RR-Track V3.0
Sectional Track Layout Software
Produced by R&S Enterprises
RR-Track is a Windows program that allows you to easily create sectional track layout plans: simply pick a piece of track from the menu and place it where you want it. The software includes easy to use tools that allow you to add basic scenery items, buildings, trees, rocks, etc. You can print your layout in color or B&W. RR-Track will provide you with a complete list of the track and accessory items in your plan, and allow you to paste the list into a word processing document.
Libraries are available for most of the O gauge track manufacturers, S Gauge, G, HO two-rail and three-rail Marklin, N, TT, and Z . Libraries are also available for all eras of Lionel accessory production, Flyer postwar accessories, Pola G gauge buildings, and even a 68 piece Plasticville library.
Previous versions of RR-Track have been reviewed in THE BULLETIN, so I'll jump right into the changes and additions in the current version.
What's New in Version 3.0
Opening Multiple Layouts
Now you can have multiple track layout files open at one time and easily switch between them.
Aligning Track Sections
This allows you to align track sections without actually connecting them together.
Layers
Say that you wanted to use RR-Track to design your benchwork, track and wiring, accessories, and basic scenery. To add them all to a single plan would make it very cluttered. With the layers feature you could create your first layer consisting of benchwork, the second layer would be the track and track wiring, the third layer the accessories and the accessory wiring, and so on. You can view/print all of the layers (up to 64), or selected layers of the plan. You can set certain layers to be grayed out, and others active so you can concentrate on one layer, while being able to see the others
.
Tool Bar
At the bottom of the screen is a new toolbar. It displays the current status of the selection mode, auto-join, auto close (of loops), and layers, and allow you to change these modes. The toolbar also lets you select one of the last ten track items you used, allowing you to quickly add items to your plan without always having to go through numerous track library menus.
Reconciling Grades
This feature corrects any irregularities in your grade designs.
Cloning.
You're working on a layout and you just got a great idea, but you don't want to alter your masterpiece to see if it will work. Select the cloning option and the software will copy your entire layout into a new window. There you can experiment without changing your original design.
Quick Rotate
Click on the item you want to rotate, then move the arrow off of it and right mouse click. A menu will pop up, select rotate. A slide control will appear, you can either use the slide, or the +/- buttons to rotate the object.
Layouts.
This will allow you to save your RR-Track .RRT file as a Windows BMP graphics file so that anyone can view it with their favorite paint or graphics program.
Scenery Objects.
In version 2.4, when you created a pond, embankment, tree, or any other graphic object available under the OBJECTS menu, you couldn't resize it once you placed it on your plan. Now you can. There are also several new trees that you can use.
Problems
The Lionel O gauge track library that came with V2.4 had a slight size discrepancy with the size of O-31 and O-72 curves . It has been corrected. Users of V2.4 and V3.01 can obtain O gauge track libary updates from the RR-Track web site, or by contacting R&S Enterprises. This update is important because the old libary allowed you to place O-31 and O-72 switches closer together than is actually possible.
Other Items
World Wide Web Site
There you will find files that you can download and use in your own creations. Buildings Unlimited structures, several different O gauge interchanges, wyes, reverse loops, and figure eights. You can easily cut-and-paste these into your track plans. There are also complete layouts in O, S. G, HO, N, and Z. If you don't have a copy of RR-Track, you can download a demo version with O, G or HO track libraries and test out the software.
RR-Viewer3D
This is a new peice of free software you can
download from the RR-Track web site. It will
allow you to view your RR-Track creations in
3-D; you can rotate your layout, zoom in and out.
Down the Mainline
Beta Setup Wizard
Currently, adding a custom cut piece of track to a plan is a two step process. First you have to measure the gap, then choose CUT TO LENGTH from your particular track library. The setup wizard makes this a one step process, but it's currently in the testing phase, so look for it in future versions. (Update - this feature is part of the current release)
Atlas O Library
On the web site you'll find a beta (test) version of the new Atlas O gauge track library for RR-Track v3.01 or later.
Conclusions
The support for this software is great. The author is quick to respond to any problems, as well as making updates available. RR-Track is the layout design software for tinplaters.
