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 Posted - April 11 2007 : 9:00:42 PM
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How do you keep track of your Train collection?
Do you use some sort of Collection software,
a basic word or database program,
index cards in a file box,
or may be just a notebook?
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 Posted - April 11 2007 : 10:48:25 PM
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I would like to take a zab at the request... This is what I have, what I do...
Either MS Excel or MS WORKS Spreadsheet will work. I do not have any special program/template.
Column Headings... at least 13 columns across...
I# CAR # STOCK TYPE CB ETC 1 ETC 2 L REPORTING MARKS USE BRAND K BUILT ETC 3
Beginning with Inventory Number, and then:
255 this is an example... I have an Athearn CP Rail passenger baggage car, 70 foot long, converted into a work car, (or maintenance of way car):
1. 411430
2. Passenger car
3. Baggage type
4. CCF Canadian Car Company
5. cls clestory roof
6. of steel construction
7. 70 feet long
8. Canadian Pacific Railway
9. mow uses it
10. Athearn brand
11. yes Kit form
12. 1925 (guessed actual build date)
13. Work (Used as)
1. Car #: No's.
2. STOCK: Rolling As
3. TYPE: Body Desc.
4. B: Builder
5. ETC 1: Types: Roof/Carload/Loco's Fuel
6. ETC 2: Body Material/Propulsion of Loco's.
7. L: Foot Length
8. REPORTING MARKS: Road/Lease Co.Initials
9. USE: Used As
10. BRAND: Product Of
11. K: Kits/Part of, No = ready to run
12. built -marking on actual car
13. ETC 3: Anything Seperately Identified.
**********************************
Start early in the collection as you gain rollingstock. It's never too late, however.
Some people include dollar value, coupler types and date of installations, kits, kitbashing, scratchbuilt, ready-to-run, acquisition dates.
I am able to sort my inventory by road, use, brand, etc, by using the "sort" option.
I have just over 300 pieces of rollingstock... each piece is typed in.
You can also sort them by road (25 CP's), brand (43 Athearn's), etc. as I have.
Have fun! [^]
John
I don't have a one track mind. It depends on the turn-out.
"I love your catenary!"
Is that a power-trip or just another pick-up line?
Edited by - zebrails on April 12 2007 12:15:36 AM
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 Posted - April 12 2007 : 12:25:02 PM
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Generally, here's how I keep track of my trains...
I'll see some interesting car, say an old AHM, on eBay and I think, "wow I need one of those"...so I put it on my watchlist and maybe 10% of the time I'll remember it before it goes out and I bid and win it...a week or so later it arrives and take to the boxes holding my old AHM cars and find that I have one already!
Yeah, I maybe could use something better...
[:D]
Tony Cook
HO-Scale Trains Resource
http://ho-scaletrains.net
Edited by - Tony Cook on April 12 2007 12:27:38 PM
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Posted - April 12 2007 : 4:05:14 PM
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Gee Tony, sounds like your system is the same as mine! I just need to overcome "old timers" disease. That's how I explain the ever growing collection to my wife! But subconciously, I really did want all those AHM GP18s!
Mike
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Posted - April 12 2007 : 7:11:26 PM
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I used the MS WORKS Spreadsheet method at first but got tired of typing everything in for each car,
over the years I have bought / tried a few collection software programs off Ebay with no luck. For the most part I was able to reuse some of the shipping boxes to mail CD to my friends and I was able to fill my trash bin with the programs that came in the boxes
So for the past 6 or 8 years I have bin using the same method as Tony and strangely enough I'm achieving the very same results.
I was kind of hoping someone could recommend a easy to use program with drop down list boxes so I could point and click my way to a organised database of my collection.
Edited by - tjdreams on April 12 2007 7:13:25 PM
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 Posted - April 13 2007 : 12:01:23 AM
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Hi All,
I use RRTrains2000 to track my train inventory. It is a free program. I think it is a great program. You can link pictures to the inventory. I have had it for a couple years now. Here is the web page.
www.gregorybraun.com
Enjoy!
Mike
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Posted - April 17 2007 : 01:28:54 AM
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so, I downloaded the "RRTrains2000"...
Kinda cool, with them hyper-links...
Uh, is there any way of transferring what I already have from my "Works" spreadsheet into this program? Or am I gonna haf'ta re-enter all that I have? I don't wanna haf to...
John
>>>thanks, Mike. [:o)]
I don't have a one track mind. It depends on the turn-out.
"I love your catenary!"
Is that a power-trip or just another pick-up line?
Edited by - zebrails on April 19 2007 11:41:06 AM
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Posted - April 17 2007 : 04:32:02 AM
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Hi John,
I wish I could help you with loading your old inventory list into the new program. I started from scatch with it so I never had to try. I did take a look at it and only found an export tab.
Don't give up though, It's a great program.
Mike ( mytyco )
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Posted - April 19 2007 : 3:08:32 PM
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quote:Hi All,
I use RRTrains2000 to track my train inventory. It is a free program. I think it is a great program. You can link pictures to the inventory. I have had it for a couple years now. Here is the web page.
www.gregorybraun.com
Enjoy!
Mike
Originally posted by mytyco - April 13 2007 : 12:01:23 AM
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Mike thanks for the tip and link! I downloaded the tried this program and thought it was pretty cool.
[:)]
Tony Cook
HO-Scale Trains Resource
http://ho-scaletrains.net
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Posted - April 19 2007 : 9:08:35 PM
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Hi Tony,
I'm glad you like it. It has really been handy for me. Best of all, You can't beat the price. I looked around for a long time and thought about paying some tall cash for an inventory program. I'm glad I found this one.
Mike
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