I've had a search but couldn't find a thread on it,
How to other people keep track of all their stock? and know which locos they haven haven't got, and which needs attention?
Personalty I use spreadsheets that keep track of all my stock and what its DCC address is. However I was wondering if anybody else out there has a better way of doing it?
Excel spreadsheet here too - has all stock, train formations, chip type and DCC address :)
Paul
I've also added what type of coupling to mine as well. The good thing is they are can be searchable and formatted to flag up address conflicts or duplicate locos
Excel spreadsheet and matching folder full of photos of each item.
As mentioned elsewhere I recently transferred all my stock into a new box with several shelves, which I have labelled according to contents. This freed up a huge amount of space by moving all the boxes into the loft (in a suitable sturdy plastic box with latched lid).
Not to teach anyone to suck eggs but worth mentioning that my excel sheet and photos are all backed-up on an external hard-drive. After all the worst thing to happen would be to need to use it as evidence in the event of thievery and said file be unavailable through laptop theft!
Skyline2uk
As mentioned on another thread i use MTC (model train catalogue) theres a free demo copy available online with the option to purchase full copy which is £10.99. I have no connection to the company apart from being a very happy customer.
Link for those interested:- http://www.modeltraincatalogue.com/index.html (http://www.modeltraincatalogue.com/index.html)
Regards Stuart
Quote from: grid078 on June 19, 2016, 09:41:16 PM
As mentioned on another thread i use MTC (model train catalogue) theres a free demo copy available online with the option to purchase full copy which is £10.99. I have no connection to the company apart from being a very happy customer.
Link for those interested:- http://www.modeltraincatalogue.com/index.html (http://www.modeltraincatalogue.com/index.html)
Regards Stuart
Absolutely right - a very inexpensive bit of software and very comprehensive.
:beers:
I haven't got enough stock to warrant the fancy software :-[
Well, I probably have, but I know where it is.... on the layout or in boxes ;)
Like others, I use a spreadsheet which contains pages for locos, carriages and wagons, The locos I find easy to remember but, when I go to shows, I take print outs of the carriage & wagon ones as I'm notorious for getting back home to find I already have the article I've bought. :-[
Whenever I see DavieB at a show I have to tell him not to let me buy any Peco tunnel portals for that very reason ::)
Quote from: austinbob on June 20, 2016, 08:27:11 AM
Quote from: grid078 on June 19, 2016, 09:41:16 PM
As mentioned on another thread i use MTC (model train catalogue) theres a free demo copy available online with the option to purchase full copy which is £10.99. I have no connection to the company apart from being a very happy customer.
Link for those interested:- http://www.modeltraincatalogue.com/index.html (http://www.modeltraincatalogue.com/index.html)
Regards Stuart
Absolutely right - a very inexpensive bit of software and very comprehensive.
:beers:
Can't decide if I think that's an invaluable tool, or wholly unnecessary. I know what a 66 looks like without a picture!
I've got a vague list of locos on my phone, but would rely on memory for stock. Reckon I could get close, never quite sure if I've got 15 or 16 HHAs, and PCAs are somewhere between 25 and 28. Ought to catalogue it really, but not sure if anything more than a spreadsheet is required!
Quote from: newportnobby on June 20, 2016, 09:41:15 AM
Like others, I use a spreadsheet which contains pages for locos, carriages and wagons, The locos I find easy to remember but, when I go to shows, I take print outs of the carriage & wagon ones as I'm notorious for getting back home to find I already have the article I've bought. :-[
Whenever I see DavieB at a show I have to tell him not to let me buy any Peco tunnel portals for that very reason ::)
Ah, the dreaded Peco tunnel portal fetish. :-\
Quote from: njee20 on June 20, 2016, 11:50:10 AM
Quote from: austinbob on June 20, 2016, 08:27:11 AM
Quote from: grid078 on June 19, 2016, 09:41:16 PM
As mentioned on another thread i use MTC (model train catalogue) theres a free demo copy available online with the option to purchase full copy which is £10.99. I have no connection to the company apart from being a very happy customer.
Link for those interested:- http://www.modeltraincatalogue.com/index.html (http://www.modeltraincatalogue.com/index.html)
Regards Stuart
Absolutely right - a very inexpensive bit of software and very comprehensive.
