- xtrkcad
GIMP (or other good image editor)
POV-Ray (not quite free)
Kpovmodeler (these last two could be replaced by another 3d modeling tool of your choice but k.p.m.'s interface is very nice)(blender?)
A fast computer, the close-up took 3min 45sec on a Pentium 4 with 2GB ram
Time
Imagination
- open xtrkcad and gently stir in imagination
when a good layout has formed, export the the trackplan to a bitmap (making sure that you have turned OFF the inter track-piece lines etc)
put xtrkcad to be cleared away and open the gimp
once in the gimp open the bitmap we prepared earlier
skim off the measurements with a paintbrush
select the sleepers and put them on one layer
select the rails and put them on a different layer
change the sleepers colour to grey
save the two layers seperately and put them to one side
create a new image (the same size as the two others and use the hurl tool (under filters) to completely randomize it
remove bits that won't have track on
convert this to greyscale
save
close the gimp
now open kpovmodeler
and delete the box that comes up by default
insert a hight field
set it to read the "rails" file
scale the hight field so it looks right
use copy and paste to create two copies
set them to be the sleepers and balast
colour the sleepers brown or use an image map
use the finish tool to make the rails shiny (is desired)
render
look smug
then use more hight fields to add terrain
add buildings
play around
and generaly use imagination to decorate
find a good camera position
save lots of renders
have fun
then, for things you can't be bothered to model
grab picys off the web and add them to a saved render with the gimp
hope you can get it to work.
and to finish off, heres one I made earlier!