blownout cylinder 8500HPGASTURBINE You can't imagine the importance of keeping track of your inventory. I had 10's of thousands of $$ worth the stuff stolen and one reason I got it back was a good inventory. I ALSO marked the items or trains with a small ID mark of some sort. It can be something as small as getting a Paint Marker and placing a small dot some were on the bottom of an engine, an un built kit, ect. Some of you might remember when that happened to me. They stole $10,000 worth of un built FSM kits alone. Every kit had a small ID dot on it that traced it back to me. Do it, you will be glad you did. Mike As an aside to that I might remind people to make sure a paper copy--or CD/DVD is kept of your inventory AWAY from your home--someplace secure. Like a safe deposit box or such---
8500HPGASTURBINE You can't imagine the importance of keeping track of your inventory. I had 10's of thousands of $$ worth the stuff stolen and one reason I got it back was a good inventory. I ALSO marked the items or trains with a small ID mark of some sort. It can be something as small as getting a Paint Marker and placing a small dot some were on the bottom of an engine, an un built kit, ect. Some of you might remember when that happened to me. They stole $10,000 worth of un built FSM kits alone. Every kit had a small ID dot on it that traced it back to me. Do it, you will be glad you did. Mike
You can't imagine the importance of keeping track of your inventory. I had 10's of thousands of $$ worth the stuff stolen and one reason I got it back was a good inventory. I ALSO marked the items or trains with a small ID mark of some sort. It can be something as small as getting a Paint Marker and placing a small dot some were on the bottom of an engine, an un built kit, ect. Some of you might remember when that happened to me. They stole $10,000 worth of un built FSM kits alone. Every kit had a small ID dot on it that traced it back to me. Do it, you will be glad you did.
Mike
As an aside to that I might remind people to make sure a paper copy--or CD/DVD is kept of your inventory AWAY from your home--someplace secure. Like a safe deposit box or such---
In both Excel and Word one can, in fact, import pix if they so need to from their own photo gallery. No real need to swallow more memory for another program, if it is already there--
One can even import much of the inventory into PowerPoint and have a complete show set up--You can import photographs from photo gallery into PowerPoint as well---
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
As mentioned earlier, I use Excel because I know the product, I taught the product and I like the product. I have just over 1600 freight cars, 175 diesels, and it is easier to track them for service needs, plus other info. I maintain one spreadsheet for diesels, and two others, one for Santa Fe cars numbering around 700 and one for the foreign and mileage cars making up the rest of the difference. Original value and cost of additions is included.
I also maintain a file of fixed consists, making additions and deletions easy. This is all on a laptop that sits on my workbench in easy reach. The laptop also contains the dispatching info for operating sessions. It is backed up on a regular basis, and is also transferred to the desktop in my office on a regular basis.
My insurance agent is pleased as punch, and with the photos on my website of the layout has never questioned anything.
Bob
Do you all inventory your tools? Paints, small parts, how much track? Do you keep track of costs (purchases) for benchwork and miscellaneous stuff?
Just curious.
YardOffice looks like an awesome program. I like the photo feature.
-Ron
Randy,
Microsoft Excel will work fine, if you have windows. Mac also has a compatable version of excel, but you could use something that is already on there. Cards that you buy can be expensive, and easy to loose. With the computer, you could print it out and keep it with you, save it on your hard drive, and put it on a flash drive, external hard drive, etc. Hope you git it all straightened out.
With an inventory of 1100 freight cars and growing,I have been using Microsoft Excel for 6 years now,though with the "upgrading" of the computer to Microsoft Vista,I now have to highlight the whole inventory sheet to get everything in the exact alphabetical order.I have the inventory sheets show the car,number,car type,load,industry,owner( example is if the car says Kraft on the sides) and the manufacturer(Athearn).I print 2 copies of my inventory, so I have a "Master" list,and one that I take with me to train shows,and on that one, I write all the cars I bought on the back sheet, then update it when I can,before the next train show.FYI,there is no need to go through the entire list, and enter each car singley,and alphabetically,when you can type them all down on the very last entry of your list,and then using the "tools" icon to get all your cars in order automatically.
Hi again!
