How do you keep track of your trains?

Everything is in documents in my computer.

 

The main category is train sets. Sets are broken down by manufacturer and then by relative categories (postwar Lionel, prewar Lionel  and LTI Lionel, for example). Within each set, I have an inventory, log (containing history of the set) and expanded inventory (greater detail for each piece).

 

I further cross reference each item in the sets by locomotives, freight cars, etc. in another setting.

 

I also keep an inventory based on location in containers, and by where sets are stored (the reverse) in still another setting.

 

I avoid duplicate purchases. I know where everything is and I can find it. 

 

I also can review why I purchased an item, so that years later, I can remember why I did what I did.

 

I also have individual photos of each piece scanned into the inventory.

 

I enjoy adding to my collection and find it relaxing to blend new items into the over-all picture to determine what the trends are.

 

I also have a camcorder to document the sets. I have a carpet cental at Christmas and have a permanent layout. So, if I ever become disabled, I will be able to click on my trains and still enjoy them.

 

My ancestors would have said: "Wir mussen Ordnung sein". There must be order.

 

Best, 

 

Mark

I figure as long as my trains don't jump the track, then I'm not going to worry about it.

 

 

 

 

 

Dennis

 

Rev -

 

The center section is simply a large group of sells merged together. I applied a black-to-blue gradient format. The text I offset by using spaces. The "track" pieces are simple drawn lines.

 

The workbook has several tabs - the one shown being labeled 'home'. Others are Engines, Pass, Hopper, Caboose, Box, etc.  The corresponding text on the home page is then linked to the appropriate tab name. First time you do it, Excel will change your formatting to standard blue with underline. Just re-format the font again to what you want it to be.

 

All of the text on the right is left aligned - with the sub-sections being indented. Then after all was done - I formatted all remaining cells with a black fill.

 

One thing to note. Excel does a lousy job of adapting to larger or smaller monitors. This was done on a 19" monitor, and I just got a 24-incher - so there is about 5 inches of extra columns I had to blacken. Of course, as time goes by, I'm sure I'll find something to add...

 

And - being I get a kick out of making these things....I'd be happy to give you a hand to get you going. I am using Excel 2007. Most of its formatting features are compatible down to 2003 - but I am not sure about versions before that.

 

PS - One thing Excel does very well is add numbers. When I first started buying I wanted to keep track of (aka budget) purchases. Then there came a time when I really didn't want to know anymore - or anyone else to find out.

I recently purchased Train Minder.  Seems to be easy to use.  In a general nutshell, you basically add in your items....item numbers, description, road numbers, price paid and where bought.  What I like as an extra input block is that there is a dedicated space to maintenance.  I found out about this program through TCA.  Yes, it is a glorified spreadsheet; for me, the sheet was completed already with the input blocks I needed and more.  Better still, it is good for the insurance policy if you have a collection that needs to be insured.  After all, we DO NOT play with toys;.)
-John, York, PA.

I use Yard Office.  It is a shareware program and will keep track of your trains.  If you purchase the full program, less than $30.00 you can add pictures make reports and more.  Very reasonable and user friendly program.  I used to use a spreadsheet but I like this much better.

Trainminder would be okif they would update the database.

I SEE YOU GUYS USING THIS AND THAT SOFTWARE FOR INVENTORY CATALOGING AND PICTURES.

 

BUT WHAT I AM INTERESTED IN IS HOW DO YOU SORT OR FIND ITEMS WITHIN YOUR FILES ?? 

 

DO YOU JUST USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION MENU ?? ALSO CAN PHOTOS BE PART OF EACH ITEM OR DO USE A LINK TO FIND THEM ??

 

ANY INPUT APPRECIATED.

 

FREIGHTRAIN

Well, you have just convinced me add another project to my list of things to do. It's a good thing I just retired! An inventory spreadsheet is a good thing to have for insurance purposes.

I use the built-in excel functions for sorting and finding specific items. The find function can be used on a single page - or the entire workbook. It will then provide you a list of what it found - and a simple click on the listed item takes you directly to the item.

 

If you're somewhat savvy with macros or vba - these functions can be incorporated into command buttons placed within your spreadsheet. So, you could put a "sort" button at the top of each column (MFG, part number, road number, etc) and then record a macro that sorts based on the criteria for that column.

 

A very good source for learning anything and everything about excel is www.mrexcel.com    Signup is free - and no spam from the site. Within that online community there are some wizards out there that know their stuff - and like OGR forumites - are willing to share with us less informed. I have proposed several questions - and someone always helps to find a good working solution.

 

For those so inclined - I have found the best book is Excel 2007: Power Programming with VBA by John Walkenbach. It takes you step by step from essentials (1+1) all the way through writing your own Excel functions and creating Excel applications. A very thorough book without all the mind boggling drivel.

