Computers and Model
Railroading
text and photos by Richard Schumacher
originally presented as a clinic at the 1998
NMRA National Convention
Overview
This clinic discusses many ways your home computer
may be used to enhance your model railroading. Topics
include railroad paperwork (timetables, forms,
letterhead, rulebooks), artwork (signs, decals, control
panels, building interiors, backgrounds), digital
photography, PhotoCDs and scanners, track planning,
drawing and photo editing programs, designing and
managing railroad operation, running operating sessions,
modeling-specific programs, connecting the computer to
the layout, and info on selecting a computer system and
software. The online version has five photos you may use
on your model railroad.
Railroad Paperwork
One of the easiest model railroading computer
applications is the development of supporting paperwork
for your railroad. Most paperwork is made using
"page layout" techniques, creating text and
tables and then adding graphics created with some other
program.
Many computer users believe items such as business
cards and passes, timetables, and railroad forms can
only be made in high-end "desktop publishing"
software such as PageMaker ($550) or QuarkXPress ($700).
The reality is those packages are overkill for what we
want to accomplish.
Full-featured word processors (such as Microsoft Word
or Corel WordPerfect) offer all the features we need to
create railroad paperwork. These word processors are
able to perform highly complex "desktop
publishing" and page layout design tasks, as well
as serving as your core writing tool. They also include
a basic vector drawing capability and the ability to
include photographs and scanned files prepared in other
applications.
The use of tables is the key to successfully
designing with a full-featured word processor. Many
items we'll want to create are tables (timetables and
forms), while the organized arrangement of text and
graphics (railroad stock or award certificates, layout
operator's guides, car cards) are best created as
tables. Don't read about tabs - you'll hardly ever use
them. Most of what you'll want to create are best (and
most easily) done as tables.
However, low-end desktop
publishing software is extremely useful for more easily
creating certain kinds of documents. My favorite low-end
desktop publishing tool is Microsoft Publisher ($100, or
included in Microsoft Office Small Business Edition). MS
Publisher has wizards and templates to quickly and
easily create newsletters, web pages, tri-fold
brochures, flyers, postcards, invitations, greeting
cards, business cards, letterheads, business forms,
calendars, award certificates, labels, and origami and
paper airplanes. Your local office supply store may have
other "desktop publishing" software for as
little as $20.
Avery (available at all of the
"office supplies" chain stores) offers opaque
white and clear labels in various sizes, and business
card stock. Make sure to purchase "ink-jet"
versions for ink-jet printers and "laser"
versions for laser printers.
PaperDirect is a great source
for custom papers (800-272-7377). They offer certificate
paper (awards or "stock" certificates),
business card stock, and newsletter/brochure paper
useful for model railroading applications.
Creating Letterhead
The easiest form is your railroad's letterhead. This
is simply some nicely formatted text at the top (and
maybe also the bottom) of a page. Letterhead looks nicer
(and more "official") when printed on nice
paper. Linen finish paper was traditional for many
railroad corporate offices. Ivory paper immediately
distinguishes your railroad's letter from everyone
else's standard white copier paper. Maroon (or red) and
black are traditional color combinations on ivory paper.
A combination of red and black, or blue and black, also
work well on white paper.
Creating Business Cards & Passes
Most word processors and publishing software have
templates (documents you call up with pre-prepared
formatting for a special purpose) for business cards.
Don't waste money on a software package specifically to
make "business cards", instead use the
template (or create your own) in your word processor.
It's a simple matter of measuring and setting the
margins to match the locations of the perforations on
the card stock. Most business card stock has ten cards
(two columns of five) per sheet. Stock is also available
with high quality pre-printed color designs or borders.
Lettering is usually smaller on a business card that
you would first guess. A 7 pt type size is quite common
for the small address lettering.
What's the "pt" (points) bit you ask?
Typesetting makes many measurements in points. There are
72 points to an inch. It's a simple conversion. Since a
lot of small measurements and adjustments are made when
typesetting, it's easier to say something's 3 points,
rather than 0.0416".
A variation of a business card is the railroad pass.
A pass permits free travel by the bearer. Traditionally
they had rounded corners
(something not available in over-the counter papers
yet), but the principle may be applied (and printed on)
standard business card stock. Passes usually have your
railroad's passenger rules and restrictions printed on
the reverse side (like "no criticizing the
layout").
