SCARM - Simple Computer Aided Railway Modeller

[Mixy]

Here is the only SCARM blog post for May:

International Danube Modular Layout Meeting - Russe 2017



The event hosted layouts in HO, TT and N scales and was carried out by more than 40 participants from several countries. Here is the layout scheme:



I also attended and even drove several trains. See the pictures that I shot in the blog post's gallery.

Last but not least, I should mention that one of the train stations and several other single modules are entirely designed in SCARM 

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are the SCARM model train blog posts for April.

If your older version of SCARM is not yet updated or does not start correctly, update to the latest version - see the article about v. 0.9.37.

Mixy

[Mixy]

The new SCARM v. 0.9.37 is ready and published, coming with some new options, many small bugfixes, improved stability and one new cool feature for the MTS Power Edition. Read more details here:

SCARM Model Railroad Layout Design software 0.9.37 Released

Hope you will like it :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are shown three more layouts in HO (1/87), TT (1/120) and N (1/160) scales, all in oval form:

Compact HO Track Plan feat. Figure "8"



The plan above has one internal loop with one entry point, but can be easily modified in 2 different ways in order to get one more entry/exit point. The modifications are described in the article.


Compact Oval in TT scale



This design is just a simple oval with small train station in the center.


THE EYE - 3' x 5' N-scale Layout of Brian



This is one already build layout for simultaneously running of up to 3 trains


Mixy

[JEREMY CENTANNI]

Hmmmm....

Thanks guys, that does add a nightmare layer of complexity to it.

Will give it a try again next time I have a few days off.

[Mixy]

If you want to represent the room (i.e. walls, door, windows, furniture, etc), you can use the figures for that. Here is one example:

If you want to outline the shape of the table where the tracks will be laid, you need to create a baseboard. See how here: How to create baseboard/workbench shape?

Mixy

[Anonymous]

Jeremy, the answer is a short one. You are not missing anything, as you simply cannot set room parameters.

What you have to do is to draw your track plan (keeping in mind the dimensions of your room) and then create the benchwork. In case of irregular shapes, this can be quite tricky, but, IIRC, there is a video tutorial in the Web for it.

[JEREMY CENTANNI]

I actually got a little bit going in SCARM the other night when I had some free time.

Trying to use it for the around the walls HO Kato Unitrack layout in the older boys room.

I could not find out how to set room parameters.   Probably missing something stupid, but I could not find it.  Want to enter room size and best guesstimate shelf size.

[Mixy]

And here are listed the model train articles for March in the SCARM blog.

Check also the first sample video session from the Model Trains Simulator, presenting a short train moving between two terminus stations on a N-scale layout.



Finally, one more video about a new feature in the MTS PE, that I am working on - it's a Driver's Camera Viewing mode and should be ready for the next release of SCARM.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Thank you, Olson,

I am glad that SCARM is easy and useful to you

Mixy

[olson185]

Mixy, tonight I downloaded SCARM and, after watching just the first three of Ruud Boer's SCARM tutorials (15 mins. total), put together a simple double-ended yard ladder (2 mainline + 6 yard tracks) in about 20 mins. (could probably do it again in 10 mins.). Very easy and intuitive user interface (UI) so far. Thanks!

[Mixy]

Here are the SCARM model railway blog posts for February.

For those, who already got the MTS Power Edition - there is an easy way to stack all virtual vehicles in the sim in a single column. See how here:

Showing Vehicles From All Libraries Together



Mixy

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the hint!

[Mixy]

Hello Ulrich,

Please, whitelist www.scarm.info website in your Ad-Blocker and then try again.

Mixy

[Anonymous]

For whatever reason, I lost my access to the train simulator with the previous update and cannot install it back again, as the "traffic lights" show a yellow sign for both the basic train simulator and the demo train set.

How can I remedy this?

[Mixy]

IMPORTANT!

A bug was reported and confirmed in the last version of SCARM that may prevent starting of the program on some computers. The patched version of the program was released today. Please upgrade to SCARM 0.9.36, which can be downloaded from www.scarm.info to fix the issue.

See more about this bug-fix update in the following blog post: SCARM v. 0.9.36 Released.

I am sorry if the bugs caused any problems and inconvenience in your work with SCARM. If you see another problems, please report them here or in SCARM Blog and I will try to fix them ASAP.

Mixy

[Mixy]

The new SCARM v. 0.9.35 is ready and published! It comes with many new and updated track libraries, many bugfixes and more powerful Model Trains Simulator extension. See more about the new version here:

SCARM Track Planning Software 0.9.35 Released



Together with the new release, a new part of the website is also launched - it is a database with Virtual Rolling Stock for use in the MTS PE extension.



Hope you will like all new stuff about SCARM ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are the SCARM model railroad blog posts for January.

Check also the recently published tutorial about the way for Creating Parallel Line with Flex Tracks in SCARM



Mixy

[Mixy]

Hello Rotor,

The main download link for SCARM can be found here: http://www.scarm.info/index.php#download

The current version is 0.9.34.

Mixy

[Rotor head]

Got a question for the forum - i recently ran into an issue with the program where it wouldn't let me open it without updating (still in beta?) even after updating the day before.  The site now takes me to a google add lead for a driver update site that does nothing for scarm.  so i did the natural thing and uninstalled it with the expectation to reinstall it and now i am s-o-l in terms of planning software. 

where is the original file for install that doesn't scan my computer in an attempt to get me to click on something to update my drivers on a daily basis?

