CAD

Hi, I think it will be easier to use WinTrack.

Pepe

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Cheers Pepe, I'm off to look at that website now.

Mickey

Phil: I tried several of the downloadable demos recently, and ended up choosing 3DRailroad Concept Designer (3D Railroad) via Element5 for MCS investments Inc for 29.21ukp (formerly from Abracadata)

It has Peco and US track templates, and many US objects in 3D BUT does not claim to have the range of predefined european libraries that the WinRail

6,7,8 have. However, it had the only user interface I could work with! I 'created' templates for Fleishmann track, by entering measurements from the catalogue, but I would have doen better using the 'track wizard' tool when fdoing this - so that the objects were properly identified later, as eg a 3way point, and not simply 'grouped' track items. I must redo this sometime.

it allows layers 0-7, any of which can be visible/invisible. If using multiple gauges of track, eg OO and OO9, then the default preference has to be changed (from HO to N) at an appropriate time, for new track to be in the new standard (existing track can be easily 'duplicated' to add more in the other standard.

So, if you are intending using 'UK Settrack' (>> use Peco Setrack library) or European (>>enter your own values using the wizard)). Using Winrail will (presumably) offer the range of European (non US) buildings (inc UK), which this programme doesn't.

2D objects are easy to create, but don't then show up on the 3D view. THe 3D view can be 'flown through' 'live' which is a necessary feature - so that you can judge the appearance from many positions easily.

Track styles are basically 'normal' (extending up from the baseboard to the rail height), bridge (only 'ballast depth' shown below the track, and 'tunnel' which places a solid structure around the track.

My only 'gripe' with laying out track, is when trying to join or move 2 existing sections, it is difficult to 'reuse' the previously laid curved track, to get a perfect join: this would be achieved automatically by delecting the old track, and using the straight/curved tool to lay an automatic blend of the 2 types to make the join perfectly (or tell you if it won't align)

Once a 3D view has been created (this initially takes a while), updating, in 2D, which layers are visible takes some time (as it is actually recalculating the 3D window). If the 3D view had not been looked at, this session, the updating takes no time at all. (But once calculated, the 3D movement is smooth)

When trying the Winrail demo - try out these 'features' to see how important they are to you. I am uncertain how many of the 'library' objects in the Winrail are in 3D - some are only plan views (in the demo) The 'item' I didn't like in Winrail, was the wide (excess of screen) window bar with the (unlabelled) track icons on to sselct from - it looked like much scrolling would be needed to dselect the reuired track items, if they could be recognised! - and using a mixture of manufacturers tack (as I do) would make it worse, I thought.

At one point, I considered 'graduating' onto the Winrail programme (having designed the 'rough' version of my new 8m x 4.5m multi level layout in

3DRailroad), but when I tried the demo again, I again dodn't get on with the interface...

Conclusion - it is worth downloading the demos, and trying them to build a simple layout, and seeing which you can work with. European (inc UK) libraries may strongly influence your opinion over any disadvantages of the interface.

(I then could also download and pay for 3D on line, without waiting for a disc to arive in the post... impatience too has its effect)

rgds Phil

Cheers Phil, The WinRail demo is a bit cumbersone but I wonder if that is because the demo is obviously limited. I'll take a look at the other prog. to see if that is better for me. I am keen onthe European library being included but it does not sound too difficult to add custom kit to your program. Thanks for the advice,

Mickey

Mickey, Do you have access to binaries news groups? If you do have, then you can get a copy of Wintrack 6.0 today. (for free) alt.binaries.wares

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