Cad software

Any computer aided design software will have a learning curve (I've used a dozen or so over the years including non RR software).  By reading the online help files for SCARM, I've found it to be easy to learn and use for model railroad planning.

I have found AnyRail to be the most intuitive (subjectively of course) for laying out track sections for fitment. SCARM is used by many, but has a little bit of a learning curve (IMHO). Generally with any software, the more complexity you are trying to model (levels, gradients, overhangs, framing, bench work, etc) the more complex it will be to "CAD" up.

There are tutorials on YouTube that may be able to help:

• https://www.youtube.com/result...query=SCARM+Tutorial
• https://www.youtube.com/result...uery=AnyRail+Tutorial

After working with the help and tutorial files as suggested above, if you absolutely can't make SCARM or AnyRail work for you then give RRTrack a try. It is an older software system that has the FasTrack library. Everyone has a different opinion on which software is easier to use so try different ones until you feel most comfortable.

AFAIK, RR-Track doesn’t have a free trial and it’s the most expensive. SCARM and AnyRail have a free trial for up to 100 pieces. I started with XTrackCAD, moved to RR-Track, added SCARM and have fiddled with AnyRail. They all have props and cons as well as a learning curve and I don’t find any one more intuitive than another, just different. I thought RR-Track was great until I learned SCARM. There are still things I like about RR-Track, but I find SCARM better overall. More members use it, so there is arguably more and quicker help available on the forum. When it comes to SCARM, I, for one, respond to private messages, forum posts and emails, and no question is too dumb. If a Help file or a written explanation doesn’t work, I’ll create a tutorial with photos, whatever it takes.

This is Lou's wife, Jeanne - thank you