Tutorial 1 — Getting Started
Run the Rail3D program.
After the program has loaded you should see the application window with a blank layout window open.
Load the demo layout that was installed with Rail3D
Select “Open” from the “File” menu and select a layout that looks interesting. Layout files have the extension *.trk3. You should have got at least one demo layout with the Rail3D download.
Most layouts you download will be in the form of Layout Packages. These have the extension *.trp. They contain all the models and textures you need as well as the layout itself in a single compressed file. To use one of these, use Open Package on the file menu.
What you see when the layout opens will depend on the layout you have selected. If there is nothing visible, use “Goto” from the view menu to move to a more interesting spot.
Following a train
On most layouts you will be following a train when the layout opens.
You can change the viewpoint as the train runs round the layout:
- Press the <1> key to change to the cab-view mode.
- Press the <2> key to change to the outside tracking view.
To end following, select Stop Following from the Trains menu.
Moving around the layout.
When not following a train, you can move round the layout as follows:
- Select Top-Down view (press the <5> key)
- Put the mouse in the centre of the window.
- Hold down the <ctrl> key.
- Move the mouse a little way : the display scrolls in the direction of mouse movement. It can take a bit of getting used to as the display can move quite fast if you are not careful.
- Release the <ctrl> key to stop moving.
If you get lost, you can return to the original position by pressing the <home> key.
Zoom the layout
Click the ↔ and <+> buttons on the numeric keypad or use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out.
Follow a train.
Select “Find Train” from the “Train” menu and then choose a train from the drop down list. Click ok.
You are now “following” the train selected: the display scrolls to follow the selected train. Watch the train as it travels.
You can select "Stop Following" from the “Train” menu to stop following the current train, or you can select another train to follow.
In follow mode, you can use the number and arrow keys to alter the viewpoint:
- 1 - cabview
- 2 - helicopter view relative to front of train
- 3 - helicopter view relative to rear of train
- 4 - trackside view
- 5 - top-down view
- 7 - helicopter view relative to rear of loco
- <left arrow> / <right arrow> - rotate left/right horizontally
- <shift>+<up arrow> / <shift>+<down arrow> - rotate view up/down (<Page Up>/<Page Down> also work)
- <up arrow> / <down arrow> - zoom in/out