New to Track Plans again

Back in '07 when I decided to switch to HO I tried a couple track plans. X-Track CAD and Any Rail. I had just moved and was trying to start a new job so, I didn't have much time and a lot of distractions. Using the on line instructions wasn't very helpful. Then losing the house and Windows 10 taking over I haven't had much incentive to try again.
I have also heard some about SCARM and now have a new computer that can handle 10. Is there one that is better for this getting simple mind to handle better. With good and legible online instructions.
I will also be getting a photo software that may accept pictures from the flip phone and digital camera. How would I then get them to be displayed on here? With thumb nails to enlarge if you wished.
Thanks for any help.

Hope y'all are having a nice Valentine's Day.

Richard

 

Before you buy something try paint.net ( HERE ). It is free, although I do send a contribution from time to time. I do all my photo editing with it. It is quick and easy to resize a photo, edit it and save it as different sizes and tons of other things you cam do to the image. Download it and I'd be glad to help do the basics if you have any problems.

Sumner

 

You can download free versions of both AnyRail and SCARM, I would suggest doing that and playing around with both to see which you like. AnyRail's free version is limited to 50 pieces and SCARM's is limited to 100, so on a small enough layout that might be all you need. In my opinion they are both much easier to use than XTrkCAD. I've spent hours with XTrkCAD, and was using it pretty regularly until recently. I got a new computer so I downloaded and installed the latest version and it gave me fits with my track plans from the older version (I don't even remember exactly what it did now). I uninstalled it and installed the version I had before and still had issues, so I started over again with the newer version. I think I did get it working right, but it was at this point that I started looking to see what else was out there. I played with both AnyRail and SCARM quite a bit, and like them both. They both have their advantages and disadvantages but overall I like SCARM a little better (and it's a little cheaper). One thing I do not like about it is the license is for a single computer, whereas the AnyRail license is for a single user but can be installed on multiple computers. I had a hard time choosing between the two but did finally settle on SCARM and I have been happy with it. AnyRail and SCARM both have an online list of track plans (SCARMS list is huge) if you want to see what others have done with them.

 

Thanks, I will give SCARM the first try. The other two I have tried in the past. They probably have changed since. Just hoping it has better instructions.
The photo software is delayed. So, tomorrow I'll give Paint.net a try. If that new computer will work with the new cell phone.

Richard

 

I haven't tried the other two, but I like XtrackCAD a lot (and the price is right!) I used a demo version of 3rd Planit for a little while, but dumped it for XtrackCAD. I have upgraded it a few times without any issues, but not lately.

Most CAD programs are personal choices (even VERY expensive commercial electronic design systems). They all have different ways of doing similar things, and it boils down to your own needs, druthers and dislikes as to which will work best for you. For instance I exclusively use Unitrack, so hand-laid or flex track features are unimportant to me (though XtrackCAD appears to have a lot of them).

 

I've used SCARM and found it easy to learn the basics. It's click and drag and you can get a nice list of the track sections you'll need to build your layout. It also has a handy "snip off" function for custom length track sections I've needed.

 

Used Scarm and enjoyed playing with it. Installed XtrackCAD but did not think it was as intuitive as SCARM. Will look at XtrackCAD again if I do another layout. A little intrigued about XtrackCAD since playing with JMRI panel editor when creating turnouts with user names earlier this week and discovering that an importer " XtrkCadReader " is available to take info from XtrkCad right into the JMRI via panel XML file. If I had more time had even considered redoing my layout just to see how well it works.

https://www.jmri.org/community/connections/XtrkCadReader/

 

AnyRail has an "Export as JMRI Layout file" option and I find it similar to SCARM as far as ease of operation. It does cost a little more than SCARM and the free version has a smaller limit.

 

Hi Shortround, I'm working on developing my own track planning app, https://trackplanner.app/. It is designed to be easy to use and can in a web browser.

It is still a work in progress and not as full featured as some other designers. If you have a few minutes I would like to hear your feedback on it and of it was easy to use for you. (There is a feedback form in the app).

Would also be curious which one you went with and why.

Thanks

 

Another vote for XTrkCAD here, it's A++++ #1

 

platypus - I tried yours a bit when you first offered. It seemed to lack some control. Like how to place track section to start and to add on. Would I have to sign up for it to get better results?
Mudkip Orange - I had tried XTrkCAD some 12 years ago but the on line instructions were missing a lot. Lately I haven't had much time to delve into it.

Starting in high school I started learning drafting and went to a tech college for architectural drafting. My large drafting table got damaged out of my control. But I still have two sizes of t-squares, triangles, etc. I never did drafting as a career but sketched several house layouts I helped build.
My model railroad layouts were just put together on the fly. Both N and O.

 

Hi All!

Late on this one - I use Xtrak is 5.2.2; think that a new version is out. I have tried CadRail and 3rd PlanIt. CadRail was somewhat easy, 3rd on the other hand was tough for me to learn for reasons unknown; might have been the way the author named stuff. Anyway I just recently found out that when using Xtrak - do so with one hand on the mouse, the other on the keyboard AND learn the shortcuts. Stuff happens much faster! Xtrak is free and since about 3 years ago, there seems to be a group of designers working with the software. Stuff has changed; for the better in my opinion. There is still a ways to go - local help ( F1 ) needs work for instance; and I would also like a printable page of the shortcuts. Xtrak forum can be a resource if you have something that ya can't figure out. You usually get some sort of response pretty quick. I guess that I have used Xtrak for about 10 years now and see no reason to change to something I would have to pay for.