3D View in Sketchup

[UllswaterBen]

Hello all - this is my first post so please go gently with me!

I am creating a layout in my garage loft and have decided to use Anyrail to design it.  I'm using Hornby OO standard track where possible.  It is really helping so far.

I have a couple of questions:

1. Am I right in thinking that only track exports to Sketchup - so any buildings etc do not show up?  Are there any plans to expand the 3D output to show other things?  Personally this would be really helpful - even if it was just simple geometry, to help visualise buildings etc.

2. I have a liftable section of my baseboard, and need to be able to create a custom length of track which goes across this liftable section.  Is this possible?

Many thanks for all and any help.

[BritsTukker]

Greetings, Ben, and welcome to the forum. We'll maybe treat you a bit gently - at least for a day or two. It sounds from your moniker as though you haiil from the lake district of Cumbria, but that may not be where you are now.

I can't answer your first question, but the second is straightforward.
Hornby standard track library includes flex components (R621 and R8090) which you can cut and bend to any size/shape you like (within reason). Should be just the job for you.

Feel free to ask any questions you like and enjoy your modelling.
Cheers.

[Mike from CT]

Ben:

Good thing Brits could answer the second question, because I couldn't have.

But for the first question, you are correct- only the track exports to 3D.  I'd be guessing, but I doubt there are plans to export other items (e.g., buildings) because there's no 3rd D (height of item itself) information gathered.  But David's amazingly good at listening to the wishes, pleas entreaties and whinings of AnyRail users and, if enough wanted it, he might sigh a lot, but I suspect he cold be cajoled into adding it in a future major release.

[UllswaterBen]

Thanks Brits and Mike

The Ullswater username is a reference to many happy holidays spent on the shores of said lake!

Thanks for the replies - makes a lot of sense. I've tried the flexi track and it works great. One further point though, can I specify the length of the flexi track? I see I can "cut here", but can I accurately specify the length?

Many thanks

[BritsTukker]

Re your flex query.
When to select a piece of flex and it is not connected to any other piece of track then you get the options "straight flex","curve flex" and "easement flex" enabled whence you can specify the piece in terms of a straight length, a curve in terms of angle and radius or an easement, also in terms of angle and radius with an additional option of right or left.
In the case of "straight", AR cuts the piece to the length you specify. For the two curve options AR calculates the required length to fulfil the curve spec.
Note that for the curves, the length given is the centre line of the track - the inside rail will be slightly shorter and the ouside rail will be slightly longer.

In many cases, you don't need to specify the length or curve: you attach one end of the flex to an existing fixed piece of track, then pick the other end with the mouse and drag it about to connect it to another existing piece. It will bend, stretch or shrink as required and AR will then tell you how long it actually is (including if its too long to be done with a single piece of flex). Its all very easy!

Have fun!

[UllswaterBen]

Brits, thanks for that comprehensive answer.  Works perfectly.  Thanks again