What is a good track drawing pgm?

SCARM?  Not sure what you mean by drawing

I use AnyRail, I find it very easy to use.

I meant drawing layouts like RRTrack or Anyrail. I have RRTrack and dont like it. Anyrail seems good, easy to use. I wondered if there were any others. Sorry for not being forthcoming on my history with these programs and what I've tried. And thanks for the replies.

Use the search function here to find threads on SCARM.  It's pretty easy & free.

Can't figure what's not to like about RR-Track?  I really like it.

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Dennis

I use RRTrack, but there have been some pretty nice drawings posted with SCARM. Some folks here are very good with it. Had I not already had RRTrack, I might have started with SCARM. There are some that have posted tutorials here on SCARM also.

I have tried Anyrail and I thought it was pretty good as well, but RRTrack had more libraries at the time. Haven't looked at Anyrail for a while.

For me: NONE 

I like graph paper, pencil, soft eraser and model railroad templates.

  Click artwork to enlarge.

I use grid paper, a compass, straight edge and a good drafting pencil myself. Don't have time to bother with the software learning curve. Besides I don't intend to do another plan anytime soon.

Well i tried some others a tiny bit last night and RRTrack is sort of ok by comparison. I was having a hard time with Grades and finally figured out that a switch without all three ends connected could not be included in a grade even at the top.  Just stuff like that...and having to clear the 2% move warning every time. 7 years ago I inquired if the 1 3/8 pieces were required for a switch to join, then why not include them with the switch. Got a terse answer. I'm going to try some of the orher two mentioned here and see if i can like them more though.

I've been using the SCARM software, you can find more information about it in the Track Plan and Layout design forum. There are lots of threads showing examples of it's use. And the developer of the software often participates in the discussions and has replied in a reasonable amount of time. Which may make appealing.

The only other one I've tried is RRTrack. I'm not married to either so I'm gonna give ANYRAIL a test run.

I am about as low tech as anyone on this forum.  I have used SCARM and find it easy to use with a short learning curve.  This is one of those "if I can do it, anyone can" kinda programs.

cjack,

Those pesky things that are hard to use in RR-Track, I just don't use.  One's own brain can fill in the blanks.  For example, my own layout's grade isn't even shown as a grade but I know it's there.  It's just like when you buy a computer. It's chocked full of bells and whistles that you will never need to use.

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Dennis

If you have ever using AutoCAD 2D, there is a knock-off program called DraftSight that works pretty much the same way. The dialogs for fonts are different, and some of the far out selection methods are not there. Biggest advantage is its free, except they will send you emails once a month trying to get you to upgrade to a paid 3D version.

The biggest downside is you have to create all the track yourself. For instance, I just could not figure out the dimensions on a Ross Tinplate #4 switch. And I don't think I am asking the CMM operator at work to measure it for me. Another down side is 3D. Supposedly you can enter a third dimension but it is hard, and once you get a 3D view going, so far the only way I know to get out is exit the program.

Another upside is if you are like me and have cheap management that only lets the 'real' engineers at the $10,000/seat mechanical drawing package, will, now you have a fighting chance. You can also install it on several computers, and use it for example at home, work, at a test stand (in my case), especially when tied up with Google Drive.

(I got into a disagreement with a 'real' mechanical engineer about if you have two pulleys of different sizes, in my opinion, the torque on one is not the torque on the other [w1r1=w2r2]. The other one was, the size of the pulleys does not matter before the torque measuring device, only downstream. I couldn't believe I was even having the conversation.)

If you have not ever used AutoCAD, forget it. Learning curve too steep. Might be better off learning some package used by 3D printers - you might be able to do something else with it.

My difficulty with SCARM is I run on the floor and I was having a hard time trying to model all the obstacles (walls, legs of benches) I had to avoid.

So you torqued the guy off, eh?

I've used autocad, but not generally for drawing with my own library. My office partner did however do a lot of pc board layout with it. I used a pc board layout program...back when we had to have a dongle plugged into the serial port .

I think so far, RRTrack is the most useful for Fastrack even though I got snippy about it the other night when Grades was giving me such a pain. It didn't occur to me that a switch connected to a grade was unconnected if all of it's three connections were not used. And some other stuff. I do find RRTrack to be a hands down winner for snapping connections and then removing tracks. AnyRail takes more clicks.

Reminds me of a Harvard graduated physical chemist I know back when the HP35 came out was either buying that or the TI sci calculator. He did a number of calculations on both and found that they both ultimately took the same number of clicks. Not a good result for a compulsive indecisive.

what kind of computer do you have?

Both. Lenovo Win 8.1 and Mac Mini something or other latest IOS.

Thanks for the tip. I used AutoCAD for a while about 20 years ago. It was a company version and they had their own libraries and a lot of custom stuff they did which I have no idea how to do. Not sure I can still use it, but going to give it a try. I have been looking for something to just make wiring diagrams and stuff like that, no layouts, I have RRTrack for that. Maybe it will work out?

AutoCAD really??

RR-Track has built-in all the track and accessory components that you would need to build your own library for AutoCad.

If you find RR-Track a bust then use paper and pencil.