layout planning

[detail_stymied]

anyone use a graphics program for their layout design? this seems like it would be a fun project:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVDmrujnSag

[Bill Gill]

Hi, I watched the video. It looks like fun, but probably not enough control to make a real "plan" if that's your design goal. There's no selection of options for creating railroady right of way or scenery.

There are graphics programs that you could use for both planning and making pictorial representations.  I like GIMP, free open source software similar to PhotoShop. Although it's not designed for
drafting or track planning you can measure distance, radii, angles and you can paint or draw and add photos that you can alter for backgrounds. But there is a learning curve and the results may not be worth the time to get that good.

There are also several track planning programs, some that allow you to add more or less detailed structures and scenery. I don't know if any are free or how easy they are to use.

There are also complete virtual layouts that people create with scenery and trains that run. I don't know anything about the software used to do that, but you can find many examples online.

[Greg Hile]

I've been thinking about how to do it, too, and I think it depends on what you want to accomplish as the end product. There are a number of track planning programs, and they are becoming more robust in their 3D modeling capabilities. I use AnyRail and have been happy with it as far as it goes. Another suggestion would be to use video game creation software workflows, which might include something like Autodesk Maya or 3dsMax as well as Adobe products like Photoshop, illustrator, and AfterEffects. You could probably integrate both approaches but we're not talking an easy weekend project here.

[finescalerr]

I've drawn and published countless track plans with AutoCAD and Photoshop. More recently I've used SketchUp. AutoCAD for 2-D, Photoshop for adding color and artwork, and SketchUp for 3-D. SketchUp is free, works very well, and I can recommend it. Spend an hour or two drawing whatever size turnouts and crossings you may need and the rest is simply tying them together with "flex track". I see no need for dedicated track planning software but can imagine its limitations. Bottom line: Avoid shortcuts. For a program without limitations try SketchUp. -- Russ

[Greg Hile]

With all due respect, Russ, you have used AutoCAD and Photoshop -- and now SketchUp and Photoshop -- for countless track plans but that's because you've used AutoCAD, Photoshop, and SketchUp countless times. The learning curve to get up to speed to spend an hour or two creating the turnouts and crossings, not to mention flex track, would be quite extensive, and, in my opinion, unless one were already relatively well-versed in the software, not worth the effort (and even more so if using my admittedly over-the-top video game suggestion).

On the other hand, one major advantage of track planning software is that they usually come with track libraries from the manufacturers where the engineering has already been worked out. One does not have to figure out the dimensions of a #6 right-handed turnout; you just designate the part number and it appears. I mean, Bill and Russ, are both correct in that a generic design program like GIMP or Photoshop or SketchUp will do the job, but I would go with dedicated track planning software. Like I said, I have used AnyRail for several years. I don't remember what I paid for it but it is frequently updated and a solid product. Probably the best place to get input on other software would be the Model Railroad Hobbyist or Model Railroader or similar forums.

[detail_stymied]

I learned AutoCad & Sketchup in the late '90s and used AutoCad - basically as an electronic pencil - until 2004. computer drawing is great if you need what it offers. the games program I referenced seemed a bit whimsical and falls to my "I could use that to get the design a little better looking than a stark armature" thought. I could envision using it to create topography, and then a technical pen hostile take-over to add track & other details.


when I used to eat meat, every once in a while I would like to go to a restaurant and have a steak. I did not encourage the server to detail all the parts of a bovine.