Marking/identifying rolling stock

[Spanners70]

Morning all.

After any ideas or suggestions. I've built a large collection of rolling stock all in boxes. Slightly concerned once they go on the layout I'm gonna loose track of what came out what boxes. Does anyone mark or ident there stock in anyway to make it easier to put back in the correct box? I'd say 6 coaches all same livery just the tiny numbers on the, to differentiate. Wondering about a a piece of paper inside a box with 1 on it then mark a coach in some way with 1, then 2 for second coach etc. Any thoughts or ideas ? Thanks.

[Dorsetmike]

I use a white ink marker pen to put my initials on the bottom of stock only to save mixing it up with other member stock on the group layout. The marking is more or less permanent so a similar pen should suit your needs.

Available in many colours and line widths, link to white 0.5mm line;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pilot-Metallic-Colour-Permanent-Marker/dp/B00PCKK7AQ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1542631447&sr=8-7&keywords=fine+line+paint+marker+pen

[ntpntpntp]

All my stock is catalogued in an MS Access database with details and a photo (usually I just plonk the item on a scanner and take a low-resolution image).

Each new item gets a very small paper label stuck underneath, with my initials and its inventory number.

My locos mostly live in their original boxes so each box has a printed slip tucked down one edge, with the inventory number and the photo to make things easier when packing up at the end of a show especially as the boxes sit edge-on in their stock case.

All other stock lives in custom-made stock boxes. It's a good question will I ever want to match stock back to boxes? I doubt it, my son will inherit it all eventually and he won't want to sell it off. I have loads of boxes all stored way in black plastic bags in crates in my garage loft. I guess I could dig them all out and produce similar little slips to the locos, but it would be a long task now.  I'm getting very close to issuing inventory item #1000 (and that's not counting the "uncatalogued" stuff like souvenir-issue items that only ever live in a display case)!

[dannyboy]

A bit like ntp, all my stock is catalogued, but in MS Excel. Each item of rolling stock has a number which I put on the underneath somewhere, using a fine tipped paint pen. The corresponding number is then written onto a small circular sticky label, which I affix to the end of the box and any box insert

[railsquid]

I keep most of my Graham Farish coaches (which are the majority of my British coaching stock) in Kato bookcases, sorted by livery/design so it's easy enough to work out what goes where. (I don't like the Farish rolling stock boxes as it's easy to have the coach body rub against part of the cardboard case when removing them; I realised that when I noticed ink had rubbed off from the date stamp on the inside of the lid onto a coach.

Everything else lives in its original boxes, which with locos is not a problem as they're different enough to be easily able to match to their boxes. (Might be different if I had say a bunch of BR blue class 47s).

Where I did slip up is managing the bags of bits which come with a lot of stuff; I really should put them all in labelled ziplock-style baggies to prevent further confusion/mixup.

[Newportnobby]

I have everything logged in an Excel spreadsheet with the coaches page carrying running numbers too containing filters so I can check them by livery, coach type and region prefix

[nookfield]

I use numbered stickers on the boxes and stock. The stickers fit on most stock I have, I had to trim the numbers to fit on some items.
The only stock items I have bought which there was nowhere to stick the number was Revolution Trains Class 'B' tanker.

You get six of each number 1-500 so box sets/dmus etc have the same number for each item

Getting 500 numbers I thought they would last a long time but I have had to purchase some more with the colours reversed.




https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00MFRUWDQ 

[Spanners70]

Thanks all. I was debating the pen on the base of wagons etc wasn't sure about any retail issues should I sell on later. White pen it is !

[ntpntpntp]

I was debating the pen on the base of wagons etc wasn't sure about any retail issues should I sell on later. White pen it is !

Sounds a bit permanent to be honest.  A tiny printed paper label tacked on with PVA is all you need. It will peel off if you ever need to remove it.

Here's one of mine.  The big white circle (standard item from most stationers) is also stuck on the underside of locos and driving trailers which need to reliably trigger the infra-red detectors on my automated line.

[Dorsetmike]

Sounds a bit permanent to be honest.  A tiny printed paper label tacked on with PVA is all you need. It will peel off if you ever need to remove it.

So some light fingered person at a show manges to help himself to some of your stock, label peels off easily, paint marker not so easy to remove therefore, in my view, better security, if you want to dispose of an item score through your initials or other ID.