AutoCAD (or compatible)

[Anonymous]

I am a newbie to all of this. My 4 year old daughter got me interested after she started playing with my old Brio set. She wanted something that "goes by itself". Well, the next thing you know, I have an 11x14 area in my basement alotted for an HO scale track. I have already spent thousands, and I am not happy with my first attempt at a layout.

I am a draftsman by trade. I use AutoCAD. Programming and 3D drawing in AutoCAD is kind of my specialty.

Does anyone no of any AutoCAD compatible software, or anyone with an AutoCAD library of track components? It sure would be nice not to have to draw them from scratch as I do no have a full line of products to use as samples.

Thank you, and I'm in fit or the long haul, it didn't take long to get addicted. I'm now trying to figure out which walls I can remove in my basement, or what kind of addition to the house would be suitable.

I live in the interior of British Columbia, Canada in a small town. My only resource is the i-net.

[tstage]

Matt,

I use both AutoCAD and SolidWorks. Unless you REALLY want to keep everything AutoCAD related, you might try looking at some of the software programs available that are strictly used for layouts. 3DPlanit and CADRail are just a couple of them. These are somewhat inexpensive and are geared primarily for designing.

With some software, you can test out your layout plan with a simulated locomotive to test for potential problems. (Your 4-year-old daughter will enjoy seeing the "choo-choo" run around on the monitor.) With some you can even add structures and scenery and render them in 3D. They’re worth considering. I believe you can also design your benchwork and wiring in some of them, too. I don't think any of them are AutoCAD compatible. You should be able to download free demos of these off the web to try out.

I initially started with the ATLAS RTS (Right Track Software), obtainable from http://wwwatlasrr.com http://www.atlasrr.com. It's a good basic program that uses their commercially available sectional track (straight, curved, turnouts, and crossings) to design your layout with. Compared to the other software packages, It's more limited in what it can do but...IT'S FREE!...and still worth looking at. It may give you some ideas and help you figure out what works and doesn't work. I still use it on occasion to tryout concepts.

I actually used SolidWorks to work on an "around the wall" layout idea that I had. I rendered the bench work and room in 3D but left the track work in sketch mode so that I could change design ideas for easily. I was new to SolidWorks so it was a fun way to learn the program..

Perhaps, look at the above-mentioned software first then use your AutoCAD to come up with some nice layout drawings for your layout and benchwork. Have you tried using Mechanical Desktop or Inventor?

Matt, hope that helps. By the way, welcome to the forum! [:)] Let us know what you end up doing.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info. I would like to keep it AutoCAD as that is what I know best. I did download RTS, but being a single Dad doesn't allow me to play with it much. Also, I have a 24" roll feed color plotter. I can produce 24" wide x 50'-0" lg. plots for laying out the track. Also good for printing backdrops.

I do have Solid Works, Mech desktop, among other CAD programs, but as I mentioned before, time doesn't permit much as I have a full-time job, and part-time at home, and the parenting thing.

Thanks again for the info! I might get some time this weekend to try out some of the specialized software.

Matt

[Anonymous]

I just started using 3rd PlanIt a couple weeks ago. Much to my surprise and pleasure, it is a very robust CAD program in it's own right. It's very capable of 3-D design, though I don't know how it's 3-D features compare to the more expensive CAD programs available to the commercial market.

But to the point (and I am away on business, so I can't verify this), I believe 3rd PlanIt is FULLY EXPORTABLE in the AutoCAD format. So I would assume one would be able to export its complete library of track items to AutoCAD.

Go to www.trackplanning.com for a free demo and the true scoop. For what it's worth, I would think that even being fully proficient in AutoCAD, you may like what 3rd PlanIt has to offer- it has some really cool model railroad specific tools that make it a breeze to design even a complex layout easily with CAD-like precision.

JMHO,
Barry

[hminky]

If you use AutoCAD or SolidWorks learning the model specific programs is a pain, not enough options. For track components get Atlas RTS, it's free, put all the components into a drawing in the RTS and save that drawing as a DFX. It is faster to design in AutoCAD if you are proficient.
Just a thought
Harold

[Noah Hofrichter]

Can somebody give me a link to the RTS free download? I tried looking around the atlas website, but couldn't find it. I'd like to give it a try first, to see if it'll suit my needs before buying an expensive program.

Noah

[tstage]

Noah,

If you used the link that I gave, you ended up at the wrong site. (I just discovered that I forgot to put a dot between 'www' and the 'atlasrr.com'. Sorry about that. [:(]) The correct link is http://www.atlasrr.com.

When you go to the ATLAS home page, look on the left side of the screen under 'Browse' and click on the 'RTS Download' link. You'll have to register to download it. It's your option if you want to receive any info from them.

Hope that clears things up...

Tom

P.S. BTW, any progress on the diorama yet?

[Anonymous]

Matt,

Sometime ago I imported some of the Atlas switch symbols into AutoCAD. I saved a plan saved it in the .dxf format and inserted it into AutoCAD. I believe I had to scale all the enties to the correct size. I then made blocks out of the switches.

Wayne

[GGOOLER]

is this the same matt harper that went to the cad institute in phx back in 95-96?
glenn

[TBat55]

Be aware that the RTS software is for Atlas track.

I built the Great Eastern Trunk layout but substituted Walthers turnouts for Atlas turnouts. They aren't the same. The basic oval shape is now more of a dogbone. I had to cutup the turnouts a lot.

A #6 frog is a #6 frog, but that may be all that's the same with different makes.

[Anonymous]

Glenn,

No, I went to College in 94-95 in B.C., Canada

Matt

[loucad]

CADRail drawings can be exported as .dfx, as well.

[trollw]

One other note about CADRAIL: It has a very extensive library of track components AND structures. There is also a users forum that has a database where many folks have added items as they designed them (I added 20-30 structure 'footprints' myself).

John

[Noah Hofrichter]

QUOTE: Tom

P.S. BTW, any progress on the diorama yet?

Not yet, I was hoping to price materials this upcomming weekend, and also might practice using the RTS software to plan the diorama. I'll be sure to post pcitures if I make any progress. Thanks for the info too.

Noah

[ericboone]

I'm a design engineer by trade. I use Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 2.0 at work and Pro/ENGINEER 2001 Student Edition at home. Pro/ENGINEER does have a steep learning curve, but is the most powerful 3D CAD system available. (If anyone does buy a student (~$200) / personal (~$300) version, get Wildfire or Wildfire 2.0. The learning curve is much more gentle, although if you don't do this for a living, you may wi***o stick with a model railroad CAD package.) I am in the process of designing my future basement empire in 3D using Pro/E. (I need to fini***he basement before building.) Because my layout will be multiple decks, the ability to see the verticle clearances in the design phase is invaluable. At some point, I'll put the plan on the web to share.

[Anonymous]

http://www.railmodeller.com/ is a fairly inexpensive app for layout planning - Mac only though. I am currently using to create an HO slot car layout that will include HO scale train - had to design all the slot car components myself though.