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Using Easy Model Railroad Switch Lists Operation and maintenance
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New member 22 posts Leaky Valley New member 22 posts
Leaky Valley

Hi Guys,

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right section.  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 engineer were the other assignments. The primary operation involves taking the through trains like SJ-2 arriving at Coxton and breaking them down.  Basically the 7 cars blocked for Coxton are removed, and replaced by 7 cars from the yard.

Unlike previous op sessions over the last few years using just car cards, I made up switch lists for each train using Bob's Easy Model Railroad software. Everyone felt the switch lists were easy to use and simplified their learning curve. Their basic questions on the Switch list 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 switch list like SJ-2A which had just 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 Switch lists is to write down the Equipment ID Number from the Car Card and search on that. The Switch lists are certainly much easier to use than a stack of car cards.

One of the options under Scheduling is to Process Cars or Engines to move them to their destinations.  Since my mainline is a dog bone and I end up restaging the majority of my train consists to their original positions between sessions.  I only need to process the cars which have been set out during the session.

If you never used switch lists before, I think you and your operators will find them very easy to use and make your op session much more enjoyable and prototypical.

Chuck Davis

Norfolk, VA
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David Husman dave1905 MRH Author 9,796 posts
David Husman dave1905

Bob's Easy model Railrod Software

Any information on line about Bob's Easy Model Railroad Software?

Dave Husman

Visit my website :  https://wnbranch.com/

Blog index:  Dave Husman Blog Index
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rfbranch Frequent poster 588 posts
rfbranch

EMRI

Here is the latest post about the software http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/6602

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~Rich

20Banner.jpg 

Proto-Freelanced Carfloat Operation, Brooklyn, NY c.1974
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Bob Langer Frequent poster 562 posts
Bob Langer

Link to Easy Model Railroad Inventory

http://easy-model-railroad-inventory.rclsoftware.com/index.htm

 

Bob Langer,

Facebook & Easy Model Railroad Inventory

Photographs removed from Photobucket.
 
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David Husman dave1905 MRH Author 9,796 posts
David Husman dave1905

Maybe

I didn't install it because the terms of agreement sez you get a free trial and then have to pay the license fee.  But the documentation doesn't explicitly say there is or is not a license fee.  It just says you can download and use it for free.  I have run into a lot of "free download" software that yes has a free download and yes I can use it free, but just for the for 30 day trial period, then I have to pay a license fee or the software turns off or has some limited functionality.

Is there a license fee at the end of the trial period?

Dave Husman

Visit my website :  https://wnbranch.com/

Blog index:  Dave Husman Blog Index
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CNJ New member 19 posts
CNJ

Donation based.

Dave,

Looks like Bob is offering the product as donation ware, if you like it and use it, donate to the project: 

http://easy-model-railroad-inventory.rclsoftware.com/supportus/supportus.htm

As a software developer, I appreciate how much time and effort goes into developing and maintaining a project.  This is probably the best business model when dealing with such a limited audience. I am sure Bob isn't making a killing this way, but is passionate about his product and wants to offer it to the community.

Pete

 
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David Husman dave1905 MRH Author 9,796 posts
David Husman dave1905

OK

I'm not saying Bob is doing anything wrong.  I have "tried' a lot of "free download" software that later has a gotcha  of a 30 day trial or whatever that pops up after you spend the time to set it up.

Since the terms of agreement mentioned a trial period and a license fee, I thought I would ask.

 

Dave Husman

Visit my website :  https://wnbranch.com/

Blog index:  Dave Husman Blog Index
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rfbranch Frequent poster 588 posts
rfbranch

Long time happy user of bob's

Long time happy user of bob's software here. I kept an old laptop to just run this program when we switched the house overto mac I liked it so much. Gives you the best looking car cards you can find for my money rightmost of your personal printer. Bob is also a great guy who provides timely and thorough support. A fantastically thought out product that won't disappoint!

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~Rich

20Banner.jpg 

Proto-Freelanced Carfloat Operation, Brooklyn, NY c.1974
Reply 0
Bob Langer Frequent poster 562 posts
Bob Langer

Easy Model Railroad Inventory is free

 It has never been for sale. I need to change the license agreement.

Bob Langer,

Facebook & Easy Model Railroad Inventory

Photographs removed from Photobucket.
 
Reply 0
Leaky Valley New member 22 posts
Leaky Valley

Example Switch List

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Leaky Valley New member 22 posts
Leaky Valley

Example Switch List

I don't post on the list very often, and was trying to figure out how to show the switch lists I was discussing in my original post.  I finally managed to show them as a photo.  After trimming the paper, I just folded them almost in half and attached them to the top of the car cards.

Chuck Davis

Norfolk, VA

 
Reply 0
David Husman dave1905 MRH Author 9,796 posts
David Husman dave1905

Bob's

In the Preferences menu Service type should be Non Revenue rather than None Revenue.

Why no geography in the menu tables?

Rather than towns, it should be stations.

What's a neighborhood?

Taq = select?

I find the car cards hard to read.  The first line is the AAR car type followed by the description.  Is that really the most important on a CAR card.  The initial and number are justified to opposite sides of the card with very little gutter.  I find that VERY hard to read.  The car initial and number should be close together (preferably concatonated).  Probably don't need b oth the AAR code and the description.

Please don't take these comments negatively.  This is probably the most comprehensive freeware system I've seen so far.  You have done a tremendous job here.

 

 

Dave Husman

Visit my website :  https://wnbranch.com/

Blog index:  Dave Husman Blog Index
Reply 0
Bob Langer Frequent poster 562 posts
Bob Langer

Released new version: 5.2

Changed the license agreement for Easy Model Railroad Inventory.

Released new version.

Bob Langer,

Facebook & Easy Model Railroad Inventory

Photographs removed from Photobucket.
 
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