Business card techniques may
also be used to produce nice membership cards for your
club or division members.
You may also develop the artwork and layout of the card
yourself, and take final high-quality artwork to a
traditional printer to have raised-letter cards printed.
 Creating
Stock Certificates
Early railroad stock certificates were known for
their elaborate engraving. Stock certificate printing
companies eventually developed libraries of train images
- you're starting a new railroad, you visit the
certificate printer and save money picking a
"stock" train engraving!
The wording can be serious to humorous. But it's
wording you print with your word processor. Getting the
appropriate train engraving for the top can be more
difficult. The easiest approach is to purchase an
antique certificate and scan the train.
Stock certificate borders are too elaborate to print
well on a home ink-jet printer. Purchase pre-printed
certificate paper for a complete "professional
look".
Creating Award Certificates
A variation of the stock certificate is an award
certificate. At the Gateway Division's annual train
show, I set up a notebook and laser printer and use
pre-printed certificate paper to print nice-looking
certificates for the model and photo contest winners. We
usually mount the 1st place certificates in a nice
frame/plaque for added distinction.
The big advantage is you have great looking
certificates that you directly hand to the winners when
they pick up their entries. No mailing to follow-up on,
and nobody calling to ask when they're going to receive
their award.
We also print a "Certificate of
Appreciation" for each clinician and layout on
tour. These can be printed in advance, of course. It is
an inexpensive way to make your clinicians and tour
layout owners feel appreciated.
Creating Timetables
Timetables are basically large tables. Use the table
tool in your word processor to create them. Although you
may first think a spreadsheet program can be used,
unless you have an "upscale" program, you will
find your formatting choices extremely limited by the
spreadsheet software.
There are many ways to format a timetable. Each
railroad had their own idea of how they should look at
any point in their history. It usually works best to get
an actual timetable from your favorite
road in your era and use that as your formatting
inspiration.
To create the schedule timings
for the table, use Train Scheduler which is available
for free as an on-line Java applet, or a downloadable
program from DPS Systems. This is a really neat program
and one you should make sure to get (http://home.earthlink.net/~dpssys).
A single-sheet timetable works
well as a tri-fold letter sheet (landscape). Larger
timetable books seem to work best portrait orientation,
but trimmed to only 8" tall (8x4-1/4 final folded
size). Orange or yellow covers add to the charm for this
saddle-stapled book style. Remember that railroads
printed (plain looking but detailed) employee and
(pretty, but passenger stops only) public versions.
Creating Operating Forms
Form 19 is simple: railroad name, space to write
notes, place to sign form. Other operating forms, such
as dispatcher and block sheets, are simply large tables.
Time is more spent determining how to size and format
the lettering, and what locations to include, than
anything else.
Creating Operator's Guides
Operator's guide act as a miniature
"rulebook". Use it to communicate special
operating features or issues for your layout, as well as
to guide new (or forgetful) operators.
These are just fancy word processing with diagrams
dropped in. A common size is 5-1/2x4-1/4 (two on a
standard sheet of letter paper, folded and saddle
stapled). You may want to use an orange or yellow cover
to match some prototype materials.
Things valuable to include might be: a list of stops
for commonly run trains, hand signals (if you use them),
radio procedures, speed restrictions, what those strange
unmarked switches on the control panels actually do, and
most important, CLIC diagrams for the stations and
industries (so you know where that setout is really
supposed to go).
Electronic Presentations
Special electronic presentation software, like
Microsoft PowerPoint is available. It works very well
when you will give the presentation electronically live.
Not may people have personal portable video projectors,
so 35mm slides, or 8x10 overhead transparencies, are
typically used by model railroad presenters. If your
goal is to create title slides for clinics that will be
projected as transparencies, they may also be written in
your word processor or publishing software, printed on
nice paper ("parchment" pattern works well),
and shot with a 35mm camera on a copy stand. Or, if you
want to be fancy and spend more money, you can add a
background, save as an EPS file, and have a Photo Lab
make color slides electronically from your file (at
about $5 each). Special transparency material is
available for your printer, and
you can directly make overhead transparencies.
The title slides in my
presentation were printed on an HP 890 ink-jet on ivory
"parchment" paper. For those technically
interested, the "screen shots" of computer
programs were captured in Paint Shop Pro, printed on a
color laser (for brighter and clearer color), and
photographed with a 35mm camera on a copy stand (Ektachrome
100).
