How similar are OpenRail Designer and OpenBuilding Designer?

Question

Hi, 
 
 My company are looking to switch from OpenBuilding designer that we currently use to OpenRail designer, since it should better suit the industry we're involved in and the work we do. However, there are concerns around becoming familiar with the new software and if we'll have many issues in the change. I was hoping to get some opinions from people who are more familliar with the software - how similar are they? Do they share the same fundamental tools to create models and drawings, but use different add-ons around that? Can I expect the drawing workflow and the tabs on the ribbon within to be the same? 
 Thanks, 
 
 Tom

Iwan Kinal · Accepted Answer

Thought I would chime in here as someone who supports both products at my organization. 
 In my opinion, the biggest change you will encounter is in modeling approach - in OpenBuildings you model in a true 3D space, whereas in OpenRail for the most part you model in 2D, and the software automatically creates the 3D equivalent. 
 As for drawing production, the concepts are the same, but the interface/tools are slightly different. The biggest difference, though, is in drawing symbology - you don't have Parts & Families nor Drawing Rules in OpenRail.

jpln · Answer

That's a good question. One is tailored to design Buildings and the other to design railways. 
 They are sharing the same platform: MicroStation. So moving from one to the other is easier than moving to a completely new product. 
 So we are sharing same interface and way of using it and a lot of common tools (CAD, 3D, Visualization, Items, references, views, ...). 
 But buildings have dedicated tools and objects as well as drawing production tools fit for purpose. 
 The same for rail with civil tools, probably less objects management (properties) even we can do a lot with items and other drawing production tools such as profile and cross sections.

How similar are OpenRail Designer and OpenBuilding Designer?

Top Replies