My Excel car/loco inventory spreadsheets proved invaluable in ways I didn't mention in my earlier posting. About 5 years ago, I had about 600 freight cars and 70 passenger cars and 65 locos that I collected over the previous 5 years. And it suddenly hit me that my layout (HO 11x15, 2 level) could never use more than about 150 cars max, and most of my inventory was still in kit form. So, I decided to thin out the collection, and using the various sorts I was able to:
- determine what cars had a build date newer than 1959 (last year my layout represents), so I could Ebay them.
- determine what type of car I was overloaded on (i.e. too many ice reefers, hoppers, etc.) so I could Ebay them.
- determine duplicates (thanks to recording the car number) so I could Ebay them. This feature also has save me money several times when I see a kit I just have to have - and realize I already have it.
- determine if my roster of various ATSF diesels was disproportionate to the prototypes inventory, so I could Ebay them.
- determine which locos were not DCC friendly or exceptionally difficult to install decoders, so I could Ebay them.
- I had hoppers and boxcars from almost every postwar US railroad, and the inventory helped me identify those that didn't make sense to have on my Midwest/Texas layout.
ENJOY,
Mobilman44
I got rid of about 1/3 of the inventory, leaving a much more manageable roster.
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Here are some of the data fields in my database, just for reference. Not saying this is right or all inclusive or you have to have these or anything, just that these are some of the ones I have included just to give you some ideas of what may or may not be important to you.
Equipment:
Roster name
Initial
Number
Eng Letter
Type
Class
Color
Note
Comment
Owner
Insp Date
Car card printed
Current value
Purchased value
Details
Make
Model num
Weight
Wheels
Couplers
Decoder
Address
Length
Material
Weathered
Truck type
Slogan
Engine rating
Consist num
Scale
Component
Qty
Component type
Original value
Date acquired
Part num
Description
Structure name
Structure type
Title
Author
Publisher
Date published
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Here's Mine copied from Excel:
I want to thank Everyone Who took time to answer this post. I already have the word & excel software on My computer so I guess I'll just format it. This deems to be a time consuming endevear, so maybe I can get persuade My wife to help out. I never realized I'd accumilated so much "stuff" until I went to look for something I thought I knew I had. I found things I didn't even know I had . Talk about a lack of organization. R...........
I use an Access database since I also use it to generate car cards and waybills. I also use Excel for quick lists and planning, and its no problem to run a query in Access and pop the results in an Excel spreadsheet if I want to manipulate it differently. I don't see it as an either, or proposition.
I do like "rolling my own" inventory system so I can customize it to what I want. I have just the data I want, in the format I want. When I changed eras I added the ability to have multiple rosters. When I changed era I needed to organize cars by family lines (for example the PRR had about 8 sets of initials, all of which were "PRR" cars). Also since I share some of my databases, I have been able to modify them based on feedback from my "customers". So there are some things in may databases that I may have no need for but others may (for example a "train show" list organized by manufacturer).
Use whatever fits your needs, its all good, but don't rule out other options.
I use Excel, and have for many years. My spreadsheet has worksheets for locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, cabooses, etc. I also have the dollar values from each tab collated on a master cover sheet, so I can see the dollar totals, and breakdown at a glance.
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
I have used Excel for a long time. I have one spread sheet for rolling stock and one for locomotives. I bring the spread sheet up when I am on Ebay to check car numbers. I also do a print out and take it to train shows. I have a PDA cell phone and can upload the spread sheet to the cell phone to use at train shows. Also when I travel, I like to visit hobby shops and the spread sheet is helpful in knowing what I already have.
Jim, Modeling the Kansas City Southern Lines in HO scale.
Here's my inventory sheet:
1 sheet of lined paper, with 3 holes punched.
3- locomotives, 2 steam, 1 diesel
6- boxcars converted to haul lumber
8- logging cars and logs
1-transformer
2- wooden trestles hand made.
seems to be a pretty simple process to handle a model railroaders inventory don't you think?
hopefully you don't have too much more than this do you? would like to see your list.
I use Excel, have for many years, used it when I was working in EDP, even taught classes to users in it, so have worked it to death.
I have one spreadsheet for diesels, both Santa Fe and foreign seperated. I have a second one for all foreign cars and a third for Santa Fe cars. Why two? over 1700 freight cars to keep track of.
Hi!
While there are inventory packages out there, I created my own many years ago with Microsoft Excel - a business spreadsheet package.
