Track Design Software

[Ploughman]

Does anybody know of a good cheap basic track design package that does not cost thousands every year in licencing?
(Not a roll of Graph paper and a pencil, I have done that)

Looking for Vertical profiles rather than Horizontal.
I will be inputting from normal level surveys and not from Total Stations set ups.

I know I could use Excel but would rather have some vertical curve data and IP points capability.

 

[asylumxl]

Why not use AutoCAD or something similar (there are open source equivelants) using the points command, and join them using a spline through all the points? Provided you know the spacing between each level measurement. Don't even need a benchmark really.

I don't really know about track design software and I'm not sure what you're looking for so hard to say.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Why not use AutoCAD or something similar (there are open source equivelants) using the points command, and join them using a spline through all the points? Provided you know the spacing between each level measurement. Don't even need a benchmark really.

I don't really know about track design software and I'm not sure what you're looking for so hard to say.

You can set up Excel to do 99% of what you want!

For real software, see if you can find someone who has a spare copy of VDP (vertical design package) lying around.

The industry uses MX, Inrail or their offspring Bentlay Rail Track, but these aren't cheap.

 

[The Ham]

Why not use AutoCAD or something similar (there are open source equivelants) using the points command, and join them using a spline through all the points? Provided you know the spacing between each level measurement. Don't even need a benchmark really.

I don't really know about track design software and I'm not sure what you're looking for so hard to say.

A cheap cad system (which has a free 30 day trail) is Brics CAD:
http://www.keycivil.com/products/bricscad.shtml

If you want some of the capability of MX (but without breaking the bank) KeyTERRA-FIRMA is used by some for road design to produce 3D designs:
http://www.keycivil.com/products/keyterra.shtml

Although the full set is still going to cost about £2,000 (plus hardware) it's a lot less than some packages out there.

 

[miikey]

I dont know how much it costs but here at work I use LaserRail's Design Route.

It lets you create designs on both Verticle and Horrizontal surveys.