price it).
Click here to go to the AnyRail website. My recommendation is to download the free version and poke around with it so you can see if you like it.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
Ohiotrains,
What I do for layout design (have done so far) is define my area and benchwork first. Next I decide on a theme. (Mainline running, with a branch line(?) or other special interests.) Then I put in a mainline. I am fond of twice around the room types divided by scenery and grades. Since I have gotten into operations, I also have a staging area of some sort, whether it is a lay-over for entire trains, or a yard that simulates an interchange yard. One track in staging is a through track for continuous running. If I put cars on it, the layout becomes point to point for operations.Next I try and determine how many small towns I can have, and possibility one city with a yard and loco facilities, without them crowding one another. Usually small yards and facilities unless I have the room for larger ones. I will try to fit in a way-side industry or two just for variation as long as it won't crowd things.Then I go looking at plans for modular railroads. I look for ones that would make good towns or cities because their track plans are usually fairly compact, and most of the way they will be switched is already determined with a good track plan themselves.Because I freelance, I don't worry about town and city names etc., but if you want to model a specific prototype, you can name the towns as the railroad you are modeling would, and build or plan you scenery to suite the area you want to model. Also, some of the industries that may be recognizable in a town you choose to name from a real one may have to be built or otherwise implied to achieve the "feeling" of the real town.When building starts, I try and get all of the benchwork built first. Then plan where the towns will go and install the mainline to get some trains running. Then I work on one of the yards so I can store stuff when not running. Then I plug along on the other track work and scenery design and continue from there.Hope this helps.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
If you are fortunate enough to have a Mac, there is an inexpensive, basic 2D program called Empire Express. Not many bells and whistles but easy to use. It will enable you to plot the critical turnouts and curves with reasonable accuracy and, of course, the tangents and crossings, too. There have been many threads in this forum about CAD with lots of comments about various programs, mostly for Windows.
I agree with what has been said that for the conceptual phase of planning, you can't beat pencil and paper because CAD demands precision. Of course, even simple draw programs allow you to "freehand" with the computer, but I believe the machine gets in the way in the early stages.
Dante
Ohiotrains
I am not sure that any of the programs will do what you are looking for. The CAD layout planning software assists one with laying out precise components in certain allowed aways. At the end, one gets a layout of track pieces in a scale drawing. Note that the programs do not come up with a design or track alignment - that comes from the user's head. Nor are they very suited for quickly sketching an idea - the programs are more concerned with precision placement and alignment. The programs cannot analyze your design for operational or scenic or construction flaws - other than the most basic elevation conflicts or ability to fit the track in a given horizontal space. Finally, it is nearly impossible to build a plan exactly as planned - tolerances on building, mating, and curving track in the real world are too sloppy compared to the precision of the computations.
CAD software is not trivial to learn to use, no matter which package you use. It's just like learning any of the complex drawing or imaging programs like Corel, Photoshop, Visio, etc - you have to understand the creative process itself, and then learn how the program assists (or hinders!) in the process. Frankly, even after playing with RTS and XtrkCad for a while (and I am a computer geek at work), I can still accomplish my track planning goals just as quickly with graph paper, pencil, and a drawing compass.
How is a track planning package of use to me? I use it as a reality check for my ideas. Is the concept, turn back curve, passing sidings, or town buildable in the space I have allocated for it? Can I use commercial turnouts or must I custom build to fit the space? The other two uses I have for the software is to draw the plan pretty enough to share with others, and to scale enough to use for my operational/scenic sufficiency checks. Operational checks include passing, drill, yard, staging, and switchback tracks for adequate length. Scenic checks include sufficient horizontal space for planned structures, scenic features, and 1:1 slopes between tracks at different elevations. None of these uses require every track to be in its final position. Every use can also be met by a reasonable scale pencil drawing on graph paper - with turnout and curve fit being the least optimal use of pencil drawings.
Because I don't need the nth detail or feature beyond the basics, and there are adequate free (as in beer) software packages available, I use RTS or XtrkCad. XtrkCad is more difficult to learn than RTS, but has the advantages of well-maintained libraries for nearly every conceivable commercial track piece.
So I use XtrkCad or RTS (RTS preferred for ease of use if Atlas track alone is sufficient) to lay out critical curves and turnout locations first. If the plan is to be shared, I will fill in the less critical areas of track - but if it's just a fit check, I won't bother. My hobby time is precious, and I don't want to "waste" it drawing parts of the layout to exact scale that aren't critical as to location.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
you are in the same boat I find myself sometimes. Here are two for you to look at.
Atlas RR has one, its free but you can only use Atlas track..
My chose, RRTrack. Its like Atlas, but all almost all makes of track for what every scale you want to use. Little more then what atlas gives you and has some better items in it. It will run you about $100 or so, but worth it!
Hi-
I'm about to finally begin a layout in my basement and I have decided to purchase some layout planning software to help layout my ideas. My problem is that I have no idea which software/CAD programs available are best. I am NOT a computer genius. Some of these demos I have tried have seemed rather complicated. Any experience you wish to share? Thanks in advance!!!
ps: Perhaps I have not been clear enough. I already have a pretty good idea of what I want to do. I have a number of "graph paper" schetches. What I need is something that give me a better idea of whether or not my ideas will fit into the space the way I want them to and what it might look like in 3D. I have built some smaller layouts in the past and I have come to realize that the plan view does not always translate into what you imagain it will. I just wanted to find someone that had some experience, good or bad, with the planning software currently available. Thanks to all who were kind enought to reply so far. You all are a really great bunch of guys!!!!
Ohio trains