What's in Your Roster?

[Madsing]

I also have the need to keep a list of my trains, which decoder they are fitted with and many other things. Last year, I have purchased the database software from Ninox (https://ninox.com/en) for that purpose. I am very happy with it. They offer subscriptions but I have only purchased the Mac app for 35 euros (one time payment) I think.

Ninox is a real relational database. It does not require any programming, you create databases by creating fields that can contain various types of data (including pictures) [Does anyone here remember Apple's HyperCard?] Databases can easily be linked together by creating relations. It is quite user-friendly.

Ninox support is good and responsive (although I have found and reported a bug that has been acknowledged by their support but not corrected for 8 months now...)

 

This is what I have done:

• A list of trains / locomotives with fields related to the prototype (type, operator, photos, ...) and the model (manufacturer, part number, purchase price, shop...)
• A train card contains a list of cars
  • Each car has a number and description (ex Moro E260-102)
  • Each car has a list of decoders or other devices, that are related to another database of decoders, where I list for example from where and when and at what price they have been purchased. From the decoder database, I can tell how many EM13 I have used and in which cars / trains they have been installed.
• The trains also have a log list, in which I record everything I do when I work on the trains (add decoder, change couplers...)
• I have recently added a "reference" tab with all sorts of links (manufacturer, wikipedia, ...)
• The trains are also linked to a "to do" list, for when I am looking for something to do...

Main train database

 

 

Reference tab (links)

 

Linked decoder database

 

Edited February 15 by Madsing
corrected typos

[Kamome]

Wow, that looks very nice. And easy to find info. 

I have a simple Excel doc as I don't need any DCC info currently. 

 

Snippet of the long document.

 

I list SRP as well as whether I have added lights, bought new or used etc..  The colour coding was more for train type, JNR, local, shinkansen etc.. but I'll probably lose as not really necessary.

[JR 500系]

WOW all your list are so impressive, especially @Madsing list with the photos and references and all!

 

I might wanna look into putting photos of the train faces on my excel list... but that would probably make the file bigger, as i had already done so for my Tomytec bus lists ...  X_X 

[serotta1972]

@Madsing @Kamome Thanks for sharing.  I need to update my excel sheet and like @JR 500系 would like to add some pictures. 

[comeng84]

18 hours ago, Madsing said:

Main train database

 

If you don’t mind my asking, where do you get the images you used for your train in the database? They look great 👍 

Edited February 15 by disturbman

[Madsing]

Most of the pictures are from http://kitekinet.jp/pen/index.html

[JR East]

20 minutes ago, Madsing said:

Most of the pictures are from http://kitekinet.jp/pen/index.html

 Very good source. Thanks 

[comeng84]

7 hours ago, Madsing said:

Most of the pictures are from http://kitekinet.jp/pen/index.html

I agree with @JR East is a spectacular source of images and information. Thanks for sharing it with the community.

[Wolf]

14 hours ago, Madsing said:

Most of the pictures are from http://kitekinet.jp/pen/index.html

I can only agree to the others as well. I found at least 3 new models I want to buy now just browsing images XD

[disturbman]

Don't worry, if you stay with us long enough, you will want to buy them all.

[jappomania]

mmmhhhh... this topic is dangerous

first tip: write the list on a sheet of paper 😇

second tip: when you are on the 4-5th sheet, burn them and continue playing with the trains before you realize how many dollars you have on the table 🤑

(if you only know you can cry for 5-10 minutes 😭, if your wife finds out 👿 , trains are your minor problem 😭😭😭)

beyond a certain threshold the problem is not the database but the person you have to hire to keep it updated ...

(but at this point, for your wife, you are a "dead man walking")

 

weee 😅 , I'm alone, no risk

[railsquid]

I have occasional moments of doubt, then I remember that I have never owned a car, and most of the rolling stock I have could be re-sold at a good proportion of the purchase price (especially as most of it was second hand anyway), which is more than you can say for most cars, or so I hear.

[cteno4]

Well some runs of model trains are worth more the first time you open the case than you bought it for, can’t say that about a car usually!

