General Discussion (Model Railroader)

Can anyone suggest a good, RTR data record software specifically designed for model railroading or at least collections generally?  I have created one in MS Works Database but am not really satisfied with it.

Over in the Diner, there has been a discussion recently about how many locomotives one has and I realized that I didn't know the answer.  In fact I made a note the other day to look for a particular road switcher only to find that I already had one buried in a drawer.

The story gets even more complex when it comes to rolling stock.

Someday I've got to get organized!

 I use Excel, 'cause I have it, and know how to work it.   Put each car/locomotive on a row.  Have columns for road name, model maker's name, reporting marks, length, construction material, modifications, date acquired, cost, repair history and more.  Put each type (box, hopper, reefer, passenger, locomotive) on it's own worksheet.  Excel will sort the worksheets into any order you desire.

Excel is a good choice. I use Access, but I am an old IT guy.

I use MS Access too.  You have to build your own, but They have an inventory program wizard that will get you most of the way there.

 Try this:

www.albionsoftware.com

Chuck

Excel hands down.  I have a date base for locos and information, one for Santa Fe rolling stock and one for all other rolling stock.  They are on a laptop at the dispatch table for easy access.

I also have an Excel worksheet installed for all the garden railroad equipment.

The loco worksheet includes entries for the last service and any unresolved issues.

Bob

I rolled my own in Access (it generates car cards and waybills too) but if you just want an inventory Excel (or any higher end spreadsheet program) is more than adequate.

 I use RRTRAINS 2000. It's an easy to use database program and can be downloaded HERE. It's quite user friendly and has a low learning curve. It's set up for use with 33 scales, from Z to #5.

        I'm with the others and use excel. The only thing i need to know and use excel for is to keep track of the road numbers, locomotive type,  locomotive manufacturer,  and most importantly what type of decoder has been installed in any particular locomotive.

      My rolling stock has a car card for each of the 200+ cars I own and I really don't need them all on a spreadsheet.  I penciled in a " P"  with a circle around it on the lower edge of the car card when i go thru the cars once a year for maintenance just to let me know if a car has plastic wheel sets which i'm eventually changing over to metal. When i pull a car out of the yard and i see the "P" then it gets new metal wheels if i happen to have a new box of metal wheels available at that time and if I do, the "P" is erased once the change is made. Really don't need a spreadsheet for that.     

I use car cards for operations, but I want the cars on Excel also for a few different reasons.  First, I want to verify car numbers and I don't want to sort through or run down all the car cards.  I also want to segregate my Santa Fe equipment from the foreign equipment.

So, the ATSF car file, has 452 cars in it, the foreign and mileage car file has 1085 cars, why should I do all the work when the computer is sitting there with all the info.

I also keep service info on the Excel files, including when purchased, dollar amount,  any additions or modifications.  I keep files up to date, and when I go to the local hobby shop and find a car(s) I want to buy, I give the owner my memory stick which I keep up to date, he pulls it up on the computer and we can check right there on the spot.

Finally, if I drop dead or get run over by a BNSF train, my wife has all the inventory info and she can send the file to my local State Farm guy.  My agent thinks it is a good trail and will reduce processing time.

Bob

To expand on my previous post a bit, if you just want to keep track (inventory) then Excel is just fine. It's user-friendly and great for keeping and sorting lists of stuff.

The reason to use a database is if you wish to do any processing or specialized forms using the data rather than just have a list of stuff. For example, if I want to print up a car card with the data I've entered, a database is a better tool.

I use Access to store my data, but use a tool called ColdFusion to deploy it to the web, where it can be viewed with my web browser in a number of ways. I have a simple roster available for viewing from my RR website link below. You can view a small waybill or a more detailed one with the car history. The car card system is being developed and allows updating of the car records, so it's secured behind a password.

But that's the sort of things old IT guys do -look for a reason to over-complicate things!

Try a free program that is model RR specific with pictures, logos, etc

www.musicmixradio.com/yardoffice

Bob

 I like Dave's program myself. I've made a few changes to make some simpler reports, and I still have some ideas to link it with the loco roster in JMRI. Some day.

                        --Randy

All good info. Also wouldn't hurt to keep a copy of it like in your on line mail program in the event of something happening to where the home copy was destroyed.

 I used to just us a back up disc and a friend pointed thats good until the desk burns up too. So now when I make changes I just e mail myself a copy of it. Plus you (thinking ahead) could do this for your other household items too that way in the event of a loss you can send it to your agent from even like a public or friends computer

bc@thecove:

Try a free program that is model RR specific with pictures, logos, etc

www.musicmixradio.com/yardoffice

Bob

I started with Excel, but I couldn't quite make it do what I wanted for engines and stock. Or rather, I wanted too much. Access is good if you know what you're doing, I've used it too. One thing I like about Yard Office, is that he's got darned near EVERYTHING in there. Including the City of Madison Port Authority, who owns exactly two engines and 35 miles of track, a third of which exists only in an ex military testing range. Back. Water. Shortline. I've put reporting marks to commemorative and billboard cheapy cars, including Bachmann tankers for SHell anf Texaco, an Oscar Meyer Reefer, a half dozen similar cars leased out of GM and Pullman, that I didn' know. But I was browsing the provided roadnames, and turned them up.

Almos everything I can reproduce in Access. Pictures maybe not so much, but he's got so many formulas for determinging values, tax rates, percent of paid as well in Yard Office, that I don't have the time or am sure enough to do on my own. Also, you can load it to a Flashdrive, and drop in a fire safe or something. I've yet to flood a 2g even with road heralds and a few pictures of the equipment.