3rd PlanIt Tutorial Series starts with MRH January 2009 Issue

Part I of the series which I completed some time ago is included in the innagural issue of the MRH Online Magazine which is scheduled for release in January 2009. And now I am just about wrapped up with Part II that is slated for the second issue of MRH Online Magazine, also it looks like there will be a Part III in the series since I am up to 32 pages of content in Part II and still have half the original outline to complete.

Irv, if you need any assistance or have questions about 3PI please contact me. My email address is piedmontdivision@rymocs.com

Regards,

FAQ

There is some tutorial stuff on the trackplanning.com website FAQ for 3rd Planit. There is also a Yahoo egroup for the program that might be of use if you have some specific questions (Randy the program's author frequently hangs out on that egroup).

Charlie

3rd PlanIt Software Tutorial

 The hardcopy manual has a written tutorial exercise on designing a flextrack and a sectional track layout. It covers the basic capability of the software, enough to get you started. Be patient with the software as it has a lot of function, take your time and as you learn more you will really enjoy what you can do. Have Fun!

Oldbill56 

3rd Planit Tutorial

Thanks for the offer. I will probably take you up on it since I am not a particularly swift learner these days. I can't wait to get started, but I am waiting for the full system to arrive before I start anything. AS with other things I'll take take it slow. Glad to hear that I haven't missed it. To bad it isn't January.

Irv

3rd Planit

I downloaded that tutorial and am looking at it as we speak. I wil get more into before the day is over at least as far as seeing what is possible. I know about learning curves since I'm still in the process of learning about DCC operation on the Brooklyn N-Trak layout. If learning how to use 3rd Planit is anywhere near as much fun as learning about DCC, then I'll be a happy guy.

Irv

DCC

Doesn't DCC stand for Demonaic Command Control? (at least sometimes on my layout it seems to)...

Charlie

Look forward to it!

Email me any time Irv! I'll be glad to help you with 3rd PlanIt

Regards,

Demonaic Command Control

Maybe sometimes. For me it has been a G-dsend because now I can control the locomotive without having to deal with blocks and run two independent trains on the same track.

Irv

3rd Planit

THanks, Ryan. I will try not to become a pest.

Irv

Sort of on this topic...

Does 3rd Planit have a template for N-trak modules so you don't have to do every little piece of benchwork drawing?

N-Trak modules in 3rd Planit

I looked in my copy of 3rd Planit (which is a little out of date) and didn't see an explicit mechanism to create an N-trak module.

But here's what I'd do...

1. Open a NEW plan (using the NEW item on the FIle menu) and create a layer named "EDGE"

2. Turn on Snap To Grid

3. Draw a rectangle that's the desired size into layer EDGE.

4. Select the rectangle and hit Shift F9 to ungroup it. then switch to Main Layer.

5. Copy parallel one of the long sides to the location for the first track (holding SHIFT down) when you copy parallel brings up a box that lets you say how far away the new line should be from the first.

6. Copy parallel that line to the next N-track track. Then again for the 3rd track.

7. Save as NtrakMaster.3pi.

Now you can use NtrakMaster.3pi every time you want a new module of that size and track configuration. Just open it than SaveAs to rename it. Then go to town editing it. Simple.

Cheers,

Charlie

I'll give that a shot,

I'll give that a shot, thanks, Charlie.

Step 5 oops

5. Copy parallel one of the long sides to the location for the first track using the RIGHT button when you copy parallel brings up a box that lets you say how far away the new line should be from the first.

I should've done it while I was typing. I do it all the time but can't remember how I do it exactly.

Charlie

Does 3rd Planit have a template for N-Scale?

Good question. I'll find out before too long. However, I can't see why it shouldn't. It's been around for a long time (as software products go) and I am sure it has been used by N-Scalers. If not then I'll be the first. It won't be the first trime I pioneered something in the software area.

Irv

3rd Plan It

As I have mentioned, I back into model railroading after a several year break. Its interesting to see what has and has not changed in that time. Back then I was just starting to use 3rd Plan It to plan my "dream" layout. I found it easy to use and I am glad to see that it is still around (and appears to be under active development). Its unfortunate that there is not a Mac version of this software (of course, I can run it under VMWare but that can be a pain).