Freightrain - with Excel - it is your choice. Excel can handle pictures being pasted directly into a cell(s). Or, if you want to keep all of your pics in a separate folder, you can just add a hyperlink to open the picture separately.

It will never happen, They been promising an upgrade for years.

I have a question about those apps that have databases. Some have noted the vendor doesn't keep them up to date.  I guess I am wondering the efficiency/need for the db to begin with. Does the db not allow manual entry into the same data fields?

Anyone using the new beta of MI Trains program?  I am just trying it for the first time, but it looks promising.

I use my brain.  It's the best, fastest and cheapest computer I've ever used.  I've found with manual entry programs, Excel included, that you must be proactive to keep it up to date.  If I'm stupid enough to buy another $30 postwar caboose because I already have one, then that's great.  I'll have a replacement when the one that is running goes out of service.  On the other hand, if I somehow forget that I already have a Postwar Lionel 2332 GG1 and decide to buy another, I will probably quickly notice that I already have one. The other half is not thrilled when I spend more than four weeks of grocery money on a toy.  Even worse if I already have the same one.

 

Oh, the idea of using the Greenbergs price guide is a perfect solution, as long as you remember to update it.

I've tried at various times to put the data into Excel, Access, paper, etc. and have always found something else I wanted to do more than taking inventory.  I do think it would be worth doing someday though.  Just what form that will take for me though is still TBD.  I like Mark's comprehensive collection of informatik (alles in ordnung!) but I'd also like something simple and portable (like an iPhone or even a check mark in a Greenburg guide).  This post is making me think though.  I like the ideas here.

 

I do have a comment about an inventory consisting solely of iPhone pictures though.  If you have a few dozen items it works great.  If you have a few HUNDRED items, it might fit but finding out whether you *HAVE* an item based on the pictures becomes a huge chore.  I don't think images alone can do the trick here.

I started with Train Tracker then went to Trainminder. It works for me.

Jim D.

I purchased the original T-Tracker, which is DOS based, way back in the late 80's and used this program quite extensively until T-Tracker for windows came out. Then I purchased the T-tracker II updates from the clown that purchased the programming rights from Steve Serenska. What a mistake that was. His loading comments were way out in the park. The program was far more troublesome then what it was worth. I eventually removed T-Tracker II from my computer and no longer use this. I purchased the Train Minder program from Steve and I too had high hopes for this inventory program. But I was let down when I took delivery and down loaded it in the computer. I talked to Steve and the other fellow who was at York several times giving them hints and what was needed to make a decent inventory program. I think it fell on deaf ears because the fiasco they came up with is pure junk.

 

I do believe Steve should go back to the DOS version and improve that program. I still use it and the first T-Tracker program and I like them very much.

 

I find that when I buy trains that are new I wind up down loading all the information by hand into the programs as the updates are way too late in coming. I think the only advantage to some of these programs is the pictures of the eguiptment. And that can be taken care of by taking pictures of the trains you have in inventory and scan in the pictures to the inventoried item.

 

When I go to train shows and York in particular I carry a list of numbers corresponding to the SKU numbers from the different manufacturers. The numbers are arranged landscape style across the page in columns, one list for each manufacture.

 

Skip

I use an Excel spredsheet, coded by mfg. with many categories I can sort to my liking.

I recently bought this product and was very disappointed I could not import my data from TT5.0 on my old computer ( WinXP Pro ) to my new computer ( Dell xps8300 running windows 7). It appears I now have to load my 3 seperate train collections manually.  I am not very happy about this situation.   I have emailed support with questions and not received satisfactory response as of this morning.

I have used flash drive to import my data.  But it says data is corrupted or no TT5.0 program on drive. 

Can anyone offer help as I have a feeling maybe I am doing some thing wrong when i import data from TT5.0 to the new machine. 

If I had checked this Forum sooner i doubt I would have bought this program.   I still have TT5.0 on my wife's computer but sooner or later that will have to be replaced with a new one too.   The items I loaded in manually work but I feel TT5.0 was a much better product.

  

Excel will even let you imbed a photo of each piece if you like.  I did it as a test a couple of years ago when this subject came up before.

 

Right now I have my pieces listed in Excel, but no photos (just haven't gotten to it).

 

Question...do you also list your building purchases?  With the price some of them bring when new I would think they should also be listed, for insurance purposes.

Also, how do you put a value on a scratchbuilt piece?  My Seaboard Whalebelly hopper probably cost $125 plus labor to build.

I think I found it for you

 

http://www.portlines.com/traintracker.htm

@masco

http://www.seahawksoftware.com/mitrains44/

Ogaugeguy,

 

I use Railbase from Albion Software.  It seems to do all the things that the other programs do like importing/exporting to excel.  If you wish to write your own reports just buy the the Report Writer Package.

