Plastic freight car trucks are great for detail and rolling qualities, but it sure is hard to keep paint on them.

In a couple of recent cases, we have had to use a truck tuner to help cars to roll better, or have needed to swap out wheelsets (one club guy puts 33" wheelsets under everything, even big modern covered hopper cars) -- and as soon as you touch or twist the truck, the paint pops off and you're ruined a real visible part of a detailed model.

I have attached three files, an Access database that lets you generate your own car cards and waybills (plus a zipped copy of that file) and a Word document that describes how to use it.

It is uncompiled so you can modify it to your heart's content.  The only thing I do not give permission  to do is to sell a copy of it or use it as the basis of an application to sell.  Its freeware.

CAVEAT:  You HAVE to have a copy of the Microsoft Access database program to run it.  It won't run in anything else.  Sorry. 

Hello everyone.  I've been finalizing my track plan and have been looking at it from an operations point-of-view to hopefully eliminate any serious faults before I put the saw to wood.  The layout is pretty basic: HO scale, 4' x 6' oval with three customers and an interchange track.  There is one run-around that will hold 9 wagons (8 freight + brake van); and (if it matters) it is UK outline (0-6-0T locomotive and 20' wagons) just because I wanted short equipment.

How much information should a layout owner provide for operating session crews?

How specific do you have to be? Should I tell them "Go to East Flapjack, set out six cars, and pick up five cars?" How detailed does a train line-up have to be?  Do they need engine and car numbers?

How do people set up a short or a long session?