[Mixy]

Here is the only SCARM modeling blog post for December. It is about two nice virtual structures in N scale that you can download and use in your SCARM track plans.



And the most recent post from the last week in the blog is showing one nice short video about the FREMO idea and the organization of modular layout meetings:

FREMO Organization And Modular Meetings Introductory Video



Hope you will like it :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

And here are the SCARM train layout blog posts for November.

Note the QuickTip about Fixing SCARM with Missing Window on Startup in case that you observed such issue:



Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are the SCARM model railroad blog posts for October.

For those of you, who plan in O scale, check the post and solution about the Potential Problems With Lionel O FasTrack O31 switches (SOLVED).

Mixy

[Mixy]

For those, who want to use the Model Train Simulator with narrow gauge track layouts: the current library with virtual rolling stock in the bundle is representing standard gauge prototypes and cannot be directly scaled to the narrow gauge model tracks. If you try that, you will get the "Gauge mismatch" stop message and nothing will happen.

However, with a little trick, the tracks in the SCARM layout can be re-scaled without changing of the dimensions and geometry, so the virtual trains to be able to be placed and moved on a narrow gauge route. See how below:

Playing with Narrow Gauge Track Layouts in Model Trains Simulator

Re-scaling of the track route in the layout as shown in the blog post helps to test the track plan with the current Demo Start Set rolling stock library in MTS.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are the SCARM model trains blog posts for September.

See also the recently published gallery in the blog from one of the largest modular layout meetings in Europe:

35 Years Anniversary FREMO Meeting in Riesa, Germany

Overall meeting hall view:



The track plan, situated on more than 6000 m2 (64500 square feet):



That is designed probably in AutoCAD or other similar general purpose CAD software, not in SCARM. However, I am considering adding of features for creating of modular layouts also in SCARM for some of the next versions of the program :)

Mixy

[bmikes9900]

Yes!  It was in there!  I completey forgot about looking in the OO scale library.  Thank you!

[Mixy]

Peco OO C100 library in SCARM already contains several curved turnouts. Let me know which are the part numbers for these that you are missing and I will check then.

Mixy

[bmikes9900]

Any chance you could add in the Peco code 100 curved turnouts that were used in the Virginian layout construction?  

[Mixy]

Here is the only one SCARM railroad modeling blog post for August.

And something important - if someone is faced with the "Out of memory" error message in SCARM when editing very large and/or complex layout, here is how to cope with that: Cause and Solution for Out of Memory Error Message.

Mixy

[Mixy]

The new SCARM v. 0.9.34 is ready and published, coming with new and updated track libraries and also with a new extension - the brand new Model Trains Simulator.

Read more details here:

Model Railroad Layout Designer SCARM 0.9.34 Released



The Starter Edition of the simulator is intended for simple 2D and 3D simulations of various operations on the track plans, designed in SCARM. It will show you how the model rolling stock can be operated on a real layout, before buying even a single track.



In this way, you can check the concept of your plan and to discover potential design issues before start the construction of a real layout. And like SCARM, this edition of the simulator is completely free :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are listed the SCARM Railroad Hobby Blog posts for July.

Don't miss the last QuickTip about how to perform Fast Selection of Sequential Tracks in 2D editing mode.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Hi all :)

Thanks for the feedback - I am writing down some notes to my To-do list for the next updates and will consider your suggestions for improvements and new features.

@Ulrich: You can use the Toolbox for laying of flex tracks with predefined radius and angle.

Here is explained How to Recover a Project File After Crash or Power Failure and to restore your SCARM track plan to the last autosave state. I hope you do not have to use that feature, but... just in case

And here are the SCARM model railroading blog posts for June.

Mixy

[Anonymous]

I really enjoy working with SCARM and there are hardly any functions I miss, but, as there is always room for improvement, here are 2 suggestions for future changes:

• Allow pre-selection of a radius and angle when forming curves with flex track
• Allow slanting/sloping when creating figures

Here is my latest creation:

[bearman]

I used SCARM to design my proposed N scale switching layout, which is the subject of another thread.  The program is great.  However, the only thing I have noticed is that sometimes it can get frustrating to line up track.  In other words, getting the track to connect to another track section as the arrows go from green to red etc sometimes you end up wiht no connnection.  It is not a big deal because  if you use flex track you cut the track to fit.  Just my 2 cents.

[Mixy]

And here are the SCARM railroad modeler blog posts for May.

Mixy

[Mixy]

The new SCARM v. 0.9.33 is ready and published, coming with several new features and updated track libraries. Read more details here:

SCARM Model Railroad Track Planning Software 0.9.33 Released

Hope you will like it :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

For those of you who want to play with SCARM track planning software on a mobile device, this may be of help:

Using SCARM on iPad and Android Tablets



Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are the SCARM Railroad Blog posts for March and April.

The next version of the program is on the the way, so check the SCARM website regularly :)

Mixy

Here are the SCARM Railroad Blog posts for March and April.

 

The next version of the program is on the the way, so check the SCARM website regularly :)

 

Mixy

Here are the SCARM Railroad Blog posts for March and April.

 

The next version of the program is on the the way, so check the SCARM website regularly :)

 

Mixy

[Mixy]

The new version SCARM 0.9.32 is ready and published, coming with new Flip and Rotate features and many new and updated track libraries. Read more details here:

SCARM Model Railroad Layout Software 0.9.32 Released

Hope you will like it!

