snjroy bearman How many folks can document the history of their locomotives and rolling stock? Items like, date purchased, purchase price, manufacturer, coupler provider, when weight was added, etc. I finally figured out that it was a mistake not keeping records like these from the very beginning. I'm curious, why do you think it was a mistake? Simon
bearman How many folks can document the history of their locomotives and rolling stock? Items like, date purchased, purchase price, manufacturer, coupler provider, when weight was added, etc. I finally figured out that it was a mistake not keeping records like these from the very beginning.
How many folks can document the history of their locomotives and rolling stock? Items like, date purchased, purchase price, manufacturer, coupler provider, when weight was added, etc. I finally figured out that it was a mistake not keeping records like these from the very beginning.
I'm curious, why do you think it was a mistake?
Simon
Mostly so I can quickly figure out which items have to be worked on in terms of couplers and weight. Some of the other informatioin may be valuable when you post on a forum like this and you get questions like, who made the box car? As for the price, if my house burned down tomorrow, I would like the insurance company to pay something towards a new layout.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
No need for that stuff, I can tell you what I paid and where it came from for most of my stuff, heck I can tell you what i paid for a loaf of bread 40 years ago.
In spite of what I posted in the "note to self" thread, I am not crazy about spending modeling time to organize things. As my hobby comittment expanded and the amount of train stuff grew, I found that I had to get organized to keep the it all from being too overwhelming.
As far as rolling stock, I find that it is necessary for me to document locomotives only. I have a binder with all the cv settings and basic info on each loco. Since I do run old brass and everything has a sound decoder and usually a keep alive, I find it very handy to have records I can refer to if I need to reprogram a decoder or if (don't ask) I need to replace a decoder. I have trouble remembering which decoder I installed 15 years ago in a specific loco.
The sheets also have a record of re-motoring and any other work that is done to the loco. As for other rolling stock, there is way too much to keep track of, other than to have a rough list for OPs sessions to know what is on the layout.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
I keep all notes on my railroad, including history of locos and rolling stock, in a Microsoft OneNote document. OneNote is great for keeping organized information on any topic or project.
I don't keep prices I paid for rolling stock, but where I got them, what upgrades they still need, what I've done to them and when.
As for spending hobby time, I do this documentation at times when I'm tied to my desk anyway. It also doesn't really take much time.
I say do whatever floats your boat. At times when, as I said, I'm tied to my desk, and I'm thinking about the hobby, I find it useful to take a look at the notes and plan for the next window of hobby time.
I keep an extremely accurate listing in Excel.
.
I know when and where a kit or locomotive was purchased. The date the painting was finished. What roadname it is painted for, the road number, and any notes on detailing.
I did not keep track of the price paid.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
mbinsewi IRONROOSTER But I probably should do a list with current resale values for my heirs. You must have stuff that has a resale value. Most of what we all have doesn't, except maybe what we could get for it on Ebay, that's it's resale value. Mike.
IRONROOSTER But I probably should do a list with current resale values for my heirs.
You must have stuff that has a resale value. Most of what we all have doesn't, except maybe what we could get for it on Ebay, that's it's resale value.
Mike.
Well I do. Some of it.
The real problem is that my family won't really know the difference between all the Tyco engines that will get $25(if they're lucky) and the one brass locomotive that could get a few hundred.
Paul
hon30critter I use a program called 'Yard Office' which allows me to record as much information as I want. It will even allow pictures to be stored. The program is free and quite easy to use. http://www.musicmixradio.com/yardoffice/ Dave
I use a program called 'Yard Office' which allows me to record as much information as I want. It will even allow pictures to be stored. The program is free and quite easy to use.
http://www.musicmixradio.com/yardoffice/
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I started early, before I had too many items to inventory, and now add each thing as I buy it. DOuble down because the program that tracks the inventory will also make car cards for operations - the program is an Access database written by Dave Husman called - Car Cards. But it has a full inventory application for locos, rolling stock, structures, and more. You can use as much or as little of it as you want, but there are fields for all the usual stuff liek road name and number and car type, but there are also fields for weight, purchase price, coupler type, decoder type for locos, etc. Prior to it being added to the program, I wrote my own report to print a simple list of road names and numbers to take to train shows to avoid buying duplicates. I have far too many of certain car types to possibly remember them all.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
IRONROOSTERBut I probably should do a list with current resale values for my heirs.
