Train Inventory Software...once more

That Canadian company's software program you mention has a free demo available so why not try it to see whether or not it fits your needs and let us know what you think. 

Looks like the program on ebay you posted offers a free downloadable demo. It might be worth exploring if you haven't already.  I use Word for my inventory as it's easy to use and I can add pictures. My file system is divided into engines, rolling stock, vehicles, track, and power.  When applicable, the files include condition, customizations, history, and cost. As I build up my collection, I plan on generating a single PDF from all the content.   Both Word and the PDF are searchable but obviously can't provide custom searching and reporting on fields like a database can.  However, I don't care because my Word files are already organized by the things I would typically sort on like RR, era, car type, and so on.  So in effect, what would normally be columns for data in a database are what I've used to structure my Word files. By contrast, I use Excel for my wish list.

If I ever explore a database it will probably be Postgres. I know little about it except that it's free and my company uses it, so I'd have access to some expertise.

Tomlinson Run Railroad

Update: Looks like our posts crossed ...

I played with the Canadian eBay software and find it will do about anything I would want and is easily customized.  For example, going into the "Condition" field I could enter the TCA grading system and delete any provided parameters that are not applicable.  This was especially nice in the "Origin" field which must have every known country listed.  I think I will buy it just to have a starting point.  Photos are easily inserted and data can be output to several formats.

That said, it might be as easy to develop a template in Word and have Acrobat Professional convert it to a fillable form as I mentioned earlier.  If I get to that point then I'd give it away to this forum.

Thanks for the replies and I hope what I think about the Canadian software helps some too.

A good night and weekend to all.

Richard Snipes

Just a FYI here, forum member xferyard is working on a train database.

FWIW, I want any database I start using to have a fairly extensive "canned" library of products so I don't have to type in all the descriptions and the like.  I'd be open to having an open-source library where you could collectively produce the manufacturer's data base with lots of contributors.  That would minimize the individual effort, but would still allow you to assemble a fairly complete database of products.

A huge bonus in any inventory system would be the ability to update the database to the latest collective database, and also have painless submission of new entries you create to a common on-line database.  Wouldn't it be cool if when you created a new product description that didn't exist in the on-line database, it could be added with a keystroke for all to use?

I started out over ten years ago with inventory of my trains, and add to it all the time. I have two main word files, with pics attached.  One file lists the items by manufacturer, the other is a running listing added to as I photograph a new item and insert into the inventory.  I also have various sub-files created listing by type, rail road names, etc.  I have found this very easy to use and add to over the years, simply update a necessary.  With the running file "IM" it is very easy to determine when the new item was acquired, and any other info I add to it.  Also have a couple of Excel spreadsheets listing info only, no pictures.  This is added to and updated, listing each item by manufacturer and/or type of item (accessory, engine, scenic, buildings, cars/trucks/vehicles, military items, etc) and easily accessed for condition, values, box/no box, variations, etc.  It has grown over the years but remains easy to use and update.  Have put on CD, several times, for listing insurance purposes.  Maintain this on my laptop, plus additional backup files/computers.  

Check out the database I mentioned above, contact xferyard off forum.

FWIW - I (also) use Excel on my MAC, partly because I already have Excel and know my way around using it (so no learning curve) and partly because I didn't turn up anything that seemed to be much better in my, albeit not very extensive, search.  I did consider trying Bento, which was Apple's 'version' of Filemaker, but just about the time I was going to try it out, Apple had bailed out on offering it/supporting it.  The learning curve for Filemaker seems pretty daunting - especially considering my relatively simple needs.

One advantage of Excel is that its fairly easy to manipulate (e.g., sort) and expand as needed.  My spreadsheet has several tabs - the master list and then several worksheets (tabs) with different sorts on that master list - e.g., car type, road name, repairs needed, etc.  Of course, this means having to recreate the sorted lists every time the master list is added to or changed.  In my case, I have a yellow-highlighted box at the top of each worksheet that has the date that particular worksheet was updated - so the master list may get updated all the time and the sorted lists lag that.  As I suspect most of you know, one can do a sort on multiple columns.  As you will see below, most of the entries in the different columns are text (for which Excel does an adequate sort), so one has to be consistent in the various names and descriptors if you want them to show up in the same place in the sorted list - for example, CB&Q vs Burlington vs BN vs BNSF

Here are my column headers in the lists:

Number (this is usually the manufacturer's catalog number)

Category - locomotive; freight; passenger; Maint. of Way

Type - diesel, steam, box, flat, cattle, baggage, crane, etc.

Description - Atlantic, FEF, PA, depressed center, heavyweight, etc.

Smoke/choo-choo - denoted with an x (not all my Flyer inventory has these)

Action? - denoted with an x (e.g. a box car that tosses out boxes)

Road Name

Condition - something like what TCA uses (probably not well calibrated to TCA..)

Manufacturer - Gilbert, Flyonel, SHS, Am Models, etc.

Manufacture date (est)

Acquisition date (est)

Cost - most of this is based on what I paid on eBay or at a meet

Notes/comments

Picture - denoted by X (I guess there is some way to make a live link...)

Repairs done

Repairs needed