Cool to hear the spiral works--can't wait to get to that stage of the track plan. By the way, just wanted to let eveyone know that I have not abandoned this effort, just sidetracked by "real" work and also determing what to do next. Expect an update soon. Jamie
Part 13: Backdrops With all of the lower level benchwork drawn on the track plan, I decided I needed to add the backdrops next. I use 1/8" Masonite hardboard for my backdrops featuring curved corners. It is essential that the backdrops are accurately represented on the track plan because they define the usable space of the layout, especially with regards to the curved corners. Don't want to draw any track in an area that would be behind a backdrop corner! To draw the backdrops, I used techniques already described in previous posts above: I used the Manage > Layers menu to create a layer named Backdrops. This is layer #2, which means it is second from the bottom in the "stack" of layers. I set the color of objects drawn on this layer to blue because I thought that was the best way to represent a sky backdrop. However, when combined with the orange benchwork, this is quickly looking like the official track plan of the Miami Dolphins. I used the line tool and curve tool to draw the locations of the backdrops, including the two-sided backdrop that runs down the middle of the peninsula. I used the describe tool to precisely place the lines and curves that I had roughed in with the drawing tools. Here is a look at the updated track plan with the backdrops drawn onto the new layer: Notice the lines & curves drawn on the backdrop layer (blue) are drawn on top of the lines & curves drawn on the benchwork layer (orange). This is the outcome of the layering features of XTrkCad. Another nice layering feature is the ability to show and hide layers. This can be very useful when working on a complex track plan where objects on other layers may interfere with what you are trying to draw on the current layer. To hide (or show) a layer, you click the numbered toolbar button that corresponds to the number of the layer you want to hide/show. When a layer is visible, its numbered toolbar button appears pushed in. When a layer is hidden, its numbered toolbar button appears pushed out. In this picture, I have clicked the toolbar button for the benchwork layer (layer #1) so that it is hidden: Notice that the toolbar button for this layer apperas pushed out--indicating that it is hidden--while all other layer toolbar buttons are pushed in (visible). Also notice that the color of the layer's number on each toolbar button corresponds to the color chosen to draw objects on that layer. Here is what the track plan looks like with the benchwork layer hidden: Notice that the objects I drew on the benchwork layer are not visible. They are still there; they are just hidden from view. It is now easy to see just the objects on the backdrop layer, since that is the only other layer I have drawn on to this point. Jamie
Been working with XTrakCad myself on and off for a while. It really is a solid offering for being a free program. Very nice tutorial Jamie, learned a few things and maybe I'll be able to contribute now and then.
I was working on the track plan a bit and I loaded up the Walthers buildings parameters (walth-ho.) and could not find the roundhouse stalls to place around my turntable. Am I missing something or is it not included in the file?? Thanks
RailModeller. As an experience AutoCAD draftsperson and as someone who draws lots of plans all the time, I tend to move on from the CAD planning rather quickly as I find that starting to actually make the layout helps me improve my track plan. The process is iterative rather than sequential. I get a pretty good track plan, start laying it out, and ooops, there's one little area I want to change, so I go back to the track plan on CAD and change it and then solve another issue there and then back to the layout... It's how I like to work. Adam
loco, I have updated that file...Check out my folder on the Xtrkcad Yahoo group Dwyane Ward Fairview, TX
I've worked with Autocad LT and mastercam in the past, and have found the layout design drafting programs to be frustratingly different. I finally broke down and purchased a used Autocad LT version 2000i today for $130. It will have it's uses at work and for other projects as well so I don't see it as a loss. The multiple layer, color, mirror, stretch, linetype, etc options are priceless and it should be pretty easy to draw my benchwork and track centerlines or track first and then fit my benchwork to it. I'll have to spend an evening measuring turnouts and drawing them into a "grab box" to duplicate where desired, but then we'll have some design action happening...
I've been seeing some interesting things done with Google Sketchup. Its free for anyone to use. Lots of libraries already out there. They also have a library of tutorials... and YouTube has more tutorials than you can shake a stick at.
Great stuff and good ideas. I may be a little off the topic, but I cannot find a more relevant thread. My problem in Xtrkcad is when I have a number of track segments and I select the "Connect Tracks" button. It does not matter which track I select first, one or both tracks move at random. It would be nice if the first track selected remained fixed and the second track selected moved to connect the tracks. It also does not seem to matter whether one track segment is already connected to several other segments, I still cannot control which segment moves. This is the only really annoying thing about XtrkCad. What am I doing wrong?
