# CAD program



## Zacch (May 8, 2011)

What is a good CAD program for drawing up layouts and buildings? I cant spend alot on it but would be faster than hand drawing everything. What do you guys use or recomend?





Thanks


Rick


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I use Google "SketchUp". it is free and I think very easy to use, but it is not necessarily as much of a "CAD" program as, say AutoCAD, as it is a "Sketching" program. You can get quite accurate in dimensions and I believe it will read and output files that are compatible with the likes of AutoCAD.


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## Zacch (May 8, 2011)

I just downloaded Google"sketchup" Have you had succes with it? 

Thanks 
Rick


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

I also use Sketchup mine is the pro version, mine is not the free version, You can do most all the things with the free version as you can with the pro. Except transfer to the autocad programs, and get the rubyscripts that allow several features. 
The one feature is the unfold feature, where you draw up the, lets say a structure and then you can unfold all the walls. You can also flip or rotate the walls, to accomplish the same thing. Just slower. 
I use mine everyday in business, it is a great tool. 
Look at my link in the builders forum My Water Mill, I drew that all up in sketchup, to be cut out on a cnc plasma cutter. I Could not design a complicated structure like that one without SKETCHUP. 
Checkout Dan Hoags Eaglewings Ironcraft webb site, go to the BLOG on the Point of rock station, that structure was all designed in sketchup. 
I feel as though the learning curve on it is small compared to a 2D cad program. 
There are several generic cad programs, in the 50-100 dollar range. 
Good Luck Dennis


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

I just downloaded a program called 'AnyRail' that looks pretty neat. I don't have any experience with it yet, but is looks to have all the major mfgrs track in the program. 

I also use a program called DraftSight. It is an AutoCAD 2D clone that is very good. It does not have any GRR stuff built in, but is pretty easy to learn. 

My tuppence worth. 

Bob C.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

hehe I still use "Delta Cad."


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## Dennis Cherry (Feb 16, 2008)

I have used RR-Track for many years doing professional displays. The track rendering is almost spot on.

This is a easy program to learn and start your own designs.

http://www.rrtrack.com/

You can see some of the final designs on my website. 


http://home.swbell.net/dbcherry/Gaylord_2004.htm

here

http://www.vimeo.com/609545

and here

http://www.dccbitswitch.com/gaylord_resort.htm


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I use Visio, which is now a Microsoft product. It's easy to learn (Microsoft conventions) unlike AutoCAD.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By denray on 14 May 2011 01:52 PM 
I also use Sketchup mine is the pro version, mine is not the free version, You can do most all the things with the free version as you can with the pro. Except transfer to the autocad programs, and get the rubyscripts that allow several features. 
The one feature is the unfold feature, where you draw up the, lets say a structure and then you can unfold all the walls. You can also flip or rotate the walls, to accomplish the same thing. Just slower. 
I use mine everyday in business, it is a great tool. 
Look at my link in the builders forum My Water Mill, I drew that all up in sketchup, to be cut out on a cnc plasma cutter. I Could not design a complicated structure like that one without SKETCHUP. 
Checkout Dan Hoags Eaglewings Ironcraft webb site, go to the BLOG on the Point of rock station, that structure was all designed in sketchup. 
I feel as though the learning curve on it is small compared to a 2D cad program. 
There are several generic cad programs, in the 50-100 dollar range. 
Good Luck Dennis I just download Sketchup 8 ( the free version to test it) Guess I'mi not seeing how to use for a track layout.. Can't make curves .. Just streight lines or copy a photo to work with only. Is there something I'm missing? Noel


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By noelw on 17 May 2011 01:07 PM 
Posted By denray on 14 May 2011 01:52 PM 
I also use Sketchup mine is the pro version, mine is not the free version, You can do most all the things with the free version as you can with the pro. Except transfer to the autocad programs, and get the rubyscripts that allow several features. 
The one feature is the unfold feature, where you draw up the, lets say a structure and then you can unfold all the walls. You can also flip or rotate the walls, to accomplish the same thing. Just slower. 
I use mine everyday in business, it is a great tool. 
Look at my link in the builders forum My Water Mill, I drew that all up in sketchup, to be cut out on a cnc plasma cutter. I Could not design a complicated structure like that one without SKETCHUP. 
Checkout Dan Hoags Eaglewings Ironcraft webb site, go to the BLOG on the Point of rock station, that structure was all designed in sketchup. 
I feel as though the learning curve on it is small compared to a 2D cad program. 
There are several generic cad programs, in the 50-100 dollar range. 
Good Luck Dennis I just download Sketchup 8 ( the free version to test it) Guess I'mi not seeing how to use for a track layout.. Can't make curves .. Just streight lines or copy a photo to work with only. Is there something I'm missing? Noel 



Drawing curved "track" is difficult in SketchUp. I draw a circle of the correct radius/diameter and then select "Explode curve" in the context menu to make it a series of line segments and then delete the parts of the circle I don't want. Track would have to be drawn as two concentric circles of the appropriate dimension for the desired curve and then draw some ties and make that a "component" for placing that radius/diameter and length of a curve where ever desired. The only problem with using the Explode Curve is that all curves are drawn as straight line segments and sometimes the endpoints of the end lines don't line up well with where I want the curve. It is also time consuming to draw multiple curve radii to approximate easing into a curve and back out.

