#Model train software for mac for mac
#Model train software for mac pro

On features alone, XTrackCAD would be my first choice if it were stable and user-friendly.Įmpire Express is definitely sufficient for most general layout planning. I also like that XTrackCAD allows you to display the track as a centerline, rails, or rails and ties, which is kind of nice.

I found this feature to be super-helpful in screening designs for viability-e.g., is that runaround going to be long enough, does this arrangement of facing and trailing point switches lend itself to realistic operations, etc. XTrackCAD is probably the most comprehensive for me, one of its most useful features is the ability to conduct simulated operations on the layout you design. RailModeller is also Mac-centric and well-designed, though, with nice YouTube tutorials and a robust manual.Īll three packages are drag-and-drop editors with adequate components libraries (track, scenic elements, etc.) and all the essential functionalities (snapping components together, parts list generation, etc.). Empire Express doesn’t seem to have quite as many bells and whistles as Rail Modeller, but assuming it meets your needs, it may be a bit quicker to learn and get up and running.

#Model train software for mac for mac

I found Empire Express to be at the opposite end of the spectrum: it’s built specifically for Mac, and its features and tools are very intuitive, familiar, and easy for Mac users to learn. However, it also seems to have the most robust and technically-oriented user community, including a Yahoo group where you can turn for answers to any questions you encounter. It has some weird (to me) workflows about it that can necessitate a bit of Googling and practice to figure out and get used to. In my opinion, XTrackCAD has the steepest learning curve and the most quirks of the three products I tested. I do hope that the dedicated XTrackCAD team is able to eventually produce a package that Mac users can reliably implement, as the product has great potential. I love open-source software in principle, but assuming your hobby is trains and not software development, I regret that I can’t recommend XTrackCAD in its current incarnation. I also found the program to have crashing and freezing problems, and over time it introduced random artifacts that I couldn’t get rid of…a very strange bug indeed. XTrackCAD takes some bizarre file management gyrations to get it to even start up on the Mac these really shouldn’t be necessary. While I haven’t used RailModeller much and can’t really comment on its stability, I’ve found Empire Express to be very stable with no reliability concerns. I suspect that all three of them were developed by small enterprises, and I commend each vendor’s commitment to put a quality product on the market.īoth RailModeller and Empire Express were a breeze to install. And I have no interests, financial or otherwise, in any of the products I’m about to discuss.īefore getting into the critique, I want to express appreciation for the fact that all of these products reflect considerable investment and thought in their development.

#Model train software for mac pro

By the way, I use a stock, three-year-old MacBook Pro running Mavericks. …this summer, and I’m happy to share my impressions. In case you use a modern system like the ECoS or Central Station 1 and 2, iTrain will import all loc definitions so you can start even faster.Tried XTrackCAD, RailModeller, and Empire Express on for size. Defining a route can be as simple as selecting the order of blocks, but more advanced options are also possible. Simply draw the layout and assign the signals and feedbacks to the blocks for automatic control of your block signals, without providing difficult rules. It is not necessary to study for weeks to be able to use iTrain.

The switchboard is fully scalable with an optional layout overview for large layouts, and allows different tabs for different views of (parts of) the layout. Client server architecture allows extra computers to be used as extra overviews or controllers. Modern software techniques make it possible to run the program on all major computer operating systems such as Windows, macOS and Linux. For example, automatic block control avoids collisions and you control which train is driving manually or fully automatically according to a selected route. ITrain offers an easy to use solution to control your model railroad with your computer(s), especially if you want to automate only parts of your layout and keep control of the rest yourself.