Mixy

[Mixy]

Check the recently published post in the blog about Various Tanks & Water Towers in HO Scale and use these in your own layouts.



And the SCARM Railroad Modeling Blog post for February is about possible Discrepancy Between Elements on the Layout and the Parts List - check it to see what are the most common causes for that.

Mixy

[Anonymous]

Good news, Mixy!

[Mixy]

Here is the only post in SCARM Railroad Modeling Blog for January:

Reset SCARM Settings to Defaults

Use the method, described above if you want to revert to default settings and/or if you have troubles when starting the program - resetting can be of help.

Now I am finishing and testing some new features in SCARM and the next version, with many new and updated track libraries will be released soon, I hope :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

It is one of the largest and most complex track plans ever designed in SCARM which is now turning into a real layout by the guys in Garden State Central Model Railroad Club. See some pics from the building process, read more about that huge layout and download the SCARM track plan from the link below.

Garden State Central Model Railroad Club 25' x 50' Room Layout





Hope all you will like it :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

And here is the list with SCARM railroad blog posts for December.

Don't miss the last post for 2015 which is representing the beautiful Badalona train station in N scale as virtual model in SCARM :)



Mixy

[Mixy]

Here is the list with SCARM railroad blog posts for November.

See also the recently published Virtual HO-Scale railcars with military vehicles, which are suitable for representing military trains for those, who are creating layouts with military bases.



Mixy

[Mixy]

The new version SCARM 0.9.31 is ready and published, coming with new security features and several new and updated track libraries. Read more details here:

SCARM Model Railroad Track Planner 0.9.31 Released

This version should fix the "scramble" bug, which may appear in the older releases, so update is recommended.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are the SCARM railroad blog posts for October.

Check also one example of a virtual HO-Scale Grain Elevator in SCARM for use on your track plan.



Mixy

[Mixy]

And here are the SCARM railroad blog posts for September.

See also the recently posted Faller Buildings and Structures for SCARM in HO scale, ready to be used in your layout projects.



Mixy

[Mixy]

The new, long awaited SCARM v. 0.9.30 is ready and published, coming with new features and many new and updated track libraries. Read more details here:

SCARM Model Train Layout Software 0.9.30 Released

Hope you will like it ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Hello Ulrich,

Great looking layout :)

Yes, I plan to add libraries with rolling stock and also the ability to run a virtual trains on the layout, to check the possible operations or just for fun. Here is one short preview of that upcoming feature:

There are some libraries with virtual models of locos and cars for SCARM even now, but they are static. Look for them here:

Examples of virtual train models for SCARM

If you want to share your layout or other SCARM related content with other SCARM users, send me a PM :)

Mixy

[Anonymous]

Mixy - I really enjoy working with SCARM - it´s an easy to learn, but powerful tool. Just a quick glimpse on my planned layout:

I have two questions regarding future upgrades:

• Is it intended to include a library of model locos and cars (I am particularly interested in Bemo RhB stock)?
• Will there be a feature to run a virtual layout tour?

Thanks for a great tool!

[Mixy]

Looks like SCARM runs well on the new Windows 10 and now I am preparing to launch the next version of the program ;)

In the meanwhile, here are the SCARM railroad blog posts for August.

Check also the recently posted virtual model of Superquick A-10 Train Station Building in OO, which is also suitable for use in HO scale and download it for using in your own SCARM layouts.



Mixy

[Mixy]

And here are the SCARM model railroad blog posts for June and July.

Read more about SCARM and Windows 10 if you plan to migrate to the new operating system and use SCARM on it.



Most users that already upgraded reports that SCARM runs fine, even faster on Windows 10, but if your case is not the same, post here or comment in the blog for any issues or weird behavior when running SCARM on the new OS.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here is the list with the SCARM railroad blog posts for May.

See also the last post with several Living and Engine Houses in HO scale (created by Howard McLay) and download the project files if you want to edit and/or place some of these buildings in your SCARM track plans.

Here is the two-story building with a swimming pool.



As usual, there are more... ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are listed the SCARM railroad blog posts for April.

Check also the recently published first SCARM fleet with several N-scale vessels (created by John Lemay) and download the project file if you want to use some of these ships in your SCARM layouts.

Emma Maersk container carrier



Different lake freighters



Lansdowne rail ferry



And there are more... :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

See also the SCARM railroad blog posts for March.

Watch the second Advanced Video Tutorial about buildings in SCARM.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are listed the SCARM railroad blog posts for February.

Check also the first Advanced Video Tutorial about working with baseboard feature in SCARM.

Mixy

[Mixy]

The new SCARM v. 0.9.29 is ready and published. Read more about it here:

SCARM Railroad Layout Planner 0.9.29 Released

Mixy

[Mixy]

Hello Matthew,

Thank you for your comments about SCARM. I will write down your notes and will then make some adjustments in the next versions of the program, especially for moving and rotating of the tracks.

Mixy

[-matthew]

I downloaded and tried working with this software a little bit last night.  I found it a bit frustrating, to be honest.  

My goal in using the software was to draw and then modify a trackplan from 101 Track Plans.  

My general computer-drawing experience is using MS Visio to draw system/software architectures (mostly block diagrams)  so a lot of my expectations are based on how Visio and other MS products draw diagrams.

Here's a short list of things I observed trying to lay parallel track for a yard.  

