timber2 It might be boring for some folks, but I am very happy with it.
It might be boring for some folks, but I am very happy with it.
Well, there you've hit the nail right on the head. The only person your layout has to please is you. Which is why I wonder why people post their layout plan on here and say "Please critique" or words to that effect. The only way to REALLY know is to build it and run it (although you CAN use some of the layout "planning" software to "operate" your railroad, it's really not the same), and be willing to start over if it doesn't suit you.
I guess the question really is, WHY do you need or want this drawing? It sounds like you already have the layout planned and operating. Or at least under construction. A couple of other posters have hinted at it: don't kid yourself -- CAD or graphical software is just another way of doing things. It's not really any better, because your track will never go in exactly as planned anyhow.
I can make serviceable track plans in about an hour out of AnyRail, and import them into Traijplayer, and have a blast operating them. But they wouldn't win any beauty contests. I drew my current layout using AnyRail because I wanted to import the graphics file into another program to make a switching diagram.
Basically, unless you are a graphic artist yourself or have a friend who is (and is willing to do some uncompensated work on your behalf -- which I wouldn't ask my friends to do; I offer to pay them or trade work, and if they won't accept payment, that's great), you're going to pay for the work. Better work = more money. While I've thrown together a half-baked track plan for people before, to get their creative juices flowing, I don't do anything of professional quality (and can't, with the tools I use).
So here's the reader's digest version:
1) If you want a "computerized" layout plan because you think it's somehow superior to your graph paper version, you're mistaken.
2) If you want someone to give you professional quality artwork for free, you're dreaming. If someone does it for you, it won't be free, or it won't be high quality if it is.
3) If you want a plan of your layout to frame, or to show your friends, you're looking at making a small investment in software and putting it together yourself, spending days, weeks, months, or years as necessary until you are happy with the results, or you need to be prepared to fork over some real money to a professional and get it quickly.
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
The going rate for a journeyman graphic designer/illustrator for free-lance work is more like $30/hour. You can pay less and get less. YMMV. And an inexperienced worker may well take a lot longer to do the work to your satisfaction, so the difference in rate may not be so important.
A full-page color illustration suitable for publication in a glossy national-circulation magazine - like the trackplans in MR - generally costs $1000-$3000 (and up).
Remember:
You can have it good. You can have it fast. You can have it cheap. - Pick any two.
hi Joeh
I know i am way to old, but as a teen I learned drwawing trackplans by the squares. In 102 Realistic Track Plans Andy Sperandeo explains how to do it. Even without a compass, just with some plain doodling, I never ended up with a strange curve. No one did; due to the squares.
All the stuff you do on your computer can be done faster on paper.
joeh19012I used Cadrail to plan my layout
Bull, you used CAD to draw your plan; the planning or designing took place in your brains.
Problem with a well done (coloured) drawing, as done by Ian Rice, is making changes. With a little bit of bad luck you have to start all over. A well known profesional designer even calls "going for CAD to soon" one of the most common mistakes.
BTW planning on paper is demanding dicipline; you really have to know the dimensions of the turnout you are using. It is so easy to forget your easement takes 10". There is a learning curve here as well.
Paul
If you want to save some money on the materials--wood for the benchwork, track, etc--and not end up with some strange curve in the corner as a result of a not quite accurate pencil drawing, it's well worth the effort to learn one of the CAD programs. I can appreciate your not wanting to invest a lot of money in CAD, but you can certainly try the free ones. Atlas, I think, has some free track planning software, too (or at least they used to).
I used Cadrail to plan my layout, and it really helped me try things out on paper/screen and think about what I really wanted. I eliminated a small spiral and some reverse loop wiring by continuing to play with the design on the computer. Continuous revision helped even up and standardize curves, too, and gave me the opportunity to think about future operation and scenery.
Even though it seems like extra time and effort, using CAD can save you from re-doing things later, and that's real savings in money--not to mention time. If you do your CAD well and use good templates for turnouts and crossings, your final track plan and layout should go together just about like a "shake the box" kit.
Good luck.
