ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.
I have been modeling for about 5 years now , and I have yet to produce a track plan( computer generated ) other than sketches I have I would like to learn how ! I tried RTS 5.0 but wow!! it never does what I want it to *#!$&@ do! I have used programs like auto cad before and I think this program(RTS) is hard to use. What does MR use for their plans? Are there any EASIER porgrams to use?
I don't know about easier, but ther are better. XtraCAD, I think, is a variant of AutoCAD so you should be able to pick it up fairly easily. I did just using the tutorials. It is much more intuitive than either Atlas or 3rd Planit and of course it is free.
That could have been XtraCAD. It can be found at http://www.sillub.com/. About half-way down is the link to the password. It is open source now so it is free, but youneed that free password.
The track plan in the graphic above was done using AbraCAData 3D Railroad Concept & Design, now it's marketed under a different company. But if I'd known about XtraCAD 5 years ago when I first started planning this layout, I think I would have gone with that. A lot of people in this forum use XtrCAD and seem happy with it.
MR uses a proprietary system to generate their trackplans. Somebody wrote a letter to the editor asking about it in a complementary way, and Executive Editor Andy Sperandeo said it was a proprietary system.
It seems pretty cool, and I really like the plans it generates.
I got the XtrackCad program, did the tutorial thing, got excited about about starting a plan, then discovered I didn't have any parameter files for any of the track and companies they said they had for the program. Is there a seperate set of files to download for all the track?
They come with parameter files, but you have to add the ones you want in your directory. I use Fast Track turnouts so I added NMRA turnouts. I also added Fleismann turnouts because they have the most fancy trackwork like I might custom build. I added all the structures.
Go to Files/Parameters then click browse. Select the company and code of the track work you plan to use.
Chip: Found the parameter files after I posted last night. Tried to load the ones I wanted into the hot strip for the drawing I was starting but still couldn't get it to work Will try some more today....thnx for the help. I like the looks of the program and what it will do, so hopefully I can get it figured out.
I have used programs like auto cad before and I think this program(RTS) is hard to use. What does MR use for their plans? Are there any EASIER porgrams to use?
It's working just fine I think.