1.  The ruler markings on the left and top seem to only be in whole inch units.  Fractional markings would help a lot.  (If it exists, it shouldn't be an option.  Just zooming in should draw half, quarter, eigth inch markings as the space is available.)

2.  Moving track was VERY frustrating. After laying a bunch of parallel track, I wanted to adjust the spacing of it.  I right-clicked on the track and selected Move.  The track segment "jumped" to be centered on the mouse (which was usually well below the track because I had to select the Move option on the pop-up menu.)  This completely messed me up because I only wanted to move the track a little bit.  Being able to select track and move it with the arrow keys would be very useful.

3.  Moving/adjusting already placed track just didn't work easily for me.  I tried to connect two pieces of parrellel track with a turnout and just couldn't figure out how to get two arrows to "join".

4.  Copy/paste appeared to not work because when you paste, the new piece is placed directly over the original and it doesn't look like paste works.  Maybe place the new piece in the center of the window and have it selected and in "move" mode so the user can start placing it immediately.

5.  Rotating a turnout didn't seem to be possible except by dragging it to existing track and getting the arrows to "meet". 

[Mixy]

Here are listed the SCARM railroad blog posts for January 2015.

Check How To Make Control Panels and Diagrams for SCARM Track Plans article if you want to know more about how to draw a stylized diagrams of your layouts like the example below of oval with one siding.



The next version of SCARM will be published soon, I hope :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Thank you Marlon

In the meanwhile, the new SCARM v. 0.9.28 is ready and published. Read more details about it here:

SCARM Model Railroad Layout Designer 0.9.28 Released

Mixy

[Medina1128]

I downloaded and tried out SCARM, and the first thing that struck me is that it DOES have many more libraries than Atlas' RTS program. I'll continue to check out SCARM and give a report later on.

[Mixy]

Hi all and Happy New Year :)

Here are listed the SCARM railroad blog posts for December.

The next version of SCARM is almost ready and will be published soon :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

And something special for N-scalers: I've managed to make the complete KATO N Unitrack library for SCARM with bridges and viaducts :)

As the new version of the program is not yet finished, you can download the updated KATO library from here:

Updated KATO N Unitrack Library for SCARM

See some of the straight bridge and viaduct sections in 3D below:



Now the KATO N Unitrack library should be fully opertional with all bridge and viaduct track pieces included :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here I want to present the first very detailed virtual locomotive models in SCARM, created by Ian Donohoe and shown in the SCARM blog here:

Detailed 3D Models of US Diesel Locomotives in SCARM

Below are two of them:





These are created with the object's interface of SCARM and are auto-scalable to the scale and gauge of the used tracks in the layout plan.



Download the loco library from the blog's post and use these nice models in your virtual SCARM layouts :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

IMPORTANT!

Several bugs were discovered in SCARM 0.9.26 related to the renaming of the layers and then save and restore of the already changed layer names. The patched version of the program was released today.

Please upgrade to SCARM 0.9.27, which can be downloaded from www.scarm.info to fix these problems.

See more about this bugfix update in the following blog post: SCARM v. 0.9.27 Released.

I am sorry if these bugs caused any problems and inconvenience in your work with SCARM. If you see another problems, please report them here or in SCARM Blog and I will try to fix them ASAP.

Mixy

[Mixy]

And here is it - the new SCARM v. 0.9.26, coming with the new online help system integrated and the long-awaited Layers feature for easy editing of complex railroad layouts. Read more details here:

SCARM Track Planning Software 0.9.26 Released

Hope you will like the new release ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are listed the SCARM model railroad blog posts for October.

The next version of SCARM is almost ready and will be released soon :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Recently, I updated the SCARM website, which now has modern look and design and comes with a lot of new and updated information and resources about the program. Check it here:

www.scarm.info



The site now works well not only on PCs, but also on tablets and smartphones too. Contents section is rewritten and optimized for easy navigation and access to the most important pages. The same is valid also for the documentation - it has new structure with many new and updated topics. See the new help page here:

Online help & FAQ about SCARM layout software

Hope you will like the new site :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Many users asked about the file with the small steam engine that I used for demonstration of the new cylinder features in SCARM v. 0.9.25. Here is it:

Drawing of Prussian T3 Steam Loco in SCARM

The article shows most of the steps in the drawing of a close representation of Prussian T3 loco in HO scale.
In example, below are shown the cylinders that form the wheelset - as parts and assembled:



See more pics in the blog post and download the project file to see it on your own PCs.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are the posts in the SCARM Blog for August and September.

One is about Printing of the Whole Layout in 1:1 Scale (updated with new information).

See also the The N-scale Layout of Tony Relos.

Hope all these will be useful :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

IMPORTANT

Several users reported for a problem with the new SCARM 0.9.25 after update. This is probably due to corrupted download of the installation package. It seems that sometimes installer is able to run even if it is not downloaded correctly, but after that, the program crashes on startup. If you also experience such problems, follow the steps described in the link below:

Resolving SCARM Installation Issues

This should help for fixing of bad setup package downloads :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here is one nice gallery with very detailed SCARM images, containing scenes from Indian Railways:

Scenes From Indian Railways in SCARM

Here are just 3 of them:







These were created with the old versions prior to 0.9.24 without the new cylinder figures. The new v. 0.9.25 will be able to produce even more realistic landscapes for those, who are interested to create rich virtual layouts in SCARM.