Joe from the Philly 'burbs Disclaimer: Any mention of any type of commercial or retail enterprise is presented for informational purposes only, and does not represent an endorsement. I have no significant financial interest in any of the named companies.
jwhittenAll of that is pretty much true, but just for the sake of answering the question-- whaddaya think it would cost to have someone draw up your layout professionally, like they do in Model Railroader ?? And who would you actually contact for such a service? Does Model Railroader offer that as a service? (It'd be an interesting way for them to make an extra buck in a down economy)
I do believe Model Railroader does this in house for any layout article they publish. I am unaware whether they would do it for a fee or not. Probably not something they want to get into.
Perhaps Byron at Layout Vision would be willing to do this?
I guess the OP just wants to have a nice graphic representation of his layout, which looks similar to the beautiful pictures MR publishes in their articles.
This is my attempt at doing this:
I used RTS/WinRail and enhanced the plan with MS Paint.
I am not an expert designer, so it took me about 6 hours to draw the track plan and about double that to color it and to enhance it. At $15 / hr, it would have cost me $ 270 to have it done...
An 11´ x 15´ could easily run into X00 $ - so it is much cheaper to do it by yourself. Actually I enjoyed doing it - it is part of the "imagineering" process so vital for a good layout!
JSperanEven the most expensive railroad CAD application will be far cheaper than what you would pay for someone to draw your layout for you.I agree with the previous post that advised you download and learn XtrkCAD. It's free and powerful, but like ALL CAD software it has a learning curve. Go through the demos in the help section and make some notes. Draw with it for a week and if everything isn't clear, do the demo tutorials again.
Even the most expensive railroad CAD application will be far cheaper than what you would pay for someone to draw your layout for you.
I agree with the previous post that advised you download and learn XtrkCAD. It's free and powerful, but like ALL CAD software it has a learning curve. Go through the demos in the help section and make some notes. Draw with it for a week and if everything isn't clear, do the demo tutorials again.
All of that is pretty much true, but just for the sake of answering the question-- whaddaya think it would cost to have someone draw up your layout professionally, like they do in Model Railroader ?? And who would you actually contact for such a service? Does Model Railroader offer that as a service? (It'd be an interesting way for them to make an extra buck in a down economy)
I think I misunderstood the problem!
It sounds like you are asking for a professional job, without paying for it! If money is the issue, it's going to be a lot cheaper to buy the software than to get someone to do what you are asking.
Have a look at this: http://www.trainplayer.com/index.html
If I am remembering right, it has various ways of importing your design, and then you can add the scenic elements.
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
timber2I drew out my DCC HO layout on graph paper before I started building it. I want to find someone who is talented and skilled to draw it using a computer program, as featured in the MR layout database.
Just curious, not offering to do the job.
Am I understanding you right if I I think you are saying that you already have a layout, which has been built according to your hand drawn plan, but you just want a better looking plan to show people?
Are you just looking for someone to redraw your track plan, or are you looking for someone to also draw buildings, terrain, rivers, roads etc in color, like MR's graphic artist is doing with their track plans?
Smile, Stein
Go to http://www.xtrkcad.org
It's free, and will do a nice job of letting you draw your plan.
Do the tutorials, then start drawing. Then do the tutorials again, they'll make a lot more sense the second time.
I drew out my DCC HO layout on graph paper before I started building it. I want to find someone who is talented and skilled to draw it using a computer program, as featured in the MR layout database. This is a one-time event so I don't want to spend money to buy a program myself, nor do I want to have to spend and excessive amount of money. Can anyone offer some help?
My basement is 23 ft by 24 ft, stairs in the middle, so my layout is around the walls, 5 feet wide along one wall to accommodate the yard, 130 ft turntable, 6 stall roundhouse, and shop, all Walthers products, late steam era.
Benchwork is basically 2 feet wide along the other walls. It is code 83, double tracked with passing sidings and industrial spurs in the corners, and tunnel in one corner. Minimum radius 27 inches, No. 4,5,6,8 turnouts.
There is nothing complicated about the layout, that is no fancy loop-t-loops, double deckers, or other exotic designs. I tried to follow prototype railroads that are long stretchs of track with occasional sidings and spurs. It might be boring for some folks, but I am very happy with it.
I used all Walthers structures, NJ International and Tomar signals, with NCE command control.