Need track planning software.
- Thread starter wayles3
- Start date
Brakeman Hal
Well-Known Member
Hey wayles3:
Welcome aboard! You can ride in the Caboose with the Conductor for now.....
Use your head as your APP! It's the best piece of "software" you own!
Go ahead...be adventurous...make mistakes...you'll be the better Railroader for it!
Brakeman Hal
Welcome aboard! You can ride in the Caboose with the Conductor for now.....
Use your head as your APP! It's the best piece of "software" you own!
Go ahead...be adventurous...make mistakes...you'll be the better Railroader for it!
Brakeman Hal
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glenng6
Well-Known Member
Wayles3,
I have been using RailModeller Express to design a peninsula extension and am quite happy with it. It is free, but limited in the size of the layout you can create. If you like the app you can upgrade to RailModeller Pro, for unlimited size and some additional features. It is available on Apple's App Store. What I found great was the ability to try different size turnouts to see if they would work within the space limits I have. I found I could use larger turnouts than I thought and that made my day. Give it a try and good luck. Glenn
I have been using RailModeller Express to design a peninsula extension and am quite happy with it. It is free, but limited in the size of the layout you can create. If you like the app you can upgrade to RailModeller Pro, for unlimited size and some additional features. It is available on Apple's App Store. What I found great was the ability to try different size turnouts to see if they would work within the space limits I have. I found I could use larger turnouts than I thought and that made my day. Give it a try and good luck. Glenn
Roadwolf
New Member
SCARM is an updated version of Atlas's software, which has a bunch of other manufactures tracks loaded into it. While, I personally find the program a bit clumsy, it does seem to be the most reliable program out there which will work on the PC. https://www.scarm.info/index.php
I have used Trainz in the past, but, while it is nicer, it doesn't really have a good ability to do preset turnouts. Unless you plan on handlaying everything, then it would probably work great.
There is a VR program on Steam which is specifically for designing model railroads, but I found it quite clunky, and it seems you had to practically 'CAD' (Gosh, remember back in the day when AutoCAD was a big thing... now you never hear about it) every element unless you used default items. It is called Rolling Line.
I find as much prep as I have done over the years for the SVNO and my previous build... Doesn't matter how much time I spend on designing it on the computer... when it comes to placing tracks down on the benchwork... Things will change! So I agree with the head being the blueprint, and using a model or paper for rough ideas and plans.
I have used Trainz in the past, but, while it is nicer, it doesn't really have a good ability to do preset turnouts. Unless you plan on handlaying everything, then it would probably work great.
There is a VR program on Steam which is specifically for designing model railroads, but I found it quite clunky, and it seems you had to practically 'CAD' (Gosh, remember back in the day when AutoCAD was a big thing... now you never hear about it) every element unless you used default items. It is called Rolling Line.
I find as much prep as I have done over the years for the SVNO and my previous build... Doesn't matter how much time I spend on designing it on the computer... when it comes to placing tracks down on the benchwork... Things will change! So I agree with the head being the blueprint, and using a model or paper for rough ideas and plans.
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