Mixy

[Mixy]

After a long delay, the new SCARM v. 0.9.25 is ready and published. It is coming with new figures and many new and updated track libraries. Read more about it here:

SCARM Track Planning Software 0.9.25 Released

The new figures are horizontal and vertical cylinders and will allow drawing of objects and rolling stock, like the small engine showed below:



Hope you will like the new version ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

And one more recent post in the blog. It describes the fast and easy way of making railroad crossings with the new roadway feature in SCARM:

The Roads in SCARM – Part 6 – Railroad Crossing

Hope this will be of help :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are the two blog posts for July: www.scarm.info/blog/2014/07.

One is for the user-defined exact roadway pieces and the other is showing how to simulate Bring to Front and Send to Back commands in SCARM.

Mixy

[Mixy]

There is only one post in the blog for June, but it could be very useful:

How To Make Nearly Perfect Circles / Cylinders in SCARM

With these you can make pillars, water tanks, silos and other like that in the SCARM track plan and 3D viewer.

Mixy

[Mixy]

The SCARM blog posts for May: www.scarm.info/blog/2014/05.

Mixy

[Mixy]

The feedback from the users shows that some wants to have a roundhouse in their layouts and a few other are experiencing a performance hits when working over a very large projects in SCARM. So here are two new interesting articles in the blog. The first is How To Make a Roundhouse in SCARM track plan. One typical roundhouse is shown below.

And if the 2D edtor or 3D viewer becomes slower, see How To Speed-Up SCARM.

Hope you will like these :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Thank you, WVWoodman :)

And here are the blog posts for April: www.scarm.info/blog/2014/04.

Mixy

[WVWoodman]

You have done a great job - I spent 6 months designing and redesigning my layout - changed the table 3 times and changed rooms once.  SCARM was a valuable tool. 

[Mixy]

Many users are asking about custom or double tunnel portals in SCARM track plans, so I prepared the following article:

Custom Tunnel Portals in SCARM



Hope it will be useful ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

The problem of James is solved

Here is the list with articles in the blog for March: www.scarm.info/blog/2014/03.

And here is the first tutorial in the blog about using of the new road feature:

The Roads in SCARM – Part 1 – Basic Usage



More tutorials about the roadways in SCARM will come soon ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Hello James,

Not sure why this is happening, but if you send me your layout (.scarm project file) to  I will check it. Just put some fugure or text inside, near the place where you cannot obtain a join.

Mixy

[santafe5000]

Mixy, i am using 0.9.24 and i am having trouble with two pieces of flex track. I am trying to connect two switches which form a part of a siding. The ends of the  two pieces of flex track, between the switches overlap approx 1/2 inch, but i can't get the two pieces to connect. I have trieed starting at one switch and working to the other and also starting at each switch and working to the middle. The ends never turn Green/Red. I tried magnifying the area to get perfect alignment but they will never quite matchup. Any suggestions??

Excellent program, i think it is much easier to use than XtraCad. Thanks for pointing us in the right direction.

James in Texas

[Mixy]

And here is the new SCARM v. 0.9.24, ready and published, coming with the long-awaited feature for true roads with grades and various surface markings! See more about it here:

SCARM Layout Software v. 0.9.24 Released

Hope you will like it ;)

Please note that the new version has many parts with rewritten code due to the new roads feature and this may also introduce some new bugs. If you see some problems, write about them here and explain the steps that will allow me to reproduce and check what could be wrong.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Two small bugs in SCARM were reported last month so far:

- "Integer Overflow" error message may appear in some situations when modelling flex-tracks
- Arrow keys in the 2D editor stop working after pressing of Esc key

All these will be corrected in the upcoming release of SCARM. If you encounter another problems, drop a line about them in this thread.

Here is a nice collection of Quick tips, that may be useful in your work with SCARM: Quick Tips in SCARM Software

And here is the list with blog posts for February: www.scarm.info/blog/2014/02.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Actually, I am now doing this for the next version :)

The problem is that the real roads have much much more variations in types, markings, intersections, lanes and so on than the rail tracks and it is difficult to represent all of them just by replacing the look of the tracks, currently implemented in SCARM. But I am trying... ;)

And here is the list with articles in the blog for January 2014: www.scarm.info/blog/2014/01.

Not so much, but this month there will be more ;)

Mixy

[bigpianoguy]

Couldn't you just use a variation on the ballast bed to create sloped road surfaces? (If that's what you mean, & not hills.)

[Mixy]

Hi Conrail,

The roads in SCARM can be reproduced using the figures. See one example layout with streets here: US Urban Layout in N-scale. All roads inside are created with Polygon figures. The markings are created mostly with Rectangle figures, which are a little bit higher than the road surface. Read more about the figures in SCARM here: How to work with the figures in SCARM. Note that there is no possibility for sloped roads with the figures, but I am working over a dedicated feature which will solve this problem.

Mixy

[Conrail2436]

i really love scarm,  i love it so much i can play on it all day long but i was wondering if there is a way for me to get the streets on it? can u help me mixy?

[CTValleyRR]

Against my better judgement, I will address this. First of all, yeah, I think three different threads, all acive at the same time, all promoting the same product / website, and from someone who does nothing (that I can find) on the forums BUT promote this product, is pushing it. If I suspected Mixy was doing this out of any motivation other than a pure love of the hobby and a sincere desire to help others, I would have a serious problem with it. If I saw one sign of an ad on his site whereby he could be making money, I would have a serious problem with it. As it was, it was a lighthearted dig. Get over it and yourselves.

