I hate dead links. The date the entry was added is given in parentheses in yyyy-mm-dd format. An entry that was re-checked for validity is marked with a green check mark (✓) followed by the date. An entry that isn’t working is marked by “dead link” in red (DEAD LINK) If you find a dead link, please let me know.
Design Software
Railroad-Specific
- AnyRail — Layout design software. (✓ 2017-01-31)
- JMRI — Java Model Railroad Interface. Model railroad computer control. (✓ 2017-03-09)
- SCARM — Simple Computer Aided Railway Modeller. Layout design software. (✓ 2017-01-31)
- XTrackCAD — Also known as XTrkCAD. Model railroad track planner. (✓ 2017-10-28)
General
- SketchUp — 3D modeling software. (✓ 2017-03-14)
- Video Tutorials — (✓ 2017-03-14)
Miscellaneous Utilities
Note: Most open source software can be downloaded for free and is free to use.
- 7-Zip — 7-Zip is a file archiver with a high compression ratio. Works on many file formats, e.g., ZIP, GZIP, TAR, RAR, etc. Free. Open source. (✓ 2017-03-14)
- Apache OpenOffice — Formerly known as OpenOffice.org. Free. Open source. (✓ 2017-03-14)
- GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) — Similar to Adobe Photoshop in functionality. Free. Open source. (✓ 2017-03-14)
- Inkscape — Inkscape is a professional vector graphics editor for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Free. Open source. (✓ 2017-03-14)
- IrfanView — An image viewer, editor, organizer and converter program for Windows. It will allow you to view lesser-known file formats often used for maps and other large images. IrfanView is free for non-commercial use; commercial use requires paid registration. (✓ 2017-03-14)
- OpenOffice.org — See Apache OpenOffice.