Artwork and Graphics
The next step beyond text-based materials is the
design of original artwork. Common uses of original
artwork for model railroading include structure signs
and interiors, decals, control panels, and railroad
marketing posters.
Drawing vs. Photo Editing
One key essential in creating good computer artwork
is recognizing there are two technical categories of
art, each requiring different software and techniques to
produce.
Photographs and scanned images constitute the
"bitmap" or "photo" category. These
images consist of rows of thousands of spots (called
pixels), each having color and brightness values. Bitmap
images typically feature extensive texture and color
detail. However the images do not "resize" or
stretch well. Casually changing a bitmap to a different
size will result in a grainy, blurry, course or fuzzy
image as the software attempts to fill the gaps (when
stretching larger) or combine together (when making
smaller) the image's pixels. Images need to be created
and used at the size they will be reproduced for maximum
quality.
Most people use bitmaps to reproduce existing bitmap
(photo) images, perhaps with a little editing. Creating
original bitmap images requires significant skill,
artistic talent and practice with the software tool.
Photo editing software does not work well to create
line drawings, plans, and technical illustrations.
Photos are one "solid" image, individual
objects in the photo (lines, boxes, surfaces, etc)
cannot be easily manipulated because they aren't
individual objects. And usually there are other issues
such as color matching, perspective, and varying image
focus or sharpness that make it even more difficult to
make extensive image modifications.
The "drawing" category creates separate
objects that may be individually created, combined, and
grouped with other objects. Drawings typically feature
crisp lines, sharp edges, geometric shapes, solid colors
or gradients, and easily modified or repositioned
individual drawing elements. This is great for control
panels, blueprints, electronic diagrams, track plans, or
structure signs where you want those characteristics.
But for many uses the colors are too solid and plain,
the patterns too regular, the drawing is "too
clean". Most drawing packages allow you to
"paint" an object with a photographic texture,
adding to the realism. Using a
drawing program requires "technical" drawing
skills you can practice, adding the photo textures
requires an artistic "feel" to get right.
To add subtle shading, shadows
and textures to a drawing, it may be converted in the
final stages to a bitmap format to add those
"finishing touches". The drawing is
"exported" in an appropriate lossless bitmap
format (usually TGA, TIF or BMP), making sure it is
exported at the exact size and resolution it will be
used, to ensure the highest possible image quality.
Photo editing software is used to add the final
photographic effects.
An example would be a track
plan drawn in a vector program to maximize the quality
of the track plan lines, layout edges, and structure
rectangles. The plan is then converted into a photo
editing program to add the subtle coloring and shading
of the scenic contours, mountains, rivers, and trees.
This conversion is done for the
3D animations you see in movies and TV. The animations
are designed and drawn in a 3D version of vector drawing
programs as they involve many separate objects requiring
exact positioning. Photographic textures are mapped onto
the vector objects, and the resulting combination is
recorded frame by frame in a final bitmap format (as
video and film, like photographs, are inherently bitmap
formats).
Vector drawings are converted
to bitmap formats for presentation of web pages, since
web pages currently only display bitmap graphics
(usually in GIF or JPEG). Web graphics are typically
created with 72 dpi resolution, since that is
approximately the resolution of the color monitor you
use to view the web pages. The GIF format works better
for graphics with sharp edges (lines, text, etc.) as
JPEG tends to "blur" sharp or contrasty edges.
JPEG is commonly used for web photographs, since it can
store a greater range of colors and the lossy
compression it uses tends to produce smaller file sizes
(which download faster).
Vector Graphics (Drawing) Software
WMF, CGM, EPS, and AI are the common interchangeable
file formats, most software uses a proprietary file
format to make your life difficult.
Basic drawing is built into Microsoft Word, Office
and Publisher. It is called Microsoft Draw. Other
choices include:
Micrografx Draw 6 ($50, best drawing bargain, comes with
PhotoMagic photo editing and Instant 3D software as
well).
Corel Draw 8 ($430, includes Photo-Paint).
Micrografx Designer ($325, part of Micrografx Graphics
Suite)
Adobe Illustrator ($360)
Visio Technical ($285), there is also Visio Standard
($140), but it's more for flowcharts
AutoCAD LT ($400), real AutoCAD is more $$$
Bitmap Graphics (Photo)
Software
There are lossy and lossless formats:
BMP, TIF, TGA, PhotoCD, GIF (lossless)
JPEG (lossy)
You always want to edit in a lossless format.