My You Tube
I don't do it because I have never seen the need/use for the information.
But I probably should do a list with current resale values for my heirs.
Then again with hobby time limited, I'd rather keep building the layout.
Yep, I maintain an Excel spreadsheet for that purpose.
Rich
Alton Junction
Strangley enough, I pretty much have a good idea what I have in my head in terms of what engines and rolling stock, what couplers come on them from the factory and in the case of engines, I know the road number of most of them also.
The only reason it might be useful to have freight car road numbers documented is to avoid duplicating road numbers when shopping or at train shows.
It's not a bad thing to document and be organized if you have the free time to sit down and do it, but since my hobby time is limited, it's pretty low on the totem pole of things to do, after I finish the basement of course.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
mbinsewi If you are a collector, a real collector, say of brass, or such, OK, I get the documantation for that. One of my wife's clients has 3 lighted bookshelf/cabinet things, filled with brass locomotives, all neatly displayed. He's never ran a model train, or even has track, just the collection.
If you are a collector, a real collector, say of brass, or such, OK, I get the documantation for that.
One of my wife's clients has 3 lighted bookshelf/cabinet things, filled with brass locomotives, all neatly displayed. He's never ran a model train, or even has track, just the collection.
Definitely not my cup of tea. I have a few brass locomotives and cabooses and every one of them was purchased with the purpose of operating them on a layout; not sit in a drawer or display case. To each his own...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I keep an Excel file of all my locomotives & rolling stock and break it down to type, length, road, and road number. The only other thing I record for my locomotives is whether they are DC or DCC and which decoder is installed in them.
Since I outfit/upgrade all my rolling stock with Kadee #58/#158s and metal wheels, I really don't care what the original came with. What I do want to make sure though is that I don't duplicate something that I already have. And it's pretty convenient to have my inventory readily available on my cellphone so that I can easily refer to it at my LHS or a train show.
Not me, never felt it was needed. Just a lot of extra documentation for what? If you buy new locomotives, and new rolling stock, maybe I could justify it, but I have only bought a handfull of new stuff, as long as I have been model railroading.
Whats to keep track of? maintainence? weeeellllll ok, maybe. Price you paid? Why? your family is never going to get that price back as they gather your stuff for a sale. And unless it's very rare and a one-of-kind, I don't think your insurance man is going to care.
I could see complete documantation in a case like that.
Even maintainence. Whats the difference? I don't fix something thats not broke, and I don't need to know the last time I did work on it.
And rolling stock? Once again, I don't fix something thats not broke, and I do not care when I last worked on it.
Now, for some project ideas, different techniques I've come across, some drawings that I'm intetested in for a future build, etc., etc., yes, I have that documented.
My layout is small, I don't have rooms full of stuff to keep track of. I'm at the other end of the model railroading scale, that a lot of you are that has it your family history, and have been doing it steady since you were a kid, things like dad's first model railroad, railfanning with dad and uncle bill, family having friends on the railroad so you could get up close and personal as a kid, and such. Sometimes I envy those of you that had that.
This has kind of been covered in a couple of threads, just very recently, like Brent's thread about being anal about stuff.
So document away my friends, I'm sure someday your family will appriciated your thoroughness, as they wade through tons of information and computer programs full of "what is this all about?"
By the way, good morning!
No documentation. Life is busy enough as it is and it sounds too much like work. Half the stuff I've bought over the years has been sold anyway. I have kept all my invoices but they aren't organized, but if I got a wild hair and put them in a file, that would probably take car of the lions share regarding date of purchase, who from, how much, etc.
I remember MS Works. Now that I am starting to do what I can regarding documentation, I am finding it easier to use a spreadsheet rather than dedicated software like JMRI or another free program I found on-line.
Years ago I bought a computer that came with a software bundle called Microsoft Works. It was kind of a pared-down Office. I used a simple database program to log in all the information you mention above and since I beganDCC conversions in 2003 that information gets logged as well. The files will open in Excel, too.
It is simple to use and update and I keep a copy on "the Cloud" so I can access the roster anywhere. I have a similar roster for Decoder Pro as well but not as detailed as the Works DB one where I have gear change, lube work, purchase information and other pertinant information. I do cross-reference them often.
Rolling stock I do not keep such an inventory, other than the brass where the original box is my record. I'll place a slip of paper in the box with any purchase notes written down.
Thank You, Ed