Looking for Track laying / inventory program

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

I’ve been looking for a PC program for track laying, and train inventory, to no avail, well sort of.

I’ve looked at the obvious places, such as Office Max, Best-Buy, etc., but the only thing I’ve seen is the ad that CTT has in the mag…

The one advertised in CTT costs 80.00 bucks, and I just think that’s a little rediculously high just for a PC program.

What I need is a program that can run on Windows-98se with no 3-D video.

What I want to do is enter & save a list of all the train stuff I have, by catagory.

Also I need it to give me all available track layouts possible, according to the pieces of track I list on the inventory by radius, brand, style, length, etc.

I don’t wanna chop my arm off to pay for it, either. 80 bucks is flat out highway robbery, and I’de like to find it for less than half that price. It doesn’t have to be the latest version.

Anyone know where I can get lucky?

Thanks…

2

Good morning Wabash,

If you belong to MTH collectors club, part of it is track software. The disc also has a data base for inventory, but may only be MTH, after all, it came from them.

If not, you can sometimes find these programs (the MTH one) at train shows for $5 to $10.00

tom

3

Thanks Tom. After I posted this new thread, I gave Google a try, and guess where it took me?

To the Model Railroader forum!!! LOL

I seen a year old thread on this subject over there, and got my bubble popped. Seems as though most all of those programs cost a fortune, and require 3D. There was mention of a few free downloads, but from what I read, it isn’t worth the bother.

I use Lionel O gauge Tubular track, so the MTH thing you mentioned wouldn’t do me much good I guess, huh?

My PC is pretty old, and has a very small hard drive, so programs that require 3D would be a “no-go” for me. I don’t even us the thing to go online with, – thats how bad it is. I use the old WebTV to do the online stuff.

Well I guess I’ll just stick with pen / paper for design, and use the Windows Note-pad on PC for manual inventory.

Thanks Tom

4

HI Wabash,

The MTH is 031 also, so I used it on my layout, which is really 027. Check my web page for the trackplans I made. Older MTH software is only 2D. Sounds like its time to visit a train show.

BTW – there is one on November 28 at Eastlake North High School, just a 10 minute walk from my house.

tom

5

I just sent a query email to both MTH and Lionel, regarding any software they might have, both current & older. Waiting to hear back from them, now.

Haven’t been to a show for awhile, so I’m long overdue. Perhaps I’ll join you up there on the 28th.

6

On the commercial software train trackers you are paying for the databases and the prices.

I used to be a huge fan of Train Tracker but after the V4.o debacle I am not interested in buying from them again.

If you are just inventorying your stuff, just use excel orf some other spreadsheet program. Every few years buy the price guide and update.