If you purchased Micrografx Draw 6, you got basic photo
editing (PhotoMagic) in the package. Windows comes with
"Paint", but it's just annoying. Other choices
include:
JASC Paint Shop Pro ($80 - great for conversions)
Adobe PhotoDeluxe ($50)
Corel Photo-Paint (included in Corel Draw, $430)
Picture Publisher (comes with Micrografx Studio)
Adobe Photoshop ($600)
Clipart
A selection comes with Microsoft Office and most
drawing packages. Vector and photographic clipart is
available from almost everyone these days, and it varies
tremendously in quality.
Artbeats offers texture clipart of great quality (and
corresponding cost). For modelers, their
"Exteriors" CD is very compelling since it has
various brick, stone, roofing, and wood textures.
Microsoft offers free clipart from their web site,
with links to other vendors sampling their clipart.
Creating Signs
Signs can vary from basic text (word processor) to
elaborate multi-hued billboard extravaganzas with
gradient-shaded lettering (drawing package). Look at
pictures of your era to be inspired for the correct
fonts and placement styles. Clipart makes it easy to
create interesting backgrounds or added graphics.
Creating Crates and Boxes
Printing resolution becomes a problem for small
objects like labels on crates, barrels and boxes. One
way to overcome this is to create your artwork lots
larger (and therefore clearer), use a 35mm camera on a
copy stand to take color photos, and cut the crate
labels out of 4x6 color photographic prints (you can
peal the backing layer off the photos to make them
thinner).
If you don't mind slightly fuzzy signs, you may also
print them actual size on a high-resolution printer
(such as a color or B&W laser).
Cardboard appliance boxes are easier since they
usually have only black printing. Laser printers now
commonly print with high enough resolution to print
boxes actual size on brown kraft paper (well, maybe not
for Z yet ...).
Creating Decals
You can use your drawing program to create decal
artwork. Contact the decal manufacturer to verify the
width they print. Typically there is a fixed width and
you are charged by the vertical inch. Artwork usually
must be provided twice actual size. Make sure to print
tests varying the size of the lettering, you will find
that your first guess likely is not the correct size to
use.
You can also create artwork to print to decal paper.
The problem is laser printers and
color copiers can't make opaque light colors (yellow,
white, orange, silver, dulux). Black from a laser
printer reproduces great. Color lasers do very well with
black, dark red, blue and green, and moderately well
with regular red, blue and green. One trick is to print
dark lettering on a sheet of pre-printed white or yellow
decal paper and cut out the final result (say green
printing on a yellow field). Red and black on a white
background is exceptionally stunning. Alps (http://www.alpsusa.com)
also makes a special printer which can print white and
metallic gold and silver on clear decal paper.
The objective of decal artwork
is to squeeze as much as possible onto the area
(maximize your value). This is different from making
artwork to pad print a car, it that case you have to
place the artwork exactly where it will go on the car,
taking into account all of the molded-on detail on the
car and how it will effect the printing. You need to
test check again and again to make sure you get the
placements right before sending off the artwork to have
the cars printed.
Creating Control Panels
Draw your control panel. Make sure to give the
pushbuttons and toggle switches plenty of room.
Technique 1: Color print sandwiched
between clear Plexiglas (on top) and something else (Masonite,
thick styrene). Disadvantage: have you ever tried
drilling Plexiglas?
Technique 2: Dye-sub overhead
transparency printed so the image side faces down.
Dye-sub transparencies are printed on Polyester - very
tough. Use double-side adhesive sheet to affix to a
pre-drilled brushed aluminum sheet. Thick styrene also
works for small (4x6) panels. Disadvantage: cost of
dye-sub print (about $15-20).
Technique 3: Avery makes 8-1/2x11 clear
label sheets. Use a color laser printer (ink jet won't
work - rubs off) to print the panel on the clear label.
Stick the label on thick styrene after cleaning the
styrene with alcohol. Disadvantage: label can peal back
at the edges with time. Why the clear label and not a
white label? The white label yellows quickly, damages
easily, and peals off much faster.
Creating Building Interiors
Your drawing and photo editing software may be used
to create patterns (wallpaper and carpet). Clipart is
available for wood floors and brick walls.
