Using The ShipIt! Computer Program On An ISL

[jwb]

ShipIt! seems to wind up frustrating many users. I tried it and didn't like it. For what it's worth, I've used two other computer switchlist generators, which may or may not be satisfactory to someone with professional rail background. Minirail at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.minirail.com/">http://www.minirail.com/</a><!-- m --> has a free demo for download that can give you a good idea if it will do what you want with a small trial configuration. I find it's well-suited for small layouts. The last version I used did require you to run all trains, though.

RailOp <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.railop.com/">http://www.railop.com/</a><!-- m --> is more elaborate and allows you to set up any number of jobs for different shifts and run them as you please. It's more flexible for use on larger layouts and does things like let you take a bad order car out of a train and keep on running. On the other hand, I've found that the current owner is difficult to deal with.

There's a free program for the Mac if you're a Mac user, but I'm not, so I haven't tried it. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.vasonabranch.com/railroad/switchlist.html">http://www.vasonabranch.com/railroad/switchlist.html</a><!-- m -->

For whatever reason, computer switchlists have been a niche area that hasn't caught on, and most guys still seem to like some version of car cards. The difficulties of car cards, in my experience, include a lot of work in setup (an awful lot of work if you have hundreds of cars on an existing layout), the awkwardness of handling a deck of cards in operation, and the need for all those pockets and stuff on the side of the layout.

When you consider how computers have caught on in other areas of the hobby, like on line shopping and forums, I'm a little puzzled that operations haven't kept pace.

[FCIN]

After all the experimenting that I did with ShipIt! I finally just gave up on the program completely. Just could not get it to function properly and duplicate many prototype car movements, no matter how I set it up. Not only that, but I often found that some times the program would seem to just go nuts doing such things as sending 3 or 4 cars to a spot that could only hold one car at a time. No matter what I tried, I could never get the concept of hold cars/off spots/constructively placed cars to work right either. ShipIt! would send a car to the hold spot when it should have actually been spotted. I would also experience frequent program crashes while working with it.

I found it just as easy to make up my own simplified demurrage record form to keep track of when cars were spotted, etc., and a "fill in the blanks" modern looking switch list form and do that. It's more work then just pressing a button on a computer program, but at least the results are prototypical. Also allows you to assume the role of customer, freight agent, yardmaster, etc. Works fine for an industrial switching operation.

ShipIt! would probably work okay for many model railroad layouts if you're not that concerned about how the cars move, but it sure won't work for well for most switching layout applications.

Thought about the car card system and even purchased a batch of them, but it does take a lot of set up time (far more than ShipIt!) and as you mentioned, it's a real hassle to have a handful of those little simulated waybills in one hand and the throttle in the other.

Regardless, I hope all my experimenting and testing is of some value to others that may be considering purchasing the program.

[Ralph]

I am new to this forum. I am currently developing an operating program or my Cleveland Belt Line. This fictitous line is owned an operated by the NKP & NYC serving the Cleveland Ohio area. I have not had any formal operating sessions but I have set up the necessary cards and waybills for the Carcard & Waybill System.
This thread is interesting because I have been working on a switch list program in Dedoder Pro. It is found in Panel Pro under Operations. I learned about this program when I read 2 articles by Dennis Drury in the July and October 2011 issues of the OPSig Magazine the Dispatchers Office. I have been working with it for about 2 months and while I may have some understanding of the concept I am a long way from using all of the strengths of this program. I am currently having email conversations with an individual in Houston who has been a great deal of help. However like all computer programs there are a number of different ways to do the same thing. Which means you have to tough it out on your own.

Jerry

Welcome Jerry! Keep us up to date on your switch list efforts.
Ralph

[gdhampton]

Ralph

I wonder if I should have made this topic a new post. I am interested in what others are doing with the program and how they are solving the problems. I do not have any idea how many individuals are using the program. It is located in the JMRI Decoder Pro under Panel Pro Operationsand most people use the program for the decoder applications.

I have finally been able to successfully create one train. It is an out and back turn and consists of the start and end yard plus 3 industry locations.Not much but it took me about 2 - 3 months to get this done.

Will let you know more as I go.


Like to hear somefeed back

Jerry

[jwb]

Does this run stand-alone? In other words, do you have to be on DCC to run it, or does it make switchlists independent of how the loco is controlled? If it's stand-alone, I'll look it over -- I've tried several products, Minirail, RailOp, ShipIt!, ProTrak, and the Tim O'Connor freeware -- plus some other simpler freeware.

As long as we're on the topic, here's an example of a switchlist from RailOp, just so people can get an idea of what can be done:    

[Ralph]

Ralph

I wonder if I should have made this topic a new post. I am interested in what others are doing with the program and how they are solving the problems. I do not have any idea how many individuals are using the program. It is located in the JMRI Decoder Pro under Panel Pro Operationsand most people use the program for the decoder applications.

I have finally been able to successfully create one train. It is an out and back turn and consists of the start and end yard plus 3 industry locations.Not much but it took me about 2 - 3 months to get this done.

Will let you know more as I go.


Like to hear somefeed back

Jerry

I think its a great idea to start another thread. Feel free! Looking forward to see how it works out.
Ralph