NMRA British Region Forum

Hi all, I'm struggling a little bit in creating a good car card , which I'd like to have a pocket, so that a way bill can fit inside with instructions on what to do with this car. Are there any good templates for these two items, that can be used in any popular file format (word/excel or similar, no open office please, but MAC file formats are okay (pages/numbers etc).

Thanks, Koos

Koos, did I send you the ones we used to use?

Hi Martyn, no I don't think so, but I'm curious to the 'used to use' bit, have you gone one better, improved on the concept?

cheers, Koos

No, just been using JMRI ops since.

Okay, I understand. I don't know if I want to use the Ops part of JMRI for my home layout. I think car cards and 'handwritten' waybills and track warrants add to the fun of operating a small layout (which isn't even finished yet, not even to the point that I can operate on it yet, but I think I will be able to in a few weeks from now, the second 'yard' / destination track has almost been laid.).

I'm with Koos in respect of wanting to eventually use "proper" waybills on my home layout, which has a timeline of Summer 1954. All very basic to start with but each car will have its own individual pocket, where the instructions will be placed.

Brian

Hi Brian, I think that's probably similar as I have in mind, and of course place these in card holders along the fascia of the layout. Nothing is so unsightly as a nicely scenicked layout, only to see car cards etc 'plonked' on cars, in yards etc etc.

Koos

Jock,

I agree with you in respect of the Vasona Branch site; it's one of my favourites, and there's always so much to learn. The concept of his layout is also seamlessly transferable to the type of operations we are undertaking with the Devon modular meets (which use the non-waybill, computer-generated method).

Indeed, in front of me is a hand drawing I've made of the Vasona Branch track plan, as it will influence my own planned modular boards, the terminus of an SP Coast Line branch with fruit packing and a few other industries in 16' - Quisling, CA.

As you will be aware, Tony Thompson's blog is also essential reading.

Brian

Hi Jock, yes I've looked at that in the past, when he first started to develop the program. I've got to look again, as I'm not sure it runs on my ancient Mac (it's nearly 10 years old, on PowerPC G4 processor still ).

thanks for the suggestion. Koos

I make my car cards in Lotus, still haven't persuaded Open Office to handle photos in the data base. So have to run it in Parallels on my Mac.
I do have an Open Office drawing that the photo and information are added manually. The photos and car information can all be altered. The Lotus version takes the information from the data base.
I print out the cards, cut them out, fold them and then laminate them. Then I cut the top off the card to make a pocket for the waybill. There are now over 200 cards for my home layout.

Mike Ruby

Koos,

If you are still looking in 10 days times when I get back from New England let me know off group and will send you a set of mine based very closely on Martyn Read's Excel spread sheet ones. Do you have Excel?

Mike Arnold

tunnelmotor wrote:Koos,

If you are still looking in 10 days times when I get back from New England let me know off group and will send you a set of mine based very closely on Martyn Read's Excel spread sheet ones. Do you have Excel?

Mike Arnold

Have fun in New England! , yes I have Excel.

thanks, Koos

I am not familiar with those Rodders, I know about the Micromark cards though, they look suitable, but I do like the design Mike Ruby suggests (and which I've seen at Western Union meets previously).

I'm going to take another look at those. I want to make car cards including their pictures for easier identification (I've taken pictures of all my cars already), and give them a pocket for the waybills.
However to create these two items, I want to use a standard word processor/spreadsheet program, not having to rely on special software, or anything open source. (like open office), simply because I can't install that on my work computer, which I use in lunch breaks for a little railfanning

Koos