What is the TRA file format?
A .tra file is the native project format saved by WinTrack, the definitive model railway layout planning application developed by Ing.-Büro Schneider in Germany. It stores the complete track plan for a model railway as proprietary binary data.
The file captures all elements of a layout design: track geometry and routing, references to track library entries covering hundreds of manufacturers and scales, landscape and scenery objects, layer assignments, and 3D visualization data. Supported layout space extends up to 50 × 50 metres of modelled area.
.tra files are version-specific - the binary format evolved significantly across WinTrack releases (v9 through v17) and older files may not open correctly in newer versions without conversion. The free WinTrack-Viewer allows read-only inspection of .tra layouts without a paid WinTrack license, making it practical for sharing designs with clients or club members who do not own the full application.
WinTrack can export layouts to .JPG, .BMP, .DXF, and .WMF for documentation and printing, but these exports do not retain the editable layout data - only the .tra project file preserves the full design. WinTrack 17.0 (Service Pack 17.0.4, 2024) is the current version.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWLayout data file; no executable code. Standard caution applies when receiving files from unknown sources.
Format details
in a nutshell- True BASIC Applet File - Source code or compiled applet for the True BASIC programming environment by Kemeny & Kurtz.
- RFM Transmission Spectrum Data - Radio-frequency transmission spectrum data file used in RF measurement tools.
Programs that open TRA files
Windows2 apps
WinTrack 17.0
Paid File → Open, select the .tra file. Requires purchased licence (download + USB dongle or licence key).
WinTrack-Viewer
Free Download free WinTrack-Viewer from wintrack.de, open the .tra file for read-only viewing. Technical details
deep spec| Application | WinTrack - model railway track layout planning software |
| Developer | Ing.-Büro Schneider (Germany) |
| Format type | Proprietary binary layout project file |
| Byte order | Little-endian (Windows x86 application) |
| Typical file size | 10 KB - 2 MB (varies with layout complexity and 3D model count) |
| Layout space supported | Up to 50 × 50 metres of modelled area |
| Track library coverage | Hundreds of manufacturers across HO, N, O, TT, and G scales (built-in manufacturer library) |
| 3D support | Full 3D rendering and walkthrough view of the layout |
| Stored data | Track geometry, manufacturer library references, landscape objects, layer data, 3D models |
| Export formats | JPG, BMP, DXF, WMF (non-editable; editable layout data retained only in the `.tra` project file) |
| Version compatibility | Format evolved across WinTrack 9-17 releases; not fully backward-compatible in all cases |
| Free viewer | WinTrack-Viewer (read-only; no license required) |
| OS compatibility | Windows only |
| Released | early 1990s (WinTrack v1.x) |
| Latest version | WinTrack 17.0 (2024) |
| Specification | www.wintrack.de |
TRA conversions
Community Q&A
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