Drawing interiors usually give a result that doesn't
have enough detail to look right. Photographed and
scanned objects are more realistic than objects the
average modeler can draw. The easiest way out is to take
photos of real interiors and retouch them to work for
your situation. You may also arrange model items and
photograph them as well. Here are four interiors created
that way for your warehouses. Click on the thumbnails
below to load the larger, more detailed, versions. Save
the larger version and print it on your color printer in
the appropriate size for your model.
Interior1.jpg, 227kb
Interior2.jpg, 220kb
Interior3.jpg, 231kb
Interior4.jpg, 241kb
The scan of the photo is edited and sized to scale
and to fit the building interior.
It is also much easier to photograph items at an angle
than to draw them that way.
You can also take photos of
items (real or model) and use them to create your own
clipart to fill warehouse floors and store shelves and
display windows. Corel also offers PhotoCDs of
photographs, including one of restaurant interiors, some
of industrial plants, and another of individual pieces
of antique furniture.
Creating Store Windows
Print on overhead transparency material and cut out
as the window. Use dark colors, as light colors are not
effective (same problem as with decals). Make sure the
interior of the building has light colored shelves so
the dark lettering on the window is readable.
You can also print, cut out, and hang paper signs in
the store windows. Or print blinds and draperies.
Creating Backgrounds
Take photos of the real world (it helps if you take
level, straight-on, well lit photos, of course), get a
quality scan (PhotoCD), retouch out unwanted items (any
maybe add something you want - a different sign
perhaps?), and then have it poster or dye-sub printed.
The new HP 1120C does really nice 11x17s for a $500 home
printer. Poster printers can create images up to 100'
feet long (although very complex and expensive to do).
The below New Orleans warehouse is a perfect background
structure. Click on the thumbnail below to load the
larger, more detailed, version. Save the larger version
and print it on your color printer in the appropriate
size for your scene.
Warehouse.jpg, 380kb
Creating Stand-In Structures
Just as you can create individual buildings for
background relief, such images may be attached to a foam
board box to "mock up" a custom structure. In
addition, you can build you own structures by using your
photos as "clipart libraries" - a window from
here, a door from there, a brick column from over here .…
Creating Marketing Posters
Railroads historically stuck their name on everything
to create brand recognition with the public. Marketing
and travel posters promoted the railroad as much as (or
instead of) the destination.
Clipart or scans from original railroad art may be
used. Look at railroad art of your period for ideas.
Printers
Consumer ink-jet printers:
HP 890C ($400) and 1120C
($500). Best color printing for the money with good
B&W text speed. Lower cost inkjets are easier to
break and more irritating to use - you're better off
with these "upscale" basic printers.
Laser printers:
HP LaserJets provide excellent
image quality and great printing speed. For home, low
duty use, the HP 6Pse ($800) will work. The best value
is their general business printer, the HP 4000se
($1,200), which kills trees at an astounding 17 ppm. If you need business 11x17 capable, get the
HP 5000 ($1,500). And their heavy-duty department
printer is the HP 8000N ($2,800) which can have duplex
and 2000-sheet bin options and prints at 25 ppm.
Label printers:
CoStar LabelWriter XL
($140-$250). Individual labels (address, file, video
tape, etc.) on demand using rolls of special thermal
labels. Very addictive.
Color Laser Printers:
All expensive to purchase. An
entry-level model would be an HP Color LaserJet
($4,000). You can get true 1200 dpi resolution with the
Tektronix 560 Enhanced ($6,500+). Fairly inexpensive
per-page to print. Service man will need to visit every
so often. Lots of copy centers now offer these in their
"computer room" where you can print on them.
High-End Ink Jets:
These fall into two categories,
phase change ink-jet and poster printers. Phase change
ink-jets melt solid "crayons" of color on
demand and spit the molten ink on the paper creating
"poster bright" colors on up to 11x17. The
Tektronix Phaser 380 ($7,000+) is the best one of these.
True poster printers
create images 35" wide
and up to 100 feet long. A typical use is the giant food
ad photos in supermarket windows. The HP Design Jet
2500CP ($13K+) is one of the best "bang for the
buck" models. The service man could move in with
you for these printers. Upscale copy centers will have a
poster printer available "behind the counter"
and charge about $10-$15 per square foot.
