Stupid Question Time.
Among other things on the to do list for the layout, I am setting up my switch list program and inputting all my rolling stock inventory into it. I've already found a whole wack of web info on Car AAR types and the appropriate info, but I am puzzled about Ore Cars. Coal, Iron Ore etc... what are they typically designated as. I've come across a couple of lists which will have a heading for Ore Cars but no AAR designation. Are they classified as a Gondola? That would be my guess,
These are the cars I have...
http://www.athearn.com/Products/Technica...D=ATH94982
So what do I designate these little buggers as?
Not a stupid question at all... According to the Official Railway Equipment Register (Oct 1996) CP Rail cars in the series 376190-376249 (based on the Athearn photo in your link) are AAR Mechanical Designation "GT" UMLER Code J200 - The description is:
Gondola, Ore, Steel, 5 Drop Bottom Doors Each Side, Axle Spacing 5' 8", Truck Centers 17' 6"
Inside Length: 25' 11" Width: 9' 8" Height: 5'
I noticed on the photo on the Athearn model they show the AAR Mech Desg as "GS", but this is incorrect according to the ORER.
I always use the UMLER (Universial Machine Language Equipment Register) codes to classify my equipment, as it provides a good description of the type of car and it's basic dimensions and is what the prototype uses. Details of classifying cars with the UMLER code is far too extension to get in to on here, but if you can get a copy of a recent ORER at a train show or elsewhere, by all means do so. Full of information!
Hope this helps
I agree, everyone should have an ORER from the decade they model. There are stacks of them at train shows waiting to be discovered. I have a 1980 (the year I model) and a 2003 (a "current" copy), but I'll probably pick up a newer one soon.
Guys,I can't let this pass without adding my railroad experience.
As a brakeman all I was concern with was the road name,car number and where it goes.
You see as a train crew we was not concern with AAR type,door type or the capacity since that has nothing to do with our job-those are the concerns of the freight agent and all he/she is concern about is filling the customer's car order with the correct type of car.
Thanks for the input guys. It's all very helpful.
I'm using Switch It from Albion Software, its what the club uses. It asks for the AAR type in its database programming which is primarily why I was asking.
tetters ,I'm sure the AAR type was on the waybill but,we never paid attention to it since our goal was to get the work done in the safest way possible.
Brakie Wrote:tetters ,I'm sure the AAR type was on the waybill but,we never paid attention to it since our goal was to get the work done in the safest way possible.
It's all good brakie. I was looking for the definitions only because the program won't allow me to save a car until I gave it an AAR type. I had DOH moment when just a few minutes ago I clicked on the field and gave me a basic list of about a dozen AAR types. Problem solved. I thought it was something I had to figure out and put in manually. :oops:
Tetters...How do you like that program..?? Is it "user friendly", and does it do what it's supposed to do..??
Steamtrains Wrote:Tetters...How do you like that program..?? Is it "user friendly", and does it do what it's supposed to do..??
I just got. I just started inputting my cars, locos and will finally get to putting in the layout information. So I haven't really had a chance to start using it. Inputting all the information is a bit of a pain though, but that was to be expected. It requires a lot of input from the user from the get go. This takes time.
User friendly is a bit of an odd term. I would say if you are already familiar with how an RR Operates and already have a really good idea as to how your layout is supposed to function, then yes, I'd say its user friendly. Yoo will already have first hand knowledge of the information the program is asking for. If you are kinda bumbling through, have vague idea about how your layout will function, and not too familiar how RR's operate in the real world, like me, then its a bit of a learning curve.
If you don't like computers, then its probably not a good idea to get it.
Once I have all the info about my layout put into the Database for the program it is meant to generate switchlists that I can use to operate my layout. I tell it what rolling stock I have, locos, caboose etc. I also tell it what industries and their requirements, I have on my layout, the capacity of their tracks, plus if I have a yard, interchange tracks (car float in this case) and their respective sizes. The developer recommends you start out small i.e. tell it your Lumber Company track can only hold 1 car and then build up the number as you get familiar with the program and go from there. This is what I plan to do. I'll keep things simple and then start adding some operation compexity to the whole scheme of things.
Anyhow, I am still learning how to use it, so I am afraid I can't really give a comprehensive review of the porduct. But when I do start getting around to really using it, I'll be sure share my experiences with anyone who asks.
Just as an aside, tetters, I
think that those cars are a little too modern for the '50s era which you were modelling. Absolutely nothing wrong with using them in any era you wish, though, as it's your railroad. I've been known to play fast and loose with a few cars built after my chosen late-'30s era, too.
Wayne
Brakie Wrote:As a brakeman all I was concern with was the road name,car number and where it goes.
Exactly. That said, having worked in both fields on the railroad, I became very familiar with the UMLER codes and using the ORER over the years. Interesting stuff.
As for the ShipIt program. I have that and gave up trying to use it, because I could never get it to work for a short line or industrial type operation where everything comes on or off line from staging (i.e., an interchange or off line yard). Probably can be done, but I found it just too time consuming to try and get it to work the way I would expect. Just much easier to keep track of what is spotted where and when and fill out a switch list. Hopefully tetters, it will work fine for your operations.
I'm using Dave Husman's CarCards program, although so far mainly jsut to track my inventory and printout a report to take to train shows so I don't end up with two of the same thing (but someone I did, I have a duplicate P2K tank car kit to get rid of). Since it's written in Access and the source is readily available, you can make it do pretty much whatever you want. It may not be as polished as a commercial program but it's free and i fyou have some basic understanding of Access you can make changes to best fit your needs - I enlarged a couple of fields but that's about it so far. It has options for photos, original and present value, etc. so it's a worthwhile inventory program as well as having the ability to generate car cards and switch lists. A backup copy stored offsite would be good for insurance purposes, God forbid something should happen.
I do have a sort of grand plan to import/export the decoder definitions from JMRI so I cna have one program that basically does it all - I envision having a Program Decoder button on the loco sheet that woudl export the information from the database and fire up JMRI. One of those "yeah someday" projects - thing is I actually rarely use JMRI because I only have 2 sound locos and all the rest only get very basic programming - 1950's Reading didnt have all sorts of flashing beacons and ditch lights that need programming, just an address and basic headlight. Not worth the time it takes to hook up the computer and run JMRI for that simple stuff.
--Randy
FCIN Wrote:As for the ShipIt program. I have that and gave up trying to use it, because I could never get it to work for a short line or industrial type operation where everything comes on or off line from staging (i.e., an interchange or off line yard). Probably can be done, but I found it just too time consuming to try and get it to work the way I would expect. Just much easier to keep track of what is spotted where and when and fill out a switch list. Hopefully tetters, it will work fine for your operations.
Well... I'll give it a go. I am already getting that the initial set up is a big pain in the back side. Just because the program requires so much user input to get things going.
Steamtrains Wrote:Tetters...How do you like that program..?? Is it "user friendly", and does it do what it's supposed to do..??
Having spent 15 years with railroad software, I want to tell you, if it is user friendly it isn't prototype.
Charlie