 

Hi all this is a good discussion!

 

May I suggest including links to the programs?

 

Also, here is another inventory and operations software I am aware of:

 

www.dccbydesign.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x73w7SOcivc

Also JMRI has an inventory system as well as DCC opertaions programing.

 

http://jmri.sourceforge.net/

 

It's free, and a java app so it will run on pretty much anything

Railbase

 

http://www.albionsoftware.com/html/railbase.html

Bob;

I guess it all depends on what value you put on the man-hours you invest in each project.  Like the old saying goes; "Time is Money."

The simple answer is to not buy so much stuff that it won't fit on your layout or at least on a shelf nearby.  Also I vote for Excel or something similar.  It is best to enter new purchases right away when you bring them home.  The software made to keep track of trains is only good when you first buy it.  After that you will want to enter your new stuff right away yourself anyway.

.....

Dennis

Does anyone have a good report in dealing with TrainMinder?  I'm looking at their ad on p 36 in the current TCA paper (which is the same ad I bought from 3 years ago) and wondering why they are still advertising?  From what I've read here and elsewhere, they do not respond to inquiries for help or to offer advice for improvement. If their database is several years behind, why do they continue to take our money if we are supposed to be a group of honorable fellows?

Why would the TCA management continue to permit them to advertise? I take their accepting an ad as an endorsement of sorts.

I lost my computer last month with everything on it (had a second hard drive in it with back-up but it went out too). My inventory is gone and I must now rebuild it. I had purchased Trainminder but had not loaded much into it yet.

I looked into that but it does not run with Windows Vista so it will not run with Windows 7.   i appreciate the info.

I just wish they would answer my eamil at train minder.    I am surprised as I always had great help with Train tracker from Steve and his crew.   So far i have entered only about 70 items manually.  I have a long way to go for all the stuff I have to load in. 

 

Randy T

Thanks Randy,

 

I haven't started an inventory, and there are a lot of good reasons (insurance, not duplicating purchases)

 

the problem as I see it is you need portability and accessibility.

 

If you use a spreadsheet, Google docs might be a solution, as it is online. No lost data.

 

The MI ??? software is an online program as well.

 

 

 

To those people that have templates in excel -- Might you be willing to share the template?

 

I run with an Nscale club (KSONS), and I have worked with JMRI. JMRI allows one to enter a picture, number, road names, purchase price, etc...

 

Since it is free and fairly thought out I would suggest it. The HO people mainly use and develop it.

 

 

I think any program is going to be like shopping for a coat. You just have to try it on and see if it fits. Sadly, you can't try before you buy a lot of these programs. RR-Track comes to mind. If  not for the forums I wouldn't of considered it. I did purchase it and am glad I did. I tried a lot of programs and it works for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throwing out another vote for Microsoft Access.

 

Really, any type of relational database would be best (e.g. any member of the SQL family), that way you can cross-reference and run queries.

I like that I can keep it simple with Access.  Serves our needs quite well and seems to travel through OS upgrades with ease.

 

Randy.  If you are using the AOL email address that shows in your profile, then that may be the problem.. I used to do the same thing and have the same problems when trying to get in touch with many businesses.  I now use a Gmail account for this purpose and so far I have not had any problems.  It has something to do with their filtering out junk mail & AOL seems to fall into this area.  Try that and see what happens.

Dennis

I use train minder it was better when they had updated their database , I still use it.  Now I have to add new items myself rather then being able to have their database populate the item info.  I would have to do the same if I used excel.  Plus the report functions and loading photos work fine.  I really wish they would update their databases.

 

Doug

http://www.protrak.cc/

And I can Have some fun operating while building my railroad!

 

 

Guys,

 

Thanks for ideas.   I am getting emails from Sarah ok.   So far she has sent 3  since Friday but I can not import my Train Tracker5.0 data into my new Windows 7 computer that has Train minder.  For some reason they are being converted into adobe pdf files on my flash drive.  I have installed them on my new computer but trainminder says thay are corrupted.  My next step is to burn a cd disc with the holdings file and all of my data.  I will try to install it on the new computer that has Train minder. I will see if that works.

Other problem is i can not extract the MTH data from the CD discs i bought with the system.   Each time it stops at about 40% done.   This is all very frustrating to say the least.  I never went through this BS with any of my Train Tracker versions going back 11 years.        

I tried filing a complaint with TCA several months ago about their ads. I talked to several people in the National office, but no one was quite sure how to deal with the complaint. It was very frustrating overall.

Doug,

 

Are you running Windows 7 or Windows XP?  

 

randy T