Software to draw a model railway layout: overview
Benjamin | TrackDrawer.com · published 10 November 2026
To draw a model railway layout you can choose from roughly three kinds of programs: planners in the browser (TrackDrawer, TRAX3D, Trackplanner.io), programs for your computer (AnyRail, SCARM, XTrackCAD, WinTrack, RailModeller) and 3D worlds you also drive in (3D Modellbahn Studio). The best choice depends on your device, your track system and your goal: drawing it yourself, building a world in 3D or having a layout made from the track you already own.
What to look at when choosing
Five questions sort out most of the field:
- Which device? Several run only on Windows, RailModeller only on the Mac. A planner in the browser runs on any computer, and sometimes on a tablet or phone as well.
- How far do you get for free? Almost every program has a free start, but the limit differs: a number of pieces, no saving, or fewer features.
- Is your track system included? Check that your brand and your range (for example Märklin C track or Roco geoLine) are in the library, with the right turnouts and curves.
- How much 3D do you want? Anything from a gradient profile to a full world with scenery and buildings.
- What do you need to build? A parts list, a full-size print and a check on gradients and closure make the difference between a nice picture and a layout you can actually lay.
Nine programs side by side
| Program | Platform | Price model | 3D | Phone or tablet | Strong in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrackDrawer | browser, Android app | free one flat layout up to 60 pieces; Pro per year, per month or one-off | yes | yes, editor built for the phone | designing layouts from your own stock |
| TRAX3D | browser, installable web app, Linux (Snap) | planner free; personal build plan 29 euros per layout | yes, with scenery | no app on Google Play or the App Store | 3D world with scenery and buildings, 126 track systems |
| AnyRail | Windows | free up to 50 sections of track; a licence removes the limit | 3D viewer (version 7) | no | easy to use, many libraries |
| SCARM | Windows 7 to 11 | free with limits; licence for unlimited use | yes | no | more than 255 libraries, train simulator |
| XTrackCAD | Windows, Mac, Linux | free (open source) | no 3D mentioned | no | drawing as in a CAD program, on three systems |
| WinTrack | Windows | trial without saving and printing; unlock code for sale | yes, with a cab ride | no | 3D with its own 3D editor and overhead wire |
| 3D Modellbahn Studio | Windows (64 bit) | Standard free with limits; Professional from 49.90 euros | yes, real time | Android app as a control panel | driving in a 3D world |
| RailModeller | Mac | Express free; Pro paid in the Mac App Store | gradient profile (2.5D) | separate iOS app Train Layouts | Mac app with more than 290 libraries |
| Trackplanner.io | browser | editor free; Premium 29 euros per year, 5.99 per month or 79 euros for three years | yes | not stated | 89 track systems, plan check |
Amounts and limits are those of early November 2026 and can change. Check the maker's site for the current situation.
Planners in the browser
TrackDrawer starts from what you own. You enter your stock, per article, per starter set or as a list, and the Auto-designer lays several layouts with it that fit your table and use only your pieces. Every layout is checked for closure, collisions and gradients; the parts list shows what you have and what is missing. You view the layout in 3D, ride along in the cab and print it in tiles at full size. Layouts from XTrackCAD import directly.
TRAX3D is the successor of TRAX2 (traxeditor.com), which closed on 1 November 2026. You draw yourself in a 3D editor with scenery, water, roads, trees and buildings, with overhead wire and signals per country. The planner is free; a personal build plan costs 29 euros per layout. If you came from TRAX2, read TRAX2 has closed: how to carry on with your layout.
Trackplanner.io has a free editor with all 89 track systems and a 3D view. Premium adds heights, scenery, building aids and the full-size print. A plan check flags curves that are too tight and gradients that are too steep.
Programs for your computer
AnyRail runs on Windows and is free up to 50 sections of track; a licence key removes that limit without reinstalling. Since version 7 it has a 3D viewer. The maker puts ease of use first.
SCARM runs on Windows 7 to 11 and is limited in the free version; unlimited drawing needs a licence. It has more than 255 libraries, a one-click 3D view and a train simulator. The current version is 2.0.1 of 31 March 2026.
XTrackCAD is free and open source, for Windows, Mac and Linux. It works like a drawing program: precise, with a lot of freedom, but with more to learn. You print at a chosen scale and run trains to test your layout.
WinTrack has existed since 1993 and runs on Windows. The trial has every feature, but you cannot save or print; an unlock code turns it into the full version. It has a 3D view, its own 3D editor for buildings and vehicles, overhead wire and a ride from the cab. Version 17.0 came out on 13 September 2024.
RailModeller is for the Mac only. Express is free; Pro is sold in the Mac App Store. Pro draws with heights, shows a gradient profile and prints at full size.
3D worlds to drive in
3D Modellbahn Studio is above all a virtual model railway: you build a world in real-time 3D and run trains in it. The Standard version is free with limits; Professional costs from 49.90 euros. It runs on Windows (64 bit). If you mainly want to experience a layout, this is the place; if you need a construction drawing, check first whether the output is enough.
Which program suits you?
- You already have a box of track and want to know what it can become: TrackDrawer, because it designs from your own stock. Try it with the track plan generator.
- You want to build a complete 3D world: TRAX3D or 3D Modellbahn Studio.
- You work on Windows and want a classic drawing program: AnyRail, SCARM or WinTrack.
- You work on a Mac: RailModeller, XTrackCAD or a planner in the browser.
- You want to keep working on your phone: a planner in the browser, or TrackDrawer as an Android app.
Whichever program you choose, the steps stay the same: measure the room, choose a system, fix the baseboard size and check. They are in how to make a track plan in seven steps.
Frequently asked questions
Which program is free?
XTrackCAD is completely free. The others have a free start with a limit: a number of pieces (AnyRail, SCARM), no saving or printing (WinTrack), a limited version (3D Modellbahn Studio, RailModeller Express) or a free editor with paid extras (Trackplanner.io, TrackDrawer). The TRAX3D planner is free.
Can I take a layout from one program to another?
Sometimes. TrackDrawer reads XTrackCAD files and AnyRail layouts that you export as a JMRI file. If that does not work, take the parts list along: you can use it as the basis in any program.
Which program designs a layout for me?
Of these nine, only TrackDrawer designs layouts itself from the track you enter. In the others you draw the layout yourself, perhaps with help such as automatic joining or a gradient check.
Get started
Enter your track and let the Auto-designer show which layouts fit your room with exactly your pieces.