If you are using a program to do 2D vector graphics I find CorelDraw to be very intuitive for somebody trained on a board with a T-square.

CorelDraw has become outrageously expensive and now going to a subscription basis.   Inkscape is a free program that was nearly identical.   I am not sure it can import AutoCad files and save to that format as CorelDraw does.

Might be cheaper to find a 486 machine in good condition or maybe an emulator to run your software on newer computers.

Charlie Vlk



Dave...

 

What CAD program are you using? I had been using AutoCAD for decades to produce drawings of Yosemite Valley Railroad equipment, stations, etc. on an old 486 computer which finally died. Autodesk acquired the program and it is completely different than the original program. I am looking for something similar to the old program...

 

Jack Burgess  

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of David Wiggs
Sent: Wednesday, April 6, 2022 8:20 AM
To: main@realstmfc.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] FORGOTTEN TREASURES

 

I too have done many drawing on the board using plastic lead and ink on mylar and many using CAD for the DoN.  I have to tell you, I much prefer the product done using CAD.  Line thicknesses could be chosen for weight instead of grabbing a different size lead holder.  To me, the drawing had to look "nice" on the "paper".  It is so much more work with a lead holder and eraser.  If I didn't like the way it looked, I could just block what I wanted and move it around til I liked it for the best presentation.  Many draftsmen don't care about things like that, but the arteest in me drove it.  On the board it was gold-plating but on the screen, it was nice.  Something else I did that no one else did was to draw my work in full scale, not scaled down.  It gave perfection to measurement and all you had to do was scale it when you printed it.

 

Davo in Orlando