Dye-sub printers:
Expensive per-page to print,
but produces true photographic quality results. The
popular 81/2x11 model is the Kodak PS-8650 ($6,000). The
Tektronix Phaser 480 ($7,500+) produces excellent
11x17s. Kodak dye-sub prints (image size up to
91/2"x131/2") cost about $13 at upscale photo
labs. Dye-sub overheads are printed on polyester, which
is about as indestructible as they can get. The service
man will make quarterly visits. Upscale photo labs and
copy centers have these "behind the counter".
Film Recorders:
A 35mm slide from a file will
cost about $5 each plus additional charges if you didn't
prepare the file correctly. If you aren't in the
business of selling slides from files, don't buy a film
recorder. This is an upscale photo lab "behind the
counter" item. There are also companies where you
can e-mail your file and they'll FedEx back the slides
(at about $10 each).
Digital Photography
Good quality consumer digital cameras will produce a
decent 4x6 or 5x7 print at best (compared to the quality
of a real photograph). Many are intended for people who
can't tell a difference in quality in their photos, or
for people who want photos for web sites which need to
be low res and small anyway. Examples of fairly good
basic models include:
Olympus D-320L ($500) uses
SmartMedia cards (8MB, $90). 1024x768, autofocus, flash,
small.
Kodak DC120 ($600) uses CompactFlash cards (8MB, $90).
1280x960, zoom lense, flash.
New models seem to come out every day.
Updated Note: The digital
camera to purchase now (4-99) is the Kodak DC265.
Most consumer digital cameras
offer poor image quality (640x480), the inability to
cope with macro subjects, and lossy compression of
images (making them look and print even worse). The
reason low-res cameras are popular is their low cost,
and that this resolution works well for photos on
personal web pages or sent by e-mail (as lower
resolution and smaller picture size means smaller file
size).
There are high-quality
professional digital cameras (Nikon E2N or DCS 420,
Canon DCS 520, Minolta RD-175) but they cost $5,000 and
up. You're better off taking photos on 35mm film and
having PhotoCD scans made. At some point the prices on
these high-quality digital cameras will fall into a more
understandable range. For now, these high-end cameras
are strictly for ad agencies doing thousands of photos
for catalogs (or the very wealthy).
Good prosumer digital (miniDV)
video cameras offer still-frame capability, similar in
quality to a mid-priced digital still camera. I
recommend: Canon Optura or Sony DCRVX-1000. Of course
these can do breathtaking video quality and are
wonderful for those railfanning sessions.
Scanners
"Enhanced resolution" is a term used to lie
about the quality of the scans produced. You must
compare the true optical resolution (a term some
manufacturers use to mislead as well) of the scanner to
determine what it can actually produce.
It's usually not cost effective to purchase a scanner
as the cheap ones are disappointing and the expensive
ones are expensive - instead rent time on a good scanner
at your local copy center.
A good business-grade scanner is the HP ScanJet
6100Cse ($800). It includes Corel Photo-Paint software
and produces 30-bit color scans at 600dpi actual optical
resolution (called 2400 dpi enhanced).
To scan 35mm slides and negatives, the Nikon Super
CoolScan 2000 ($1,900) produces excellent 2700 dpi
results. Each 36-bit color scan takes about 30 sec.
(after you set the scan up). However, $1,900 can
purchase a whole lot of PhotoCD scans, and you're not
sitting there for hours doing the work.
PhotoCDs
PhotoCD is a technology developed by Kodak which
offers low-cost, high-quality digital scans from color
or B&W slides or negatives. It is a very cost
effective means of archiving and retrieving large
numbers of images. PhotoCD creates
a photographic-quality scan. Consumer digital cameras
and home scanners create a web-site quality scan.
An extremely expensive and high
quality scanner and imaging workstation is used to scan
and master the PhotoCDs. You will usually get better
service (and pricing) from a Photo Lab (aka
"Imaging Center") that actually owns this
Kodak PhotoCD equipment. PhotoCDs may also be ordered
from any retailer who offers Kodak photo processing.
It is much more cost and time
effective to have your slides or negatives scanned to
PhotoCD than to attempt to scan them yourself. And
unless you purchase an extremely expensive scanner, and
spend lots of time learning how to use it, the PhotoCD
scan will be vastly superior in quality than any of the
scans you would create.
PhotoCD scans are different,
and significantly better quality, than the scans made by
companies offering a "we'll send it back to you on
floppy disk" or "we'll e-mail your
images" service.
