I recently downloaded Easy

I recently downloaded Easy Model Railroad Inventory. I must say how pleased I am with the software. I spent 10 years in database design and this software out performs anything I could have put together, and I have considered doing just that for many years. Thank you for putting out this software so I didn't have to relive my ugly past doing database design!

GregW

Thanks

Thanks for the kind words.

Easy Model Railroad Inventory Version 5.1 Available

A user noticed what he thought was a bug in the assigning of cars to trains. There was a fix but it was hard to find and understand so I have made some changes. He was one of our beta testing group and I believe his problem stems from a long time ago and he missed the correction.

But in case that is not true I have made some changes.

Version 5.1 01/26/2012
1. Added to rolling stock update Window train number and name.
2. Corrected individual orphaned rolling stock train assignment.
3. Added picture to library book record.
4. Added last path used to library book cover picture.
5. Added last path used to project picture.

Now there is information displayed in the update window of the rolling stock. The blue text is the train number, name, type and departure time in the image below.

The other change was the addition of an optional image of the books in your library. There have been a few who have requested this addition. I figured while I was in the neighborhood... To get the images I needed I Googled the ISBN and saved the image to a BOOKS folder below the RCLTRAIN folder. Some will have have an image. You can either scan one or just forget it.

If you have missed any past upgrades it is NOT necessary to be concerned. The current upgrade has all of the prior changes included. Someone could have downloaded the initial beta over a year ago, then installed this upgrade without causing a problem. If you would like to see the complete history of the development of [[Program]] please click: http://easy-model-railroad-inventory.rclsoftware.com/history/history.htm

Please remember to make a data backup and a copy of your RCLTRAIN folder just in case. Also remember that the default installation is C:\RCLTRAIN. If you changed drives or folder names you must select the changed names. If not Easy Model Railroad Inventory installation will install to the default and you will think you have lost your data when it is really in a different folder and/or on a different drive. I do test these installs before the release on my own personal data.

You may download it from http://easy-model-railroad-inventory.rclsoftware.com/download/download.htm.

If this new version has any new fields in any file you will have to make each of them visible to your lists. After opening the window left click on the header. Select Show Column, find and select the new column.

Please do not forget the extensive help and user manual. The User Manual will have the answer for  99% of your questions. To access the User Manual click the Start button on the Windows Task Bar.  Then click All Programs. Find the Easy Model Railroad Inventory group. Select User Manual. You may access the same information by pressing F1 on your keyboard.
 

Using Switch Lists for Op Sessions

I had an op session over the weekend for 6 guys who had never operated on my layout https://sites.google.com/site/mylvrr before, and for a couple of them it was their first op session.  Since everyone was new, we didn't use a fast clock, just ran sequential events from the schedule.  

Operations on the layout center on Coxton Yard which requires three operators: a yardmaster and East Yard and West Yard engineers.  A Lehigh Valley yard engineer in Wilkes-Barre, a Jersey Central yard engineer and a LV mainline train engineer were the other assignments.  The primary operation involves taking the through trains like SJ-2 arriving at Coxton and breaking them down.  The 7 cars blocked for Coxton are removed, and replaced by 7 cars from the yard.   

I made up switch lists for each train using Bob's Easy Model Railroad.  Everyone felt the switchlists were easy to use and simplified their learning curve.  Their basic questions on the Switchlist had to do with the "1"s in the L/D (Loaded) and P/U (Pick-up) columns.  Some of them were unfamiliar with AAR Mechanical Designators or the railroad reporting marks which made switching cars much more challenging.

To make the yardmasters job a little easier, I made up a separate switchlist for the first time like SJ-2A which had the pick-ups in the yard listed.  This was used by the yard engineers to assemble the outgoing block and then passed on to the mainline engineer when the train was assembled.

I find the easiest and quickest way to make up the Switchlists is to write down the Equipment ID Number from the Car Card and search on that.  The Switchlists are certainly much easier to use than a stack of car cards.

Chuck Davis

Norfolk, VA

Version 5.3 released today - Valentines Day

Version 5.3 02/14/2012
1. Added book title to query.
2. Added "Return To" field to print car card query.
3. Added "Return To" column to print car card list box.
4. Switch list pickup and loaded indicator is now an "X".
5. Changed switch list stop number from a right to left justify.
6. Switch list AAR code centered from left justify.
7. Added graphic check mark to all check box columns.

If you have missed any past upgrades it is NOT necessary to be concerned. The current upgrade has all of the prior changes included. Someone could have downloaded the initial beta over a year ago, then installed this upgrade without causing a problem. If you would like to see the complete history of the development of Easy Model Railroad Inventory please click: http://easy-model-railroad-inventory.rclsoftware.com/history/history.htm

Please remember to make a data backup and a copy of your RCLTRAIN folder just in case. Also remember that the default installation is C:\RCLTRAIN. If you changed drives or folder names you must select the changed names. If not Easy Model Railroad Inventory installation will install to the default and you will think you have lost your data when it is really in a different folder and/or on a different drive. I do test these installs before the release on my own personal data.

You may download it from http://easy-model-railroad-inventory.rclsoftware.com/download/download.htm.

If this new version has any new fields in any file you will have to make each of them visible to your lists. After opening the window left click on the header. Select Show Column, find and select the new column.

Please do not forget the extensive help and user manual. The User Manual will have the answer for  99% of your questions. To access the User Manual click the Start button on the Windows Task Bar.  Then click All Programs. Find the Easy Model Railroad Inventory group. Select User Manual. You may access the same information by pressing F1 on your keyboard.