3rd PlanIt
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Track planning
Terrain
3D Object Design
Wood, L-Girders
Reference points
Rolling stock
Train running
Operations
Object library
User comments

NY Signal drawn by 3rd PlanIt

TrackPlanning.com

NY Signal drawn 
with
3rd PlanIt by Walter Griffin

Click to visit 3rd PlanIt forum


The Premier Track Planning Tool for All Scales

Order 3rd PlanIt

Version 10 offers you unparalleled design capabilities for your railroad layout. The new SoftTrak feature lets you design professional-standard track using spline-like tools the produce track complete with tangents, curves and easements if you choose. Built on a strong, innovative set of design tools, the new 3D terrain and landscape features let you really visualize your layout like never before. Its powerful Dynamic Design Tools™ let you quickly build precise track of any design. And a comprehensive suite of 3D Object Design Tools let you craft buildings, rolling stock, equipment, automobiles, cranes, boats and just about anything you can imagine.

High-speed, textured, 3D rendering brings life to your track plan. You can position your viewpoint at any location to evaluate your design. And when you're done, you can print 1:1 Cross-Sections so you can cut bulkheads for the terrain you've designed. 3rd PlanIt is a complete package, from CAD design, to simulation, to aids for building your design.



Click to view movie of this layoutTake a tour through Gerry Baldwin's HO layout shown to the right, complete with backdrop, tunnels, rolling stock, terrain and buildings. He's even entered his layout room in detail, complete with desk and chair, carpeting and transparent windows, With 3rd PlanIt, you can plan your layout to whatever level of detail you like! Click to play movie, 75Mb

The Standard Library with Automatic Rescaling makes all objects available in all scales so you can easily place buildings and rolling stock in any scale drawing. This allows you to easily use buildings designed for another scale in your track plan as placeholders, or templates for scratchbuilding.

Other recent additions allow you to rotate, tilt and roll objects around their centers. The new Multi-Sense User Interface offers every user a work environment they find preferable. If you're a user of AutoCAD* or another program with a "Click-Move-Click" interface, you'll be right at home on this new version of 3rd PlanIt. In its standard mode, you can free intermix "Press-Move-Release" control with "Click-Move-Click". Or, you can set the program to use only a single interface style, optimized for familiarity and convenience.

Modelers who enjoy detail can explore the limits of their imagination with 3rd PlanIt. As shown in Sunrise Feed Mill, you can model any object to any level of detail that you find satisfying. Scratch builders can design each piece and fit a model together before cutting any wood or plastic. You can print 1:1 plans from which to fashion the pieces, or export an STL file to have a 3D printing service produce them for you.

For tough custom designs, you can flex straight turnouts, such as those made by Central Valley, Pilz/Tillig and others. This lets you create gently curved turnouts to meet layout needs not filled by off-the-shelf curved turnouts.

Other features include:

Default elevation and Questionable Track constraints for each Layer.

Faster 3D performance, with "Flyover" movement under mouse control

Anaglyphic (red/blue) and stereographic 3D for added realism.

Automatic grade calculation connecting track at differing elevations

Fast, on-track, coupled, multi-car consist building from Object Library

Color selection by paint type, with a large, pre-loaded library of paints

DXF/DWG R13/R14 import/export (32-bit version only)

3DS import to enhance your layout with objects available on the Internet

Directly e-mail 3rd PlanIt files to friends.

Enhanced object editing, mirroring and selection

Paste In Location and Paste Into Group speed editing

Precise window sizing and direct generation of AVIs from 3D

Customizable toolbars and assignable hot-keys; Improved icons

Faster, smaller file size

To learn more about 3rd PlanIt, download the Version 11 manual in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF). If you don't have Acrobat Reader installed on your system, you can download it from Adobe.

Demo

If you would like to try 3rd PlanIt, you may download and install this Demo Version

3rd PlanIt supports Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista and Windows XP. Mac users can enjoy 3rd PlanIt under BootCamp, Parallels, VMWare Fusion or CrossOver (which requires no Windows OS).

Ordering Information

Click here to order 3rd PlanIt


Testimonials

I want to thank you so very much for all of your help.  I know that I will continue to be very pleased with 3rd Planit.  I have tried a number of other CAD programs designed for model railroading and yours is by far the most intuitive that I have come across.  The features that you have written into the program are much more elaborate and make the use of 3rd Planit much easier and more enjoyable.  That is why I have chosen your program and believe me, I will definitely be recommending it to others.

As you know through our phone conversation , I am dyslexic and learning certain things, especially new programs that are very technical are difficult for me.  If I can say this after only a short while using 3rd Planit, a person without my challenges should be able to fly through the learning curve and be making beautiful layouts in no time.  When I say beautiful, I really mean it.  I have seen layouts that have been designed by others that have literally taken my breath away.

My very best wishes to you,

Steven Scott
Lebanon, Oregon

 

Works perfectly on my MacBook Pro. Great program. Singing your praise with my club members. Thanks.  

Michael Collins
Architect

 

Great product btw... have used it to plan and build at least seven layouts for my custom layout building service.   HO scale, O scale, and even a football field sized G scale layout. The 3D feature is a real "seller" when clients are looking at my ideas.

Regards,
Dave MacLean

 

 

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Last modified: October 16, 2018