A PhotoCD disc looks much like
an audio CD or computer software disc. A preview print
slipped in the CD's jewel case provides thumbnails of
each image and that image's corresponding number.
PhotoCD discs may be read on
Windows or Mac computers or special PhotoCD players.
PhotoCD players are connected to a television to view
the images.
Two types of PhotoCD scanning
services are available. The "basic" or
"normal" service is called "Master
PhotoCD" and is appropriate for model railroading
purposes. Typically you are charged up to $8 for the
special Kodak blank CDR disc (which holds up to about
100 scans), and from $.60 to $1.75 per slide or
negative.
Flat artwork may be scanned to
PhotoCD (up to $5 per image). Duplicate PhotoCDs usually
cost about $12 per disc plus $.65 per image.
The "Pro PhotoCD"
professional service is available at significantly
higher cost. It includes the ability to add encryption
and watermarking controls to the images, scans of 120
and 4x5 slides and negatives, custom image tuning, and
extremely high resolution scans (the 6-res Pro Pac
creates a 72MB file per image). Pro PhotoCD costs up to
$14 per blank CDR disc and up to $15 per scan.
Nonlinear Computer Video Editing
Easy way to spend lots of money and all your time.
Could be a whole series of clinics by itself. This
technology will become cheaper and easier within the
next two years.
Track Planning
Drawing software can be used to design layouts. An
easy application is to draw proposed benchwork
arrangements that fit your space
to use to free-hand "doodle" potential track
plans. A number of companies offer software specifically
for this purpose.
Entry level choices include DPS
Rail ($50, also a free online Java demo version), Atlas
Right Track (online demo version avail.), Abracadata 3D
Railroad ($100, online demo avail.), and Sillub XtrakCad
(online demo avail.)
http://home.earthlink.net/~dpssys
(DPS Systems)
http://www.atlasrr.com
http://www.abracadata.com
http://www.sillub.com
The two "big dogs" in this market are El
Dorado 3rd PlanIt ($100) and Cadrail ($100, online demo
avail.).
http://www.eldoradosoft.com
http://sandiasoftware.com
Designing and Managing Railroad Operation
DPS Systems offers Train Scheduler for Free!
They have an on-line
Java version, or a downloadable program (http://home.earthlink.net/~dpssys).
It does all of the calculations and can create train
graphs! You want this program!
Running Operating Sessions
Shenandoah Software offers a waybills program to
print the McFall system of waybills ($15). You need
their MiTrains Inventory System ($40) to print the car
envelopes. They offer both together for $50.
http://members.aol.com/Shenware/order.html
Of course you can create your own paperwork with word
processing and drawing software. Specialized software is
needed to model other aspects of the prototype, however.
ProTrak ($197) does real time total operations
railroad management for serious operators.
Not just waybills and switchlists, but measure costs and
revenues, rates, routing, tracking, car loading,
operating and engineering rules, service and interchange
rules, hazmat handling, yardmaster cuts and tag lists,
.... Well, you get the idea.
http://www.intranet.ca/~moir.sdr/index.htm
Distractions and Useful Additions
Games, screen savers, reference CDs, cab simulators,
dispatching simulators. I have a friend (now retired)
who limits himself to only four hours a day with his cab
simulator.
Abracada specializes in this entry level of this
category with products like Train Engineer Deluxe ($40,
online demo avail.), Trains Screen Saver ($20), and
Freight Train (operations game, $30). Sandia has
Multimedia Adventure Kits for an interactive CD-based
tour of real railroads like Cumbres & Toltec and
Durango & Silverton ($50 ea) which includes maps and
drawings in addition to the hundreds of photos.
http://www.abracadata.com
http://sandiasoftware.com
Reference material are growing.
Atlas recently put their entire track plan library on a
CD. Data Trains of Texas sells an index to most of the
popular hobby magazines. I have one friend who
constantly gets calls from other modelers to lookup
information in DT Index for them.