Two years and 9 days since my last post on this tutorial. Has everyone had time to absorb the material so far? It has been so long since I have used XTrkCad, I actually had to come back and reread this entire thread so I could remember how to use the application! In the intervening two plus years, I have added track and scenery to an entire scene on my layout. Before moving forward, however, I want to have a working plan so I am back to XTrkCad. I'll be updating this thread often as I go. Looking forward to working with some actual track tools this time around. Jamie
Part 14: Track Circles OK time to get this thread back on track--pun intended! The typical use of a track plan is to determine where the track will go before it gets added to the layout. However, in my case I actually laid track on an entire scene of the layout before I had a track plan. Therefore, the first track I want to add to the track plan is that which I already laid. The following photo gives an overall view of the existing track: This is the Emerson scene of the layout, which on the track plan is in the lower left. The first track I will draw is the temporary turnback loop on the helix base (this is where the coal train is parked in the foreground of the above photo). To do this, I will use the Track Circle tool, which is located with the other track drawing tools on the application toolbar: As with previous circles I drew when laying out the benchwork, I want to draw the circle in its approximate position using the freehand drawing tools then come back and position it exactly using the describe tool. To do this, first I select the Create track circle from center option from the dropdown menu just to the right of the track circle tool. This allows you to draw a circle by clicking at the center of the circle and dragging outwards. As you do this, a new track circle is added to the plan and expands as you drag away from the center. When the circle looks about right, release the mouse button and the circle is done. Next, select the Describe objects tool and click the new circle of track. This will allow you to position the circle of track exactly as I have done here: As you can see, the new track circle has a radius of 15” and is located at coordinates (142”, 52”). This coordinate coincides with the centers of the circles that I drew to represent the helix base benchwork. The helix will (eventually) have two tracks: an inner track with a 15” radius and an outer track with a 16.5” radius. Therefore, the temporary turnback loop is laid on the alignment of the inner helix track. You may also notice that the track was drawn on layer 5, which I named Track. I did this to leave some “space” between the track and the benchwork drawn on layer 1 and the backdrop drawn on layer 2. I figured this will allow for drawing some scenery elements below track level (roads, water, etc.). In the above screen image, the track appears as a thin black line. As you zoom in, XtrackCAD will draw the track as a pair of lines (to represent both rails) and if you zoom in close enough, the ties are drawn as well: That's all it takes to add track to an XtrackCAD plan! Jamie
Part 14: Track Circles (continued) In the previous post, I began adding track to my plan by drawing a circle of track on the helix base. This was not an arbitrary choice: I have found that it is easier to draw a track plan in XtrackCAD by drawing circular elements such as turnback loops and curves first, then adding the straight/tangent track and finally connecting everything together. That is the flow this tutorial will follow. By the way, this is also the preferred order of drawing a track plan with good old paper and pencil. One of the things I really like about XtrackCAD is it allows me to do electronically what I used to do with pencil and paper. Of course, the drawing goes much faster in XtrackCAD and things like making adjustments and changes are much easier. This really is a great track planning tool! With the helix circle of track added to the plan, I next added the circle of track that will be the turnback curve at the end of the aisle. I used the exact technique described in the previous post to add this track circle: As you can see, this track circle is located at coordinates (26”, 26”) and has a radius of 22”. Gotta love those wide sweeping curves possible in N scale! Jamie
Great job with this tutorial, Jamie!! I wish I had seen this before I started my track plan. I have had a lot of practice with these techniques as I have moved things around a few times while getting motivated to do actual work. Your screenshots of the dialog boxes really increases the descriptive quality. When you continue to add features, do you write down or note the coordinates of major features, like the helx base, for in the future? Or do you just click on the "describe tool" to get the coordinates you need for the item you're going to add next? As you have layed track already before putting it on your drawing, do you 1)take measurements on your layout and put reference marks on your drawing to get things aligned correctly, or 2) draw lines and have them look "close enough"? Again, great work on your tutorial, and your actual construction. Your ideas have made things a lot easier for a lot of us modellers.
Part 15: Straight Track Perhaps the simplest track planning task in XtrackCAD is drawing straight track, also called tangent track using railroading terminology. To draw straight track, you use the appropriately named Straight Track tool: Once you select this tool, the process for drawing straight track is very intuitive: you click the mouse at one end of the straight track, drag to the other end and release the mouse. As you drag the mouse, the straight track follows the pointer on screen. In this screen image, I have drawn the section of straight track between the two track circles that were drawn in the previous steps: At first glance it may appear that this straight track is haphazardly drawn: it does not intersect either of the two existing track circles and the ends appear to be extended beyond where they should be. Don't worry—I will show how all of the track gets connected just right in the next steps. For now, I just want the line to be where the straight track is on the layout. I have extended the track beyond the end points on the layout because this makes it much easier to connect things up later.