:beers:
Can't decide if I think that's an invaluable tool, or wholly unnecessary. I know what a 66 looks like without a picture!
I've got a vague list of locos on my phone, but would rely on memory for stock. Reckon I could get close, never quite sure if I've got 15 or 16 HHAs, and PCAs are somewhere between 25 and 28. Ought to catalogue it really, but not sure if anything more than a spreadsheet is required!
Hi
What about if the worst should happen and you need to claim on your insurance. Photos of the exact item would be useful then I would think especially if they are one offs.
Cheers
Paul
But there aren't many of those for most of us, and you don't specifically need them catalogued against an inventory entry. Plus if it's truly unique (scratch built, say) then you're going to struggle with a pre-defined catalogue of items.
I have just cobbled together a spread sheet so I can start to log all my stock, I'm kind of looking forward to and dreading establishing how much stock I have. ???
It does get scary when the 'Autosum' function reveals I have 181 coaches and over 200 wagons.
I guess the simple answer is 'don't use the Autosum function' :angel: :no:
The powered stock tab on my spreadsheet (LibreOffice, I don't hold with this Windows stuff) goes up to about line 122 :goggleeyes: though by volume the majority is cheap-as-chips Japanese stuff and/or second hand. I do have way less in the way of (loco-hauled) coaches and wagons mind you.
I do also have a column for various notes on each item, one with relevant links (e.g. to the manufacturer's page, and/or detailed views), and for items needing attention I highlight each column (red is "broken, needs repair, probably a Farish product with split gear").
:sorrysign:
I merely have an Open Office document with all my stock listed by type and nationality.
I do have a PDF copy of this saved on adobe's free document server.
Excel for me too, with links to basic loco info courtesy of wiki.
I'm trying to'improve' the lists with details like compositions of coaches for mainline trains along plus a hardcopy tag with each loco to note when last run and if oiled. I'm daft enough to keep all major items in their original boxes.
Useful for insurance and the long term valuation should items require new homes.
Dave G
Quote from: daveg on June 20, 2016, 08:21:18 PM
Excel for me too, with links to basic loco info courtesy of wiki.
I'm trying to'improve' the lists with details like compositions of coaches for mainline trains along plus a hardcopy tag with each loco to note when last run and if oiled. I'm daft enough to keep all major items in their original boxes.
Useful for insurance and the long term valuation should items require new homes.
Dave G
Dave
Your a bad influence, I'm not saying how many loco's I have logged but I'm not even half way and I'm scared :'(
Quote from: paulprice on June 20, 2016, 09:10:20 PM
Quote from: daveg on June 20, 2016, 08:21:18 PM
Excel for me too, with links to basic loco info courtesy of wiki.
I'm trying to'improve' the lists with details like compositions of coaches for mainline trains along plus a hardcopy tag with each loco to note when last run and if oiled. I'm daft enough to keep all major items in their original boxes.
Useful for insurance and the long term valuation should items require new homes.
Dave G
Dave
Your a bad influence, I'm not saying how many loco's I have logged but I'm not even half way and I'm scared :'(
Pleased to be of help, PP ;)
Dave G
Thanks Dave :heart2: :heart2: :heart2: :heart2: :heart2: :heart2:
I find having an eidetic memory works well for me... :D
Jas... :beers:
Quote from: Tractor37 on June 25, 2016, 10:26:03 PM
I find having an eidetic memory works well for me... :D
Jas... :beers:
Show off :P :bounce:
If you've got it flaunt it squire... :claphappy:
It was when I bought the same loco twice, I decided to give my eidetic memory a rest.
Easier to put it all on the database app on my iPad.
Alistair
Quote from: alibuchan on June 26, 2016, 02:11:23 PM
It was when I bought the same loco twice, I decided to give my eidetic memory a rest.
Easier to put it all on the database app on my iPad.
Alistair
Bought the same loco twice? That is what renumbering is for - those nice Fox people or Modelmaster....
I've just bought TWO Dapol 60094s within a week, neither of which will remain as 60094.... (and renumbered a third new 60094 as 60061 for a friend)
Les
It got a full repaint as 37248 in west coast maroon