Version 16
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"This program is the answer to all my prayers" "An excellent program, worth the price - and then some" "A real boon to folks that work in more than one scale" "This is THE ultimate modeler's tool, railroad or any type of scale modeling" "I use this thing all the time. Great program. Thanks" "Very informative software for this hobby" "The program will come in very handy in calculating any type of information I need for model railroading" "You've done a great job on the program, and I thank you for providing it to the modeling community at such a reasonable price" "Absolutely a brilliant program. Has already helped me with my scratch building" |
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"An ingenious piece of software" "Thanks for putting it all together!" "Extremely easy to use and simplifies all the tedious conversion work" "This little program is one of my most used. For railroading, for everything" "Exactly what I needed for my railroad" "I just want you to know how highly I value Handy Converter" "The greatest tool for anyone interested in model railroading, of any scale" "Thanks so much. Love the program" "Extremely easy to use and simplifies all the tedious conversion work" "PERFECT" |
Magazine reviews say ...
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"In recessionary times like these, it's great to be able to get such a useful tool at such a low price. I highly recommend it." "A must-have for anyone modeling in more than one scale" |
"Any model railroader would find it becomes the tool of choice for several of the jobs it does" "Simply put, it converts between just about everything a model railroader could need!" |
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You've found plans for a shed you'd like to build in Large Scale. But the plans are in HO Scale.
Select the Any Scale to Another Scale tab, enter the HO measurements and click the Convert button. The program has eleven built-in scales, and if you're modeling in a scale not shown, just enter your scale in the Other box. |
New!
Planning to do some modeling? A scale ruler might be very helpful - maybe even essential.Choose from one of sixteen model railroading scales on the Scale Rulers tab, and print a page of rulers. Print on letter size or A4 paper, and for durability use heavier stock. |
You don't have the #68 drill that instructions call for. How much larger would a hole be if you used a 1/32 inch drill? What size tap drill is correct for a 0-80 screw? What are the clearance drill sizes for 4-40 screws?
Want to know what pilot drill to use for a #8 wood screw?
Click on the Drills & Screws tab. You'll find the answers to these questions along with data for hundreds of drill sizes and screws.
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You have a run of 31 feet of track and must not exceed a 4 percent grade. What's the greatest rise in elevation you can have?Use the Grades tab and learn that you must not exceed 1.24 feet.
The calculator will also solve for length of run or gradient percent.
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Just how fast is your train moving?
To calculate its scale speed, select the Scale Speed tab and enter the distance your train travels in a measured period of time.
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What's the best wire size to use for your layout? Larger wire than needed could be expensive, but smaller wire may cause performance problems.
Determine the best wire size with the Wiring tab. View the wire size tables, and enter the length of the run and maximum load to determine
the voltage drop from the power source to the rails. |
The manufacturer states that the loco you want to buy is 180 mm long. You'd like to know the length in inches.
Select the Metric Units to US Units tab, enter 180 and click the Convert button. |
The US Units to Metric Units tab lets you convert from miles, yards, feet and inches to metric dimensions.Video: Demo |
Have you wanted to use LEDs to illuminate your passenger coaches or your buildings but aren't sure how to do it?Enter basic information on the LED Calculator tab, and your circuit will be quickly designed for you.
View the completed circuit design either as a Wiring Diagram or Schematic. |
Help is just a click away when using the LED Calculator.Any of several small help screens can be called up as needed. |
Want to make your own scale figures? If you buy them, what's the correct size for your scale?
Use the Scale Figures tab. Enter the 1:1 height to see the proper size and proportions for your scale figures - in either inches or metric. You can also print an accurately scaled figure and easily modify the program's assumptions.
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Constructing a locomotive shed and need to know what the size of that 4 x 8 should be in your scale?
Determine the correct scale size of lumber up to 16 inches wide and deep with the Scale Lumber tab. Find the proper size for rough-sawn as well as planed and dried lumber. |
On your vacation, you've measured a building that you'd like to model in HO scale.
Convert your real-world measurements to HO (or any other scale) by selecting the 1:1 to Model RR Scale tab, enter the measurement, and click the Convert button. |
The Model RR Scale to 1:1 tab converts from model railroad scale to real-world dimensions.Video: Demo |
Ohm's Law is a simple calculation, but can you remember what gets multipled or divided by what? If I want to
know what additional power my 12 volt DC power source needs to supply 0.1 amp to lights in a trackside building. I enter these two values and learn
that 1.2 watts are needed, and the resistance of the circuit is 120 ohms.
The Ohm's Law tab provides an easy way to get answers to voltage, current, resistance and power. Enter any two parameters and the other two will be calculated. |
Do you want to know the value of those resistors in the bottom of the junk drawer? Or perhaps you know the value you need but don't know what color bands to look for.
Both problems can be solved on the Resistor Calculator tab. Enter the color bands in the Resistor Identifier to find the value, or enter the value in the
Color Code Calculator to find the color codes. |
The manufacturer says that your train shouldn't be operated at a temperature over 40° C. Do you want to know the temperature in Fahrenheit?The loco of your dreams weighs 220 grams. Would you like to know its weight in pounds and ounces?
Select the Temperature & Weight tab to get the answers. You can also convert from °F to °C, and from pounds and ounces to metric units. |
Updated.
Planning an outdoor layout? Don't forget to allow for expansion of the rails due to temperature changes through the seasons.
Select the Thermal Rail Expansion tab to calculate how much the track length will change. Just choose your rail material,
then enter the anticipated temperature range and length of your track.
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Updated. Are you using Aristo-Craft, LGB, Piko or Train-Li track for your layout?You'll appreciate the useful information in the Large Scale Track tab.
Track dimensions are provided in both inches and mm.
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New!
It's easy to determine the minimum track radius for your rolling stock, whether purchased or scratch-built.Just enter the distance between trucks and the maximum truck angle in the Minimum Track Radius tab. This calculator will also solve for the truck distance or
truck angle if the track radius is known. |
New! A helix is often used to join parts of a layout that are on different levels. The design of a helix requires balancing parameters such as
available space, grade, spacing between loops to accommodate rolling stock, and the rise in elevation to join the tracks entering and leaving the helix.
The Helix Calculator allows you to specify the parameters of your helix. If a helix can be built matching these parameters,
the calculator will show construction details. |
Several supplemental screens are provided to help you choose the parameters for your helix.If it's not possible to finalize the design of a helix using these parameters, the program will describe the conflict and offer suggestions for modifying the design. |
You don't have to write down the results of each conversion as you use the program.Click on the History tab to view - or print - all of your conversions at any time. |
Handy Converter simplifies the complex curvature calculation.
A small circle is easily laid out using its radius. This isn't practical for a railroad's curves
due to the distances involved. Instead, railroads calculate degrees of curvature using
surveying instruments and a 100-ft chain. Enter the prototype degrees in the Curvature tab and
Handy Converter provides the radius in your scale along with the prototype radius. |
You won't need a pad of paper beside you for updating your wish list, or to write down your thoughts and ideas as you use the program.The Notes tab is a convenient place to store information. Your notes will be saved when you exit the program, and loaded automatically the next time you use it. |
Click on the icon at the lower left corner of most tabs, and a multifunction calculator will appear.
In addition to standard math functions, the
Calculator displays instant conversion of fractions from 1/64 to 63/64 to their decimal equivalents. It also provides conversion from feet and inches to decimal feet,
and decimal feet to feet and inches. |
| And - the program remembers all of your preferences, such as modeling scale and units of measurement | |