My inventory has a plethora of identifiers (i.e. road, type, sub type, color, built year, mfg, mfg number, etc., etc.) that can be sorted in as many ways as you want. I also have columns for maintenance, such as added details, coupler/truck replacements, and "incidents".
Excel is not cheap, and if you don't use it in your work you will have a learning curve.
FWIW,
cuyama As long as you can guarantee that your freeware or shareware database supplier is always going to be interested in providing upgrades to the software everytime MicroSquish makes an upgrade, you're fine with one of those.
As long as you can guarantee that your freeware or shareware database supplier is always going to be interested in providing upgrades to the software everytime MicroSquish makes an upgrade, you're fine with one of those.
One way to get around those issues is to run the software in compatability mode--
Folks:
I don't track my trains and I'm not planning to. Life is too short.
Of course, one CAN use 'Office word' to do all that without having all the extra memory going to another piece of software---then again, ask yourself do you really need all those extra bells/whistles in the first place?I've been placing pix of my stuff on word without all the extra googaws so----
If you have the database such that you have pix for insurance purposes--make sure that you have that CD/DVD of your inventory someplace OTHER THAN in your own home.
innocent_gentleman I have used RRTrains now for a little over a year for my 200+ inventory and export to Excel for a simple listing to know what I have got when I go to the hobby shop. I am now working on my step-dad's inventory using the same program.
I have used RRTrains now for a little over a year for my 200+ inventory and export to Excel for a simple listing to know what I have got when I go to the hobby shop. I am now working on my step-dad's inventory using the same program.
As an aside to RRTrains, the inventory WITH pictures is good enough for my insurance agent should the unthinkable happen. I pay a little extra for "collectibles coverage".
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
I use Yard Office ( http://www.musicmixradio.com/yardoffice/ ).
I find it very easy to set up and use. With Yard Office, you can ...
When you have to enter in a long series of very similar items, you can copy previous entries and edit them to save having to re-enter all the data over and over.
While it is free, paying the $27 USD to register and unlock all the options is well worth it.
BRVRR armchair, There are many commercial programs available to keep track of your model railroad inventory. Many people 'roll their own' with MS Access or Excel. More power to them. I found a 'freeware' program that meets my needs call RRTrains. It has most of the bells and whistles of the commercial programs and its free. It has categories for locos, freight cars, passenger cars etc. If you need more, there are provisions for user defined categories as well. One of the features I like the best is that a photograph can be attached to each individual car's record. Here is the link: http://www.gregorybraun.com/ Check it out. RRTrains is in the "Hobby" section. Just scroll down the page until you come to it.
armchair,
There are many commercial programs available to keep track of your model railroad inventory. Many people 'roll their own' with MS Access or Excel. More power to them.
I found a 'freeware' program that meets my needs call RRTrains. It has most of the bells and whistles of the commercial programs and its free. It has categories for locos, freight cars, passenger cars etc. If you need more, there are provisions for user defined categories as well.
One of the features I like the best is that a photograph can be attached to each individual car's record.
Here is the link: http://www.gregorybraun.com/
Check it out. RRTrains is in the "Hobby" section. Just scroll down the page until you come to it.
And for those who insist on using Excel, RRTrains will export in Excel format.
Having used both databases and spreadsheets extensively professionally and in my hobby, if you just want an inventory, spreadsheets will work great.
Where databases excel (no pun intended) is with forms, formated input and selection. If you want a list, it you want to sort it, if you want to calculate the sum of the value of your collection, then spreadsheets are great. If you want formated input and the ability created select subsets, etc, then you need a database.
Most people can achieve everything they want for documentation with a spreadsheet.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
I've set up an Access database, using different forms for different items. Locos, freight, passenger, vehicles, work etc. With this, I have the information on each peice that I want, when I want. I guess there is no right or wrong with what you use, it boils down to what you feel comfortable using & how much information you require.
Anyone who wishes to see a copy, just email me.
Gord
Brought to you by the letters C.P.R. as well as D&H!
K1a - all the way
Personally, I can do everything fine on Excel (even keep track of trees, if I ever descend to that level of detail) and I know that my files will never be orphaned by an operating system change.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
I started using Excel, but it quickly became a bit overwhelming. That's when I switched to TrainTrack, which allows for a very detailed listing for each piece of rolling stock as well as to add a picture to each listing.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html