 

i must say doing the data base terrifies me every time I start to think I really need to do that for insurance purposes…

 

jeff

[Martijn Meerts]

33 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

i must say doing the data base terrifies me every time I start to think I really need to do that for insurance purposes…

 

That's almost motivation enough to work on my online database again 😄

 

(actually, I have been working on it a bit, but since it's been a while again, I need to do a bunch of maintenance and rewriting ...)

 

[Arctic]

Here is an update of my roster, I am trying to stick to a couple of regions or lines:

 

Freight:

Koki 106 + Koki 107 Kato 10-1432

Taki 1000 Japan Oil Transportation Colour Kato 10-1669

JRF EF210-300 Kato 3092-1

JRF DF200-200 Kato 7007-5

 

Eastern Hokkaido (mainly centred around Kushiro):

JR Kiha 40-1700 Hokkaido Colour (M) Tomix 9447

JR Kiha 40-1700 Hokkaido Colour (T) Tomix 9448

JR Kiha 54 Drift Ice Story Greenmax 30483

JR Kiha 54 Hanasaki Line Earth Exploration Greenmax 50712

JR Kiha 54 Lupin III Wrapping Greenmax

JR Kiha 40-1700 Blessings of Northern Hokkaido Drift Ice and Eastern Hokkaido Forest Tomix 98077

JR Kiha 40-700/1700 JR Hokkaido Colour/Soya Line Express Colour Tomix 98102

JR Kiha 261 Basic Set Tomix 98472

JR Kiha 261 Add-On Set Tomix 98473

JR Kiha 261-5000 Series (Express Hamanasu) Tomix 98434

JR Kiha 40-700/1700 Revival Colour Vermillion Tomix 98951

JR Kiha 283 Series Kato 10-1695

 

Kyoto Line/Kosei Line/Nara Line

JR 103 Series Warbler Tomix 97935

JR 113-7700 Series 'Matcha' Greenmax 30418

JR 113-7700 Series 'Café Au Lait' Greenmax 30469

JR 117 Series Kyoto Area Colour Kato 10-949

JR 205-1000 Series Microace A2464

JR 221 Series Kato 10-1579

JR 223-2000 Series Shinkaisoku Kato 10-1677

JR 225-100 Series Shinkaisoku Kato 10-1440

JR 281 Series Haruka Limited Express (Hello Kitty Haruka Ori-Tsuru) Tomix 98690

JR 681 Series 'Thunderbird' Kato 10-345

Chizu Express HOT7000 Kato 10-1693

JR EF81 + 24 Series Sleeper Coaches Twilight Express (Appearance at time of Debut) Tomix 97903

 

Yamaguchi Line:

JR Kiha 47 Hiroshima Colour Tomix 98069

JR Kiha 47 San'in Colour Microace A0712

JR Kiha 187 Super Oki Tomix 92580

Series 35-400 SL Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Line Kato 10-1500

JR 12 Series Yu Yu Salon Okayama Microace A1121

D51-200 SL Yamaguchi Kato 2016-8

C57-1 SL Yamaguchi Kato 2024-1

 

Shinkansen:

N700A Nozomi Shinkansen (starter set) Kato 10-019

N700A Nozomi Shinkansen (add-on set) Kato 10-1175

W7 Series Shinkansen 'Hakutaka' Kato 10-1262

 

I just use an excel spreadsheet to track my inventory, although I have been too scared to do a sum over the price column yet...

[Bob Martin]

As a rule, I only buy the models that I’ve actually ridden AND are interesting (collection is mostly Shinkansen and tourist trains, and a couple commuter trains).  I’ve ridden, many others throughout Japan, but they either aren’t available as models or aren’t too interesting.  My current inventory...

 

