News

RailModeller Pro 6.3: Auto-Colorize & Improvements Across the Board

2020-10-19 07:00

The latest update to our track planning app for macOS is now shipping:
RailModeller Pro 6.3 features a range of improvements throughout the app.

  • Auto-Colorize Layouts
    A new function to automatically colorize layouts by element type, radius, article number, or layer using multiple color palettes and custom color shades helps in communicating the structure of a layout and distinguishing individual elements with a simple to use assistant.

  • Improved Library Catalog
    The Library Catalog now shows the shorthand or alias where published by the manufacturer so you don't have to remember that article 61113 is a 'G100'.
    A new filter option allows to hide elements not tracked in stock and negative counts can now be shown for all articles regardless of whether they are currently tracked in your stock. The latter can be enabled in the app's preference when 'Show required..' is selected. As a bonus the Library Catalog now displays a summary for the active track library when hovering above the selected library's name.

  • Baseboard Assistant
    The baseboard assistant has been extended and now displays a large preview to help matching a new baseboard with existing layout content. A new inside corner baseboard templates (as used by e.g. the T-TRAK system) has been added, additional improvements include a new offset/alignment option as well as a number of minor changes.

  • Better JMRI Export
    The export to JMRI's PanelPro application for controlling model railroads via DCC has been expanded to provide more control over the generated output.
    It now includes user-defined scaling enabling you to individually match your RailModeller Pro layout for JMRI's unit agnostic Layout Editor, options to show tunnel segments and to include only visible portions of the layout. The export has also been improved to be more robust when generating JMRI XML files.
    To learn more about JMRI and PanelPro please visit www.jmri.org

  • Inspector for Generic Bumpers
    A dedicated inspector is now available for the recently introduced user-generated bumper (buffer stops) decorations that can be added to any straight, curved or flex track. It allows customizing the appearance of generic bumpers by offering settings to e.g. select the type of bumper (earthen, classic bracket, Hayes) or its position inside the track.

But that's not all: Many aspects of the app's user interface have been refreshed including an improved QuickFilter in the Library Catalog, updated color controls throughout the app providing the familiar iWork style color palette, and improved assistants.

Other changes in RailModeller Pro 6.3 include improvements to Cloud Layouts with an optimized view for individual layouts and swifter feedback for various actions, extended layer defaults, minor improvements and bug fixes when exporting layout files to multi-layer PhotoShop (PSD) images, and other enhancements -
too many to include all of them!

As always the latest update includes new as well as extended libraries for tracks and accessories.

RailModeller Pro 6.3 requires macOS 10.12 or newer and is available exclusively on the Mac App Store.
The update is free for users of RailModeller Pro. Installations of the app are updated automatically by the Software Update mechanism of macOS.


Train Layouts 1.5 for iPadOS Opens Your Local Layouts

2020-04-27 09:00

The latest release of our Train Layouts app for iPadOS adds the functionality to view your private, local RailModeller Pro layouts on the iPad.

Local layouts - for example from iCloud Drive - can be opened using the ➕ button in the catalog and displayed on the iPad. Just as any layout downloaded from the cloud it can be e.g. filtered by layers, rendered with various track element styles or have a part list created.

Other features of the Train Layouts app include:

  • Browse and download model train track plans
    Download Community Layouts in all common scales and sizes shared by fellow RailModeller Pro users to your iPad.
    Browse track plans by model scale, author, or popularity.

  • Favor great track plans
    'Like' layouts you find particularly nice and help other hobbyists to discover great layouts as they show up in the category of popular layouts (per community vote).

  • Create shopping lists for layouts
    You can view the shopping list and export it as text to the clipboard for further processing or printing in other apps.

You can find out all about the Train Layouts app on our product page, now also featuring a brief video guiding you through the features of the app.

Train Layouts 1.5 requires iPadOS 12 or newer and is available on the App Store.


RailModeller Pro 6.2 Released With a Plethora of Improvements

2019-12-20 07:00

The update to RailModeller Pro 6.2 is now available on the Mac App Store with a range of improvements repeatedly requested by our users.
Some of the highlights include:

  • Terminate any open track connection with a bumper/buffer stop
    A generic bumper or buffer stop can be 'tacked' on any straight, curved or flex track with an open connection, independent of the brand of track or model scale used. The new commands are available from the new Track Decorations section in the Element menu.
    This can be very handy not only for track systems that do not include buffer stops but also for special situations like terminating curved tracks with a bumper.

  • Mouse cursor coordinate display
    A new setting in the app's preferences optionally enables a display with the current coordinates of the mouse cursor. Never get lost in your layout and see where you are even with the rulers and grid switched off!

  • Exporting to a layered PSD (Photoshop) bitmap images
    A true 'Pro' feature that has been requested repeatedly over the years: Our improved export to PSD enables the creation of PhotoShop bitmap images with a dedicated image layer for every layer in the track plan.

Additional changes in this update include new track base textures for the 3D view and the option to use no texture at all, smoother curves for flex tracks bent to parametric curves and cosmetic improvements to the Community Layouts browser.

The (more than 250) bundled track libraries across all model scales and scale independent TruScale libraries - automatically adapting to all model scales - have been extended and updated. We provide the complete list of libraries on our web site for your convenience.

RailModeller Pro 6.2 requires macOS 10.11 or newer and is available exclusively on the Mac App Store.
The update is free for users of RailModeller Pro. Installations of the app are updated automatically by the Software Update mechanism of macOS.


RailModeller Pro 6.1: Library Catalog QuickFilter, JMRI Export and more

2019-06-18 07:00

RailModeller Pro 6.1 is now available on the Mac App Store with a number of new and improved features, including:

  • New QuickFilter in the Library Catalog
    The new QuickFilter allows you to show only e.g. curved tracks or crossings to quickly locate the types of tracks you need right now when designing your layout. This can significantly improve the design experience in particular when working with extensive track systems.

  • JMRI Export
    A RailModeller Pro layout can be exported to be used in the PanelPro application of the popular, free JMRI package for computer-controlled model railroads. This makes all tracks in a layout as well as most types of turnouts and crossings available in JMRI without any additional effort.
    For more information about JMRI please visit the project's website at http://jmri.org/.

  • Improvements to Community Layouts
    We have improved all aspects of the Community Layouts feature making it easy to browse the most popular layouts or model scales in a new leaderboard, find related layouts in the overhauled details view, or quickly spot the overall dimensions for layouts shared by our community of fellow model train hobbyists.
    Individual layouts can now also include a web URL (e.g. for photos of the build process or the finished layout).

  • Enhanced 3D Mode
    A new settings panel offers additional control over the 3D viewing mode such as optionally hiding tunnel tracks, a new dark mode and other customization options as well as a new function to export an image of the current 3D scene.

Additional changes in this update include a new Visible Layers filter mode in the Part List, tracks can now be positioned anywhere between -10m and 10m (-30 to 30 feet), enhanced functionality for editing baseboards and optimizations for running the app on small laptop screens.

RailModeller Pro 6.1 requires macOS 10.11 or newer and is available exclusively on the Mac App Store.
The update is free for existing users of RailModeller Pro and earlier, installed versions of the app are updated automatically by macOS' built-in Software Update mechanism.