Layouts and layout building

I've tried CadRail, 3rd PlanIt, and Right Track ... all nice, but overcomplicated for what I want ...I just was wondering if there was a Microsoft Visio Template for HO scale track.

I really don't think it exists.

I also think you'd have a hard time with anything that was over 8.5x11"

AND Visio is not nearly accurate enough.

I agree.  Use almost anything but VISIO.  The IT Gurus at work provided our engineering department with VISIO instead of a real CAD program when we needed one for writing our test reports.  I did manage to get a few useful sketches from it, but they eventually had to provide us with ORCAD for schematics, and a couple of us got DesignCAD, after a lot of complaints from the department and a lot of complaints from IT and management about cost.  VISIO might be a mediocre sketchpad for simple drawings, but it is primarily a flowcharting tool for programming and business reporting, and not very good for real work.  I also found the version we had to be a bit unstable as far as having a tendency to lose or modify parts of drawings done with it.

I have and use AutoCAD and UniGraphics ... which would be, IMHO, way overkill.  CadRail and 3rd PlanIt are, to me anyway, just scaled up versions of Atlas' freebie Right Track.  3rd PlanIt locks up too much for my taste - a lot of memory leaks.  Wasn't looking for exact scale, but just to graphically play with track designs and do "Model Railroader-ish" overhead layout graphics.  Too many times my napkin sketches of segments just don't look in real life what I imaged in my head.

 You're right, Visio is *not* a CAD package.  :^)  That made me laugh a little.

 Looks like I'll be taking Atlas track segments, scanning them in, and playing with those.  :^)  But I can't believe someone hasn't done that already after all these years.  :^)

HO Scale Model Railroader:

I have and use AutoCAD and UniGraphics ... which would be, IMHO, way overkill.  CadRail and 3rd PlanIt are, to me anyway, just scaled up versions of Atlas' freebie Right Track.  3rd PlanIt locks up too much for my taste - a lot of memory leaks.  Wasn't looking for exact scale, but just to graphically play with track designs and do "Model Railroader-ish" overhead layout graphics.  Too many times my napkin sketches of segments just don't look in real life what I imaged in my head.

 You're right, Visio is *not* a CAD package.  :^)  That made me laugh a little.

 Looks like I'll be taking Atlas track segments, scanning them in, and playing with those.  :^)  But I can't believe someone hasn't done that already after all these years.  :^)

 Done what ? Chosen to not use one of the many track drawing programs that are out there, and made templates in Visio instead ?

 You can try e.g. XtrakCad to draw plans, if you like - it has plenty of track libraries.

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

 Yes - you will need to read the manual to learn how to use it. Up to you if that is worth your time or not.

 There are several other track drawing programs out there. For any given program, you will find some people who swears by it, and some people who swears at it  

 Smile,
 Stein

 "I also think you'd have a hard time with anything that was over 8.5x11"

 VISIO can handle any size "page" that you want to define.  I use it for banners and such at work; it tiles pages nicely for printing.

If you were doing modular layouts, check out the office space planning templates for benchwork.  I also created some "track" using the curved line function - adjust the width to match track width.

Well it looks like it's time to play contrarian. Visio works just fine thank you. I too use it for work and have used it "on the side" for network diagrams, full house structural blueprints, flowcharts, mechanical drawings of parts, circuit diagrams, and yes track plans. It will do any size drawing and do so accurately. I think some of the above responders are confusing it with another program, perhaps a free one.

Sure, it has some idiocyncracies, but so does autocad - a far more costly product. BTW: It is possible to exchange drawings between Autocad and Visio.

I created my own library of track templates. Easy enough to do from segments of curves and measurements of actual turnouts, etc. Easements were trickier but doable with the spline tool. The grouping tool is your friend. Also great for control panel diagrams (scale down a track plan to single line, color and modify).

Trying to get a 33" radius eased curve and larger turnouts with the Atlas tool (and already owning Visio) is what pushed me into trying it. No regrets.

Karl

HO Scale Model Railroader:

3rd PlanIt are, to me anyway, just scaled up versions of Atlas' freebie Right Track.  3rd PlanIt locks up too much for my taste - a lot of memory leaks. 

Absolute baloney. 3D Plan-it runs smooth as silk. I've had it for over 6 years now. It's extraordinarily stable. If you think it's just a scaled up version of the Atlas product then you obviously don't know anything about the application.