Software Index as a Modeling Tool
(Or, Where Was That Article?)
by Richard Lake
If you are all at like me you have several years of
back issues of one, two, three or more model railroad
magazines. Some of us I am sure have them neatly stored
and catalogued while others use the archeological filing
system; a pile of magazines stacked and waiting for the
dig to begin. The magazines are an invaluable resource,
but how often do we spend hours (days?) hunting for that
one article that has just what you need for the project
at hand if you could just remember which publication and
which issue. I keep meaning to get everything really
organized but there is so much to do and so little time.
If any of this rings a bell then you might want to
consider adding this computer program to your library of
resources. The program is titled "Data Train
Index" software (DTI), put out by Data Train of
Texas. This program provides an index of Model
Railroader (Jan.’47-Jul’95), Railroad Model
Craftsman (Jan’47-Jul’95), Narrow Gauge Gazette
(Mar/Apr’75-May/Jun’95, Mainline Modeler (Jan’80-Jul’95),
Railmodel Journal (Jun’89-Jul’95), Model Railroading
(Fall’79-Jul’95), and Trains (Jan’83-Jul’95).
The promotional material I received with my copy of the
program shows that it indexes 33,219 articles. DTI has
done for us what we all wish we had the time and energy
to do. Everything you always wanted to remember for
these publications is just waiting for you. Give the
proper search commands and up pops the information you
are searching for. One important note: this is a
database and not the complete text of these articles. A
DTI search will identify the publication and issue; it
is still up to you to find the issue in your library, a
friend’s, or the Kalmbach Library. Data Trains of
Texas also has an extensive collection of back issues
which they will be happy to sell for $1.50 to $3.00 per
issue depending on the publication and date of issue.
First, the technical information — The program runs
on any IBM compatible system with 640K of RAM and at
least 10.5 megabytes of hard disk storage. It is a DOS
program, but will run under Windows 3.1 (I cannot speak
for Windows 95 since I have not upgraded as yet.) While
the program will run on any DOS-based machine regardless
of processor speed, faster machines result in much
faster retrieval. The DTI manual states that a Pentium
90 processor takes about 30 seconds to complete a search
while an 8088 will take 25 minutes. Searches can be
displayed on the monitor, sent to a printer, or saved as
a DOS file. A limited number of printer drivers are
included with the program, but I had no trouble getting
my HP Deskjet to print with this program. There is one
driver simply called "Draft" which I suspect
will accommodate just about any printer.
The program is very easy to install. It comes with a
clear set of directions and all that you need to do is
to follow them. Installation took me about five minutes
and I was ready to begin searching for information.
Searching for information in the seven publications
indexed is what DTI is all about. The procedure is as
straight-forward as the installation. The main menu has
three choices. Select number 2, "Select Database
Search." Select two words or phrases for search
parameters and then type in the first word on the first
line, hit enter, type the second word on the next line,
enter again, type the desired output location (printer,
screen, or DOS file) enter again, and the search begins.
If you selected screen output and there are records in
the database which match the search parameters, the
screen fills. The screen will show only four records at
a time, but moving from one screen to another is simply
a matter of hitting "N" (for next) on the
keyboard. You can also move to the last record retrieved
with one keystroke or jump back to the beginning with
one stroke. There are a number of other ways that data
can be accessed, but the method just described is the
simplest and so far, has served my purposes quite well.
The manual contains all the information you need if you
want to use other search criteria such as a specific
publication with year and month of issue.
The more precise you are in choosing search words,
the more limited the data retrieved. For example, I used
"40’" and "boxcar" and quit
counting after 90 screens of data. Then I tried
"freight" and "cars" and there were
63 screens (249 entries) covering the period from 1995
through 1949. Trying to restrict the search still
further I tried "boxcar" and "Santa
Fe" which produced only two entries. Clearly, you
have to give some thought to search words to access the
information you really want.
Enough of the technical stuff. Let’s get to the
real reason to invest your modeling dollars in something
that won’t go on the layout. This program is really
useful. For example, I know I read an article sometime
in the last two years or so that explained very simply
how to take drawings in any scale and use a photocopier
to reproduce those drawings in the scale you want (HO in
my case). I have the article — I just don’t remember
where it was. This is where DT shines. Using the key
words "scale" and "conversion," the
search brings up exactly what I needed. The article was
by Keith Thompson in the September ‘94 issue of MR and
appears on page 24. It took about 30 seconds for DT to
scan the database and give me this information. I don’t
want to think about how long it might take me to skim
through the last two years of all the publications I
subscribe to.
What would you like to find out? How about articles
on Mikados. Type "Mikado" and wait thirty
seconds and a whole list of articles on prototype,
kitbash, paint schemes and super detailing appears on
the screen.
If you want a copy of the information on the screen,
all you need to do is press the Print Screen key and you
can get a copy printed.
What about something on structures? Design
Preservation Models has lots of kits and modular
components and their products have been the subject of a
lot of kitbash articles. Type "Design" and
"Preservation" and find that there are 28
references in DT that include product reviews,
kitbashing and painting technique.
The first search Venita and I did was at the train
show in Atlanta this July. I recently purchased a set of
the Rock Island Golden Rocket passenger cars made by
Rivarossi. Knowing that some day this will be the crack
passenger train on the eL & eL, Venita plans to
detail the interior. Her first question after I bought
the cars was, "What colors were used in the
interiors?" When we were deciding to whether or not
to buy DTIndex, we asked for a demonstration using
"Rock Island" and "passenger" as the
search terms. There were a number of references to Rock
Island passenger cars and two specific to the Golden
Rocket. Those two entries are reproduced here to show
what information the program provides:
TRAIN/PASSENGER / CHICAGO ROCK ISLAND & PACIFIC's
GOLDEN ROCKET
PROTOTYPE DATA & DRAWING STEVE HILE
Railroad Model Craftsman
Mar 1988 Page 66 Vol 56 Num 10
PASSENGER CAR/COACH/ROCK ISLAND RR. DAY-LIGHT
#339-349 1947
PULLMAN STANDARD, 1947 "GOLDEN STATE"
"GOLDEN ROCKET"
GEORGE TRAGER
PROTOTYPE DATA & DRAWING
Railroad Model Craftsman
Jan 1970 Page 46 Vol 38 Num 8
Great resources except that I don’t happen to have
either of these issues in my personal collection. Data
Train of Texas has back issues and so we bought the 1988
issue in Atlanta.
Buying back issues is one way to get the articles you
find using DTIndex, but some issues may be impossible to
find and even if the issue is available, maybe spending
the money on it just seems a little much. There is
another solution. As members of the NMRA we all have
access to the Kalmbach Library. (Read the most recent
issue of Caboose Kibitzer for a good write-up on the
Library and its services.) With the DTIndex printout,
you can call or write the Library and because you can
specify exactly what articles in what issues you want,
they should be able to have copies on the way to you in
a matter of a few days.
The more I use this program the more convinced I
become that it was a good modeling investment. It will
improve my modeling because I will take the time to
search for the articles that relate to the current
project whatever it may be. It will give me more time to
model, because I won’t spend hours hunting through
back issues for that nebulous something that I remember
reading sometime. And it will enable me to make use of
articles in magazines that I don’t have using the
resources of the Kalmbach Library. It is a valuable
addition to my modeling library.
DataTrain Index
DataTrain of Texas
1415 Golden Gate
Carrollton, Texas, 75007
Cost: $49.95
Periodic updates available for $15.
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