Currently I have my information stored in an Excel spreadsheet. Pictures of the items when possible are stored in a separate folder per manufacturer. For locomotives I also downloaded or scanned in the exploded parts diagrams when possible. Lastly I also captured the dealer price and despription of product where I purchsed the item into a pdf format so I can enter the specs and description of product. For Marklin and Trix I also captured the information from the product database program in pdf format. Also I kept all paperwork of purchases and actual pages from the catalogs in a box for further reference.

I did this so I could either make a database program of purchase one when I found one that met my interest.

I have tried the Wincat program and found that it was somewhat clumsy and the pictures were of rather poor quality, hence the saving my own list of pictures.

What I am looking for in a database program is something that is very easy to use and hopefully one that could integrate into some of the major layout control programs for the added benifits of updating information both ways for inventory, locomotive addresses, hours of use, consit recomendations.

Also a bonus would be if the major track planning programs could pickup the inventory part of the tracks, structures, and rolling stock so that examples can be used to get a visual of your next master piece.

Maxi

I use the Märklin-Software "Archiv", no. 60520

In addition, to be able to keep track of all decoder settings, service dates, convertions etc., I have made an xls-file, with one sheet per model. It makes it quite easy to make different statistics.

For track planning I have the Märklin 60521 "Gleisplanung 2D/3D".

I see that some of you like to keep track of loco decoder settings too. Without an automated way of tracking such settings that could become pretty tedious so I have a suggestion for those who have a Windows PC connected to an Intellibox.... If you download my BWlite software, you can use the software to save all the decoder settings of your DCC decoders to a text file. You can attach that text file to your database entry for the loco. The software is at http://bw.mixmox.com

To document each decoder, place the loco on the programming track and use the decoder programming function to read all the CVs.And then dump them to a log file like this:



See http://debale.home.comcast.net/bw/manual.htm#DCC


You can also save your Intellibox Special option settings to get output as follows:
Log from Bw 1.01 build 73 SPU: 1.203 Serial 1000002125 2005-09-24
SO 0 = 255
SO 1 = 2
SO 2 = 0
SO 3 = 0
SO 4 = 0
SO 5 = 2
SO 6 = 254
SO 7 = 88
SO 8 = 18
SO 9 = 0
SO 10 = 6
SO 11 = 50
SO 12 = 0
SO 13 = 3
SO 14 = 20
SO 15 = 1
SO 16 = 0
SO 17 = 5
SO 18 = 100
SO 19 = 1
SO 20 = 1
etc

I can recommend iCollectTrains - see http://www.icollecttrain...ollectTrains/Voorpagina/ (click on the English flag)

Hi all

Nice to see how you all document your collections.

I have tried to download ICollectTrains (UK version) but with no luck . Am told that the page is not available. Also wrote a mail to the support but so far no answer. Using the dutch version would not really be good...

I have earlier made a simple MS Acces database to maintain the collection. Here are some screenshots for inspiration (in Danish i'm afraid )

Main switchboard:


Data sheet:


Multi Report (print A4):


Single Report (print A4):


Cem thank you for your offer to make a dedicated program, but writing a whitepaper would be a bit to heavy for me at the moment.

//Thomas

Hi Svein

You can have a copy of mine if you are interested

//Thomas

FileMaker Bento is probably what you have in mind (not only for Macs), http://www.filemaker.com/

The HAG-UNUM model database is produced with FileMaker: http://www.stefanunholz.ch/english.html

Yes, I would like a copy, but I do not have Access in my PC, so it would not help me much.

With my Märklin-Software "Archiv", no. 60520, I miss the possibility to print something like your "multi report" and "single report".
Otherwise I find the "Archiv" quite good.