Your first layout in ten minutes

Together we build an oval on a table of two metres by one, with a landscape and a few trees around it. All you need is an account.

1. A new layout

Go to My projects and click New layout. The editor opens with an empty layout.

2. Choosing the track

Open the Tracks panel on the Track tab and click beside the library. Tick Märklin H0 C and click Done.

We use Märklin C in this example. Another make works just the same; only the pieces have different numbers.

3. The table

Go to the Room tab and click A table of 2 x 1 metres.

4. The first curve

Type 24130 in the search box above the list. That is a curve with a radius of 360 millimetres over 30 degrees. Click the row once.

Drag the curve onto the left half of the table and let go. Because you dropped it on the table, everything you join to it belongs to that table.

Now double-click the red dot five times. Five more curves appear and you have a half circle.

If the curve bends the wrong way, undo the steps with Ctrl + Z. Click Direction on the Track tab and try again.

5. The straight

Search for 24188, a straight of 188.3 millimetres. Click the row and double-click the red dot three times.

6. The second half

Click 24130 again and double-click the dot six times. Then 24188, three more times. The last piece ends exactly at the first: your oval is closed.

7. The landscape

Go to the Terrain tab and click Fill in the terrain from the track. TRAX lays a landscape around your track, with the track at its own height.

The first time, TRAX asks whether the terrain may move along from now on when you raise or move track. Choose what you like: you can always change it later in the Settings panel, under Terrain.

If you do not like the landscape, press Ctrl + Z and choose another style in the Settings panel: rolling, hills or mountains.

8. Trees

Go to the Scenery tab and open the Trees and bushes panel . At the top, choose a species in the dropdown, Pine for instance, and turn the spray can beside it on. Move over the table with the left button held down. TRAX keeps the trees off the track by itself.

Turn the spray can off again when you are done, or press Esc.

9. Saving and showing it

Click Save track plan to cloud on the Project tab. Then give your layout a name on My projects, and turn Show it in the showcase, for everybody on if it may go in the showcase. See Sharing.

If you want to go further, read On the right track: turnouts, flex track and grades are there.