I am not sure, but it might be that someone has already made some components of standard curve sections from various manufacturers that you can import... Look through the on-line library of objects and drawings that people have uploaded for you to see and copy parts from. You could also check with the tutorials people (both the SketchUp programmers and the user community) to see of someone has a way to draw curves better than my method. I know there is a "Follow Me" tool that will drag a shape into a 3-D object that follows a series of line segments you draw, but I have not mastered that because I have not needed it yet (except to draw a dome once). I have "appropriated" someone else's work (in a tutorial, actually) in drawing "bolt threads" for a tool I made and documented with SketchUp (that made the drawing time on my part really short!)

I got way too detailed in my drawing of track (I did a full proper profile [34 surfaces for one rail, each with a metal texture applied] and the correct number and placement of ties [with wood grain textures applied and oriented properly]) so re-rendering the image when changing the viewpoint is really SLOW when there are hundreds sections of track to be drawn in a layout. You will have the same problem with any CAD system that is "drawing" track unless the track is just a photo that is stretched to fit. I'd just go with single curves or draw a series of short segments until I get a "final" plan and then go back and put real track down following the single line used for layout purposes (and make that a new drawing file so I can revert to the simpleton one for major layout changes!).

I realize your initial post stated "Layout" but you also said "Buildings" and SketchUp is great for drawing 3-D buildings that you can set dimensions as you are drawing and read dimensions afterward for those values that are the result of other parts being placed (i.e.: you can drag a window around until it looks right and then measure where it is in the wall for cutting parts to actually build it).

There are programs specifically designed for track layout and they come with templates for the major track manufacturer's products, but I don't do track layouts often enough to justify the expense of getting this type of program... even if it were free one it would have the expense of learning it and it has only one use which I would use only once while I am learning it and then probably never again... Or if I did, there would be a re-learning curve and the possible difficulty getting the program to run on the new PC I probably bought in the interim.


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

I am a Mac user, and refuse to run windows on my Mac for a cad program. As a result I found and purchased TurboCAD. They have Mac and PC versions although the Mac version is much cheaper and on sale right now too. It's a full 3D program, and I could not be happier with it. Ive done limited 3D work in it so far, but like that portion of the program too. 

Here is a link to their site: http://www.turbocad.com/TurboCAD/Tu...Default.aspx?gclid=CK_-hKLn76gCFRDPKgodZh3Ctw 

And here is a link to a thread where I posted some of the work I have done in it: http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/11/aft/118964/afv/topic/Default.aspx


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Sketchup has full version for MAC users. Semper did do the circles in a more difficult way than neccessary, when I laid mine out I made 1/4 radius of a circle so a 1/4 circle. I made 72"-60"48"42"and 36" radius, Select each one seperate, right click on the selection and click on component, and that turns that into a component much easier to work with. Then I have one straight section 4" wide, the radius are also 4" wide. Resizing the straight section is so simple with the scale tool. I tried a RR track program, not for sure which one, but being very experienced in sketchup and Autocad, I just did it in sketchup, worked for me, time in the learning curve for me was to precious. 
If I think of it I will post a drawing when I get home. I know one thing that is important, once you draw it out it is difficult to figure out where things go on the ground, that is where a grid system is helpful, I did a 24" grid on the drawing and then on the ground. That really helps at keeping things close to your drawing. 
If anyone wants some help with sketchup I would be more than glad to help out over the telephone, we just work out the time details. "No Cost" I also have the Turbo-Cad 3 D not real used to it, sketchup is more user friendly. 
[email protected] 
Dennis


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Thanks for the tip on the Mac version Dennis, I'll have to check out Sketchup.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Tk's guys for the Inform. on sketchup. It's a neat program and ya... good for buildings in any angle to work with, but not for what I wanted I guess. Didn't want to buy something that I only use once or twice. Tk's for the link on it thro.. Sketchup 8 free verison has a lot of stuff in it.


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## Heavy_56 (Dec 27, 2007)

I used adobe illustrator. Not the easiest but effective as long as you get the scale and proportions correct very effective!


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