[cmrproducts]

Mixy

CTValleyRR

Boy, when you decide it's time to shill your product, you sure do spam the forums!

 

 

 

I don't think that posting of relevant information once in a month on the forum is spam.

Mixy

Mixy

I agree - just because theyhave noting to contribute - they throw that type of statement out!

Keep up the good work!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

[Mixy]

CTValleyRR

Boy, when you decide it's time to shill your product, you sure do spam the forums!

 

I don't think that posting of relevant information once in a month on the forum is spam.

Mixy

[CTValleyRR]

Boy, when you decide it's time to shill your product, you sure do spam the forums!

[Mixy]

Here is a nice collection of articles in the blog with Information and advices about baseboards in SCARM.

The list includes posts about how to create baseboard with holes and openings, how to represent the support structures and frames, how to split the workbench in several modules, how to create baseboard shapes with rounded corners and more.

And here is the list with blog articles for December: http://www.scarm.info/blog/2013/12.

I hope that the info will be useful ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here is the list with blog posts for November: www.scarm.info/blog/2013/11.

Don’t miss the series of video tutorials for beginners (starts with Create a Model Railway Layout with SCARM), even if you’re already an experienced SCARM user ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

The new SCARM v. 0.9.23 is ready – download it from www.scarm.info :)

It comes with several new features, many updated libraries, some bugfixes and improved functionality. The most important new features are Background image, the Ballast roadbed in 2D and Track Heights numeric input.

See about the new features and more about this update in the SCARM Blog post SCARM v. 0.9.23 Released.

I hope that you will like the new version of SCARM and also hope that next one will come soon ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

IMPORTANT!

If you are upgrading to Windows 8.1 and then SCARM starts with error and missing libraries, read the following blog post:

What To Do If SCARM Does Not Start Properly on Windows 8.1

The problem will be solved in the next update of SCARM.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Here are the SCARM blog posts for September and October.

The N gauge was on focus for the last month in the blog.

See the post about L-shaped Minitrix Layout in N-scale From Germany and do not miss the article and movie for the already builded Full-Featured N-scale Layout With Kato Unitrack Tracks, designed in SCARM by Didier Watson

Mixy

[Mixy]

The list of SCARM Blog posts for August is here: www.scarm.info/blog/2013/08.

Mixy

[Mixy]

IMPORTANT!

There is an issue with SCARM 0.9.21 that may affect Copy/Paste functionality in the program on certain PCs. Please upgrade to SCARM 0.9.22, which was released yesterday on www.scarm.info to fix the problem.

The new version also enables offline documentation and Parts List to be displayed on Windows 8 PCs. See more about this bugfix update in the following blog post: SCARM v. 0.9.22 Released.

I am sorry if these bugs caused any problems and inconvenience in your work with SCARM. If you see another problems, please report them here or in SCARM Blog and I will try to fix them ASAP.

Mixy

[Mixy]

Hello Bigpianoguy,

I am glad that you like SCARM :)

At the moment, there is no possibility to export native 3D data, but this may appear in some of the future versions of SCARM. Don't forget to check the documentation and also SCARM Blog, because there are many useful tips and advices about how to use SCARM and its advanced features ;)

Mixy

[bigpianoguy]

Mixy, I downloaded it & have been using it for the past 2 hours! I find it extremely easy to use and the 3D views are striking!

Of course, now I have to get someone up the ladder to see exactly how I tracked my yard, but after that -  I can see I'll be busy...

Thanks ever so much for this! Now if the final layout could be translated into other 3D formats, like 3ds, lwo, dxf, obj, or even .skp, then I would know that life is indeed worth living...maybe in a future edition...

[bigpianoguy]

I see that you have incorporated Bachmann's EZ Track into your track library. Excellent - I'm downloading your program and I'm looking forward to using it. Can the final result be saved in other 3D formats (probably answered in your FAQs...) ? I'm hoping to integrate it into an existing scale layout of my apartment....

[Mixy]

Hello again,

I am happy to announce that the new SCARM version 0.9.21 is ready and published for download on www.scarm.info.

It comes with new features, new and updated libraries, some bugfixes and many improvements. The most important new feature is flex-track automatic point-to-snap-and-join function with auto shaping of the curved part. See more about this update in the following blog post: SCARM v. 0.9.21 Released. There is also a short demo clip, showing how fast and easy is now the flex-track joining to the other tracks on the layout.

Here is the list of SCARM Blog posts for July: www.scarm.info/blog/2013/07.

One of the articles in the blog is about Running SCARM on Apple Mac and may be of interest for those of you, who want to try using SCARM on Macintosh computers.

I hope that you will like the new version of SCARM and the articles in the blog :)

Mixy

P.S. If "Check for Updates" feature in earlier SCARM release reports that there is no newer version of the program, download the installer directly from the website. The old version info file may be cached on your PC and it will need some time that cache to expire.

[Mixy]

Here is something, that may be interesting and useful to many of you: How To Create Hills And Valleys in SCARM. It may be of help until the interface for terrain shaping in the program is completed.

Check also the blog posts for June: www.scarm.info/blog/2013/06 - hope you will like them ;)

Mixy

[Mixy]

IMPORTANT

A new bug-fix update SCARM v. 0.9.20 was released today. Download it from www.scarm.info and install it to patch the old version of the program.

The latest version fixes two critical bugs, found in v.0.9.19.