92373 - JR E231-500
92374 - JR E231-500 [Set A]
92401 - JR E231-500 [Set C]
98964 - JR E5 Treasureland (Hyabusa)
98965 - JR E6 Treasureland (Komachi)
98623 - JR E3-700 (Genbi)
92418 - JR E259 (N’EX) x 2
92419 - JR E259 (N’EX) [Set A] x 2
92589 - JR E235
92590 - JR E235 [Set A]
92591 - JR E235 [Set B]
92486 - JR N700-1000 (N700A)
92487 - JR N700-1000 (N700A) [Set A]
92488 - JR N700-1000 (N700A) [Set B]
92548 - JR E4 Joetsu Shinkansen
92549 - JR E4 Joetsu Shinkansen [Add-on Set]
92530 - JR E7 Hokuriku Shinkansen
92531 - JR E7 Hokuriku Shinkansen [Set A]
92532 - JR E7 Hokuriku Shinkansen [Set B]
98669 - JR E3-1000 Yamagata Shinkansen
92575 - JR E2-1000 Tohoku Shinkansen
92576 - JR E2-1000 Tohoku Shinkansen [Set A]
92577 - JR E2-1000 Tohoku Shinkansen [Set B]
98615 - Kyushu Shinkansen 800-2000 Set
92822 - JR 700-7000 Sanyo Shinkansen (Hikari Rail Star) Set
92411 - JR N700-8000 Sanyo / Kyushu Shinkansen [Basic Set]
92412 - JR N700-8000 Sanyo / Kyushu Shinkansen [Add-on Set]
98615 - 800-2000 Kyushu Shinkansen (Tsubame) Set
92462 - JR E233-3000 series suburban train [Basic Set A]
92464 - JR E233-3000 series suburban train [Add-on Set A]
92465 - JR E233-3000 series suburban train [Add-on Set B]
92882 - JR E231-1000 suburban train [Basic Set B]
10-1524 - JR E353 Azusa/Kaiji [3-car set]
10-1523 - JR E353 Azusa/Kaiji [5-car set]
10-1522 - JR E353 Azusa/Kaiji [4-car set]
28-232 - KATO Power Chassis
10-1565 - JR E285-3000 Sunrise Express
98744 - Odakyu Romance Car 70000 GSE (2nd formation)
98461 - Kintetsu Railway 50000 series (Shimakaze) [Basic Set]
98462 - Kintetsu Railway 50000 series (Shimakaze) [Add-on Set]
98472 - JR Kiha 261-1000 (Super Hokuto) [Basic Set]
98473 - JR Kiha 261-1000 (Super Hokuto) [Add-on Set]

 

Pre-orders still pending delivery...

97947 - JR E4 Joetsu Shinkansen, Last Run Edition
98786 - Nippon Railway 80000 series, Hinotori

 

Misc

 

2162 - JR EF510

6426 - Tomix Track Cleaning Car

 

Edited June 22 by Bob Martin

[chadbag]

22 hours ago, Bob Martin said:

6426 - Tomix Track Cleaning Car

 

22 hours ago, Bob Martin said:

As a rule, I only buy the models that I’ve actually ridden AND are interesting

 

 

You've ridden a cleaning car like Tomix makes?

 

(Sorry, I couldn't resist).

 

I limit myself to whatever strikes my fancy, concentrating on those ones I've ridden or at least those areas of the world I have lived and ridden trains in, even if the ones I buy I've never seen in real life.  (A lot of my Euro ones are like that -- my time in Germany was mid-late 80s and again in early 90s so a good portion of what I have just reminds me of the area as it is more modern).

 

For this reason, most of my Japanese trains are more modern.  I do have some 103s but even most of them are later upgraded versions.  I don't have much from pre-2000 otherwise.

[ED75-775]

Probably about time I update my stock list then. Over half of my collection happens to be JNR steam-era, the remainder being either trains I have seen or ridden during my 2019 Japan holiday, or picked up out of interest second-hand.

 

Locomotives

 

 

Passenger stock

 

Freight stock

 

I personally use an Excel spreadsheet like @Kamome and @JR 500系 to keep track of my collection - my N scale stock list (incorporating my Kato Rhaetian Railway models) is a considerably simplified and slightly modified version of another sheet within the same document I use for my Märklin H0 collection. I've never considered photos, and to be honest I've never considered the insurance side for the N-scale stuff either which is probably just as well, since that was the genesis for the original H0-scale list. That's since expanded from one sheet (covering the H0 collection only) to four - one each for H0 digital addresses and H0 spare parts (the latter being the most recent addon - easier to have all that information in one place) and one for my N-scale collection as displayed above.

 

@cteno4 you're right about the accumulated costs being scary Jeff, when I view my H0-scale list I'm astounded at what I've managed to accumulate over 18 years and 361 days! I find it to be a great peace of mind thing though, knowing how much it's worth in case the unthinkable happens. And hey, it's a good way of also keeping track of what you have too.

 

Alastair