MiTrains offers an Inventory
System to track your rolling stock. It has options to
assist the Micro-Trains collector as well. The Waybills
program is an add-in to the Inventory System ($50 for
both).
http://members.aol.com/Shenware/mitrains.html
Your Own Web Page
You first arrange for web space and bandwidth with an
ISP (Internet Service Provider). ISPs will have content,
space and bandwidth restrictions. Many "home
use" ISPs provide, in their basic rate, minimal
space and bandwidth for a personal home page. Your web
address will be a directory name they will create for
you. For example, the Gateway Division's first site was
on PostNet's server, and we did not pay extra for our
own domain name, so its address was http://home.stlnet.com/~rlake
If you want your own domain name, you will need to
arrange for "commercial level" web services
from the ISP, and will also have to pay InterNIC a
registration and maintenance fee for the use of the
domain name. Our Division's new site is setup this way,
so its address is http://www.gatewaynmra.org
You create web (HTML) pages and upload them to your
space on the ISP's server. You may create HTML pages
with a plain text editor, or you may automate the
process using software which can generate HTML pages.
Microsoft Publisher 98 ($100) has the option to
easily create web pages, or convert other materials you
made in Publisher into web pages (this clinics web site
was formatted using Publisher). Microsoft FrontPage 98
($100) is an example of higher-end software specifically
to create web sites. Netscape Publishing Suite ($130)
uses NetObjects FUSION PE for the web authoring. And if
you want to put complex drawings online, Adobe Acrobat
($190) will help you create files that others can view
and print and still retain the exact formatting you
originally intended.
Connecting the Computer to the Layout
If you use Digitrax, their MS-100 interface ($45)
allows you to monitor your LocoNet network with software
like WinSniffer. Third-party software, such as WinLok
($180), is required to use this interface for LocoNet
layout control.
http://www.digitrax.com
http://www.digitoys-systems.com
The Digitrax PR-1 decoder programmer ($45) makes
configuring advanced DCC options much easier.
Bruce Chubb did a whole series
in Model Railroader, which he updated in his book on the
subject and in an MR article last September. His wife's
company sells the circuit boards you need to reliably
assemble the system. If you want to control your layout
from your computer, get this book:
Chubb, Bruce "Build Your
Own Universal Computer Interface, 2nd Ed.",
McGraw-Hill,
ISBN 0-07-912639-1 ($35).
Bruce also released a new
self-published book, "The Railroader's C/MRI
Applications Handbook" at the KC NMRA National
Convention. This is an essential book to have if you
want to connect your railroad to a computer. If you have
both of these books, you will have the latest info on
all of Bruce's circuits and applications.
If you want to experiment, you
may also purchase a digital I/O card which installs
inside your computer and connects to the layout using
circuits like Bruce describes in his book. Jameco
(800-831-4242, call for a catalog) offers a 48-bit
digital I/O card for $99 (p/n 136784) in this category.
You have to create your own circuits and programming -
this approach is for people who like that challenge.
Other companies are starting to
offer preassembled circuits for computer control. CTI
Electronics (http://www.cti-electronics.com)
has a system which connects to the serial port to
monitor and control your layout through devices
connected to modular phone cable under the layout. It
works with conventional engines as well as DCC. They
have a $99 starter kit and you add from there. Because
it is designed to be easy to connect, the price per card
is fairly high (that's one of the big trade-offs with
all kinds of computer to layout connections). The
"Train Brain" ($80) is a 4-input, 4-output
card, the "Smart Cab" ($90) is a 100-step
throttle, and the "Signalman" ($70) controls
16 lamps.
Selecting a Computer System
Minimum level system recommendation:
System unit:
Pentium II processor, 300MHz or
faster
AGP video card, with 4-8MB RAM on the
card
64MB RAM memory
4GB or larger (larger is better for
graphics) hard drive
CD-ROM drive
Iomega ZIP drive (for backups and
file transfers)
Microsoft IntelliMouse
Sound with amplified speakers
Modem: 56K V.90 internal modem (V.90 is the new
standard)
get the standard modem instead of a
"winmodem" version
Monitor: 17" color, multiscan, .25 or .26 dot pitch
Software:
Windows 95/98 or
Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Office 97 Small Business
Edition
Micrografx Draw 6 (drawing and photo
edit)
Printer:
HP 890C/1120C color inkjet
printer or
HP 4000 laser printer
Direct Purchase Vendors:
http://www.dell.com
http://www.micronpc.com
Copyright © 1998 Richard Schumacher
All rights reserved. NMRA members are granted
permission to use this content and the associated files
available on the Gateway Division web site for their
personal, non-commercial use. All commercial rights to
this article, and associated photographs, are reserved
by the author.
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