The first issue is connected with the procedure for removing doubled control points in the baseboard and the figures, which can cause problems with shapes, containing holes inside. This should be now fixed and the holes will not be affected as before.

The second bug is related to the flex-tracks and user-defined minimum radius in the settings, introduced in v. 0.9.19. It may cause previously saved project files, containing flex-tracks to be loaded incorrectly, with flex-sections disconnected and/or reshaped to the bigger user-defined minimum radius. The issue also affects copy/paste of these flex-tracks. This is now solved and the user setting will not interfere with the flex-tracks already placed, saved or copied and pasted from the clipboard anymore.

I am really sorry if these errors are caused you troubles in your work with SCARM. I cannot guarantee that something like this will not happen again, but I can promise that my reaction to the tracked problems will be as fast as possible.

See the list with all changes and fixes in this version in the following SCARM Blog post – www.scarm.info/blog/general/scarm-v-0-9-20-released-bug-fix-update.

I hope that you will like the new release and will forgive me for the eventual problems with the previous version of SCARM :)

Mixy

P.S. If "Check for Updates" feature in SCARM 0.9.19 reports that there is no newer version of the program, download the installer directly from the website. The old version info file may be cached on your PC and it will need some time that cache to expire. If the website also shows v. 0.9.19, press F5 key to refresh it.

[Mixy]

Thank you :)

And here is it – the new SCARM v. 0.9.19 is ready. Download it from www.scarm.info ;)

It contains many improvements and updates, together with some bugfixes. See the list with the most important changes in this version in the following SCARM Blog post – www.scarm.info/blog/general/scarm-v-0-9-19-released.

One new key feature is the ability to set user-defined joining tolerances and global minimum radius for all flex-tracks – see the new Edit tab in the Settings window. Also, all placed flex-tracks now are showing the dimensions of their sections and can be modified and divided after laying. I need to update the documentation about this, but in short, just select the flex, right click over it and use "Reshape" or "Split" commands from the context menu.

I hope that you will like the new release :)

Mixy

P.S. If "Check for Updates" feature in SCARM 0.9.18 reports that there is no newer version of the program, download the installer directly from the website. The old version info file may be cached on your PC and it will need some time that cache to expire. If the website also shows v. 0.9.18, press F5 key to refresh it.

[Jay Dubbs66]

Thanks for this program.  I have used it now for a few months and am very happy with it.  It has helped me with my layout and I will continue to use it in the future.  Very easy to use and fast learning curve.  Only thing I can say is zoom functions take some time to get used to.  The libraries are very good for what I am using.  Best thing is it fits in my budget at this time.

JW

[Mixy]

Thank you, Never2manyTrains :)

The new version 0.9.18 of SCARM is ready and published on www.scarm.info ;)

It contains many improvements and updates, together with some important bugfixes. See the list with the most important changes in this version in the following SCARM Blog post – www.scarm.info/blog/general/scarm-0-9-18-released

This release should also fix one known issue – empty snapshots in 3D viewing mode, seen on some PCs. If somebody have met this bug, please update SCARM and try 3D snapshot feature again.

I am continuing the development of SCARM and the next version is planned to appear in much shorter period than last one :)

Mixy

P.S. If “Check for Updates” feature in SCARM 0.9.17 reports that there is no newer version of the program, download the installer directly from the website. The old version info file may be cached on your PC and it will need some time that cache to expire.

[Never2manyTrains]

Keep up the good work Mixy, you're really starting to make this a very well rounded program.

[Mixy]

After some delay I am happy to announce that the new version SCARM 0.9.16 is ready for download from http://www.scarm.info :)

The most important new feature in this release is the ability to work with texts on the drawing plot. Versions 0.9.x also have build-in interface to create figures and make 3D objects of them, such as houses, train stations, platforms, roads and much more. There are also some new and updated libraries, including dedicated object library with some US signals and many small improvements and bugfixes. I hope that you will like the new version of SCARM :)

Mixy

[Mixy]

The new version 0.8.6 of SCARM is ready :)

The most important new feature is automatic 3D terrain generation. It will allow realistic 3D representation of the layouts, which have defined heights, bridges and/or tunnels. For example, here is a simple layout with shape of the digit '8' with two stations and with predefined heights of the tracks:

If the tracks in the lifted middle section are set as bridge, the layout will look as follows:

If the tracks in the other (lowered) middle section are set as tunnel, the layout will look as follows:

To look through terrain, you can switch to “Wireframe” mode, using View > Terrain > Wireframe from menu bar in 3D viewing mode. To make terrain invisible, use View > Terrain > Invisible.

Quality vs. Speed of terrain generation is controlled from Tools > Settings > 3D View. It is recommended to keep Automatic setting, which is default – the program will automatically adjust quality/speed of terrain calculations according to your layout. Large layouts with complex track development will require more time for rendering of the terrain. You can turn off terrain generation if you prefer old, flat baseboard view or if terrain calculations are too slow for you.

Terrain engine will help for better visualization of multileveled layouts and is cornerstone in SCARM development, because all future 3D objects with assigned heights depend on the terrain shape. I will create terrain modeling interface so you will be able to create your own mountains and valleys in SCARM.

Also, some bugs were fixed and now it is possible to zoom while modelling flex-tracks. Check also the Portable page in the Settings - it will be useful for those of you who prefer to use SCARM from USB memory sticks.