In addition to a tutorial on this software, it would also be nice to present an overview of other layout software packages available.

Yes

You have a choice at the Layout Wizard to select Rooms or N-trak module (see image below) as your template base.

3rd Planit

I saw that. Unfortunately, sin't anything in there for the Woodland Scenics Mod-U-Rail system. That would be a great thing to add, at least in my opinion. I'll suggest it to them and meanwhile I'll see if I can create it myself.

The Woodlands Scenics modules come in three sizes:

straight  18" x 36"

square    36" x 36"

corner     18" x 36" x 36" x 25 1/2"

If these were put into a library, it would those of us who are using those modules (or at least the stands for the modules) the ability to really go to town with the software.

Since I also belong to an N-Trak club, it's nice to see that the N-Trak modules are included. I've got one that I want to build but I have to come up with a track plan. I thought I'ld do some kind of Inter-modal facility featuring trucks, trains and a container ship or at least part of one on a 2 x 4 module or 2 (2 are more likely now that I think about it). I've got a choice of making the container ship out of a 1/400 Revell T-2 Tanker or a 1/350 Trumpeter Liberty Ship.

The train would arrive on either the blue or green line and immediately be shifted off the main and into a siding where the containers would either go onto trucks or flat-cars. I'll need to have some kind of travelling unloading crane as well so there is another opportunity for track on the module. Chaces are that I will also need to consider some kind of draw bridge on the green line so the ship could get in or out. This doesn't have to be working but it would be great if did work because it would add a whole lot of viewing interest other than just watch the trains go around and around.

Irv

Good to know.  I'm going to

Good to know.  I'm going to install the demo in the next couple days and play around some.  I like XtrkCad, but I really want to be able to do stuff in a 3D mockup.

3rd Planit

I have to make this short and sweet because the wife is waiting to go for our usual after Saturday night Pizza, but I just have to post this.

I downloaded the full version of the software on Friday morning and played with it a little just to see what I could figure out about it without trying to follow the tutorial. I used to do this with software all of the time when I was consulting years ago (1980-1993.) I didn't get my self in trouble and that was great and I even managed to get my room dimensions into the software without having a problem. I didn't have more time to do much else besides read a couple of pages of the tutorial. If the rest of the program is as easy as this, I am going to have great time using it to design a track plan for my layout that will work.

Irv

3rd Planit

I used 3rd Planit in the design phase of the Castle Rock & Pacific.  A great product in my view.  I also had a copy of CadRail.  At the time I was ready to start designing, I thought 3rd Planit was the better choice.  It is very accurate and stable.  We made a lot of use of the triangulation tool using multiple ten foot tape measures from JoAnne's fabrics.  This is a great way to find a point in 3D space.  One caution - rooms are not square - walls are not straight.  Before you start on a big design, measure your space very accurately else you will have problems later.  I know.

Dave...

Castle Rock & Pacific

http://www.craprail.com

Parker, CO

3rd Planit and wall flatness

I know my walls aren't straight. I also know they aren't plumb either.

When I measured the room dimensions I took readings at several places along the walls so I am fairly confident of the dimensions I am using.

Irv

Very good point!

One of the first things I recommend in the forthcoming tutorial is to get out the tape measure with a pencil and note pad and document the "actual" dimensions of the room first, then proceed with building the room in 3rd PlanIt.

It can really be a pain when you find out later on that a room is actually an inch or two shorter than originally thought, and that equates to a lot of territory lost in model scale area.

It's also fun to be designing

It's also fun to be designing a railroad to fit in a house under construction and then discover code requires a wall thickness an inch or two thicker than you were expecting...

Please don't ask me how I know this.

Charlie (the grump) Comstock

Measuring the room

I don't remembr how many times I measured the room and never in the same place twice.

I do know that my walls aren't straight so I measured the distances between them in several locations and found that the variations are about an inch. So I took the smallest measurement and used that. That's how I came up with the 12' 3" width of the room. While I know the length of the other sides of the room, the layout will not extend the full 15 feet because that wall has a door and whole series storage closets. I can't use much more than 11 feet on the left side nor 9' 7" in the right side because of another doorway in the right wall. That door way is 32 inches wide and I can't block it because it leads to the laundry room, boiler and the basement bathroom.

Irv