Hope that you will enjoy the new features – more will come soon ;)

Download the new version from www.scarm.info/index_en.html

Mixy

[Mixy]

 Hello again,

The new version 0.8.0 of SCARM is ready :)

Most important new features are standalone installer, support for turntables and baseboard editing. There are also many corrected and updated libraries, due to some errors like doubled track names, doubled item numbers and some new parts. If you are using a turntable that is missing from SCARM library files, let me know and I will add it in the next update.

Mixy

[Mixy]

New version 0.7.0 of SCARM is released :)

The most important new features are Print and Print preview mode for WYSIWYG layout printouts. See how below:

To print the whole layout in SCARM, just press "Print" button from the toolbar – the program will automatically fit the track route onto the page and will print it on the default printer.

If you want to see the page with your layout before printing, press "Print Preview" button from the toolbar – this will activate Print Preview mode.

If you wish to print given part from the track route, make sure that Print Preview mode is active ("View" > "Show as Print Preview" must be checked), move and/or resize the drawing to get desired layout part into view and then press "Print" button - SCARM will print the page exactly as it is viewed on the screen. Remember that you can edit your project and make all other things no matter whether you are working in normal mode or in Print Preview mode.

If you make changes while working in Print Preview mode, so layout orientation is no longer optimal, toggle off and then on again "View" > "Show as Print Preview" – SCARM will set the page orientation according to current layout orientation. Press "Fit to Page" button from the toolbar if you wish to fit the layout on the page. Actually, switching off and on the "Print Preview" button does the same thing for you.

If you wish precise control over the printing process, select "File" > "Print" and set desired options in the print dialog box.

Note: If the layout has a baseboard defined and there are tracks outside baseboard contours, those tracks will not be taken into account when SCARM calculates layout position and size in the printable area.

I hope that print features in SCARM will be very useful, but if you have suggestions or other ideas about better printing, please let me know.

Mixy,
from Bulgaria

[Mixy]

New version SCARM 0.6.0 released.

Added following new features: parts list, libraries grouping, extended multilanguage support and some Atlas and Bachmann track libraries. More libraries will come soon :)

Download it from www.scarm.info/index_en.html.

Mixy

[Mixy]

SCARM also has flex-track shaping and I thing that it is more intuitive and realistic than RTS. Try it or see the demo videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u60zaHUbJyU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9PSJBtMa2U
See FAQ section in www.scarm.info/index_en.html for more info about flex-track modelling with SCARM.

Mixy,
from Bulgaria

[Hamltnblue]

The Atlas RTS software also has a flextrack option, allowing you to shape it.  That would be a good feature as well.

[Mixy]

OK, I am starting with Atlas. More libraries will come soon :)

[Hamltnblue]

Hey Mixy. Here's a link ot Peco's turnouts using true scale for each.  maybe it will help:

http://www.peco-uk.com/page.asp?id=pointplans

[steinjr]

Mixy

Thank you guys,

I acknowledge that there are no American track producers included, but this is just because I don’t know them. I know only Atlas, but they have no full geometrical data (mainly for turnouts) in their web site, which is needed to build appropriate track libraries. I will be very thankful if you can guide me with manufacturers and their online resources, where I can found track dimensions and track geometry examples. This is the only way for me to build a track library and to check track geometry, because I have no real tracks to see and measure them.

Mixy,
from Bulgaria

 You can find descriptions of a lot of track dimensions for a large number of turnouts on the XtrkCad yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/XTrkCad/), in the files section.

 You might also want to have a look at XtrkCad, which is a freeware program that does what you apparently want to do - but already has a fairly large installed base.

 Smile,
 Stein

 

 

[Train Modeler]

Keep after it.   I use Peco, Shinohora and Atlas mostly.   Atlas HO C100 should have their specs built into their righttrack software.   I believe that Walthers HO C83 is made by Shinohora.     We use mainly C100 and C83.

Richard

[Hamltnblue]

You might start with their free RTS track laying software. It might have teh info you're looking for.

http://www.atlasrr.com/righttrack.htm

[Mixy]

Thank you guys,

I acknowledge that there are no American track producers included, but this is just because I don’t know them. I know only Atlas, but they have no full geometrical data (mainly for turnouts) in their web site, which is needed to build appropriate track libraries. I will be very thankful if you can guide me with manufacturers and their online resources, where I can found track dimensions and track geometry examples. This is the only way for me to build a track library and to check track geometry, because I have no real tracks to see and measure them.

Mixy,
from Bulgaria

[hon30critter]

Mixy:

I give you a lot of credit for taking the time to design this program. I purchased 3rd PlanIt a long time ago and I enjoy using it a lot. If your freeware can come anyware close to duplicating 3rd PlanIt or any of the many other CAD programs then you will have done a great job. I only spent a few minutes experimenting with your program but it seems to be fairly intuitive.

I wish you great success.

Thank you for your contribution to model railroading.

Dave

P.S. If I were you I would follow the suggestions above about offering North American options.

[tony314]

Hamltnblue

The biggest problem I see right away is that it doesn't have HO in the most common manufacturers sold in the US.

 

I noticed that as well.

[Hamltnblue]

The biggest problem I see right away is that it doesn't have HO in the most common manufacturers sold in the US.

[JamesG]

Mixy

... I will appreciate any comments concerning SCARM here or by email – scarm at scarm dot info.

I am sure you have done a good job, but since I only work with MAC it is not for me. Good luck with your effort.