Does anyone have an idea on the best way to mark each members rolling stock?

Thank you.

Jeff

I have seen many people using colored dot stickers. Available at just about any store selling paper/office products.

If you need names on them, you could go with a small avery label and run it though the computer/printer. Like creating your own return address labels. Then each person could have one page of labels, usually 50 per page. Anyone hauling over 50 pieces to a show is nuts! lol....

have fun!

Maybe small 1/4" dot stickers that are sold at office supply stores like these?

http://www.staples.com/Staples...298182?cmArea=SEARCH



You could go with differant colors (although there are only 4) or go with something like white and write a differant number on each members stickers. i.e. cars with #1 are Bob's, #2 is John's, etc. Attach them to the underneath of the rolling stock.

You could also use those for engines as well. I'd write the TMCC/DCS number on the sticker as well we you always know what address it has assigned.

If members don't want small stickers, I'm not sure what else to suggest. Everything else would also require something temporary to be on the cars/engines.

EDIT: I took too long to respond I guess and Dave beat me.

Thank you both, those are good ideas.

Jeff

You could take one of those big Sharpies and write the members name across the roof of each piece. It would work well for those who do not know what they brought to the show.

Hey I have to have a little fun once in a while.

I have been doing modular railroading for years. I have never marked any of my trains, I know what I have taken to the show and my trains always make there way home. Most of the time I take home more trains than I came with. Always have to buy something.
Even when I was in HO I never needed to mark my stuff. I don't know why your members can't keep track of what they have.

quote:

Even when I was in HO I never needed to mark my stuff. I don't know why your members can't keep track of what they have.

Well a Little Prevention can go a long way... NOT that s Dot sticker on the underside of a working freight car/locomotive/caboose is gonna do anything to it.

I never said marking anything would hurt anything.I just do not understand why someone can't figure out what belongs to them and what does not. I know everyone of my trains and I know what I have taken to shows. I think I should be smart enough to know that.

Do you make your car in a parking lot to know what car is yours?

There are members in our group that do make there trains I just do not see the need to.

I wonder if a DYMO labelmaker or such would work for you. They have different type of different styles of refills. I have a DYMO Letra Tag model that I have used to mark my switches and sidings with. The letters/numbers are a little over an 1/8" in height. The tape is 1/2" wide but you can trim it down. I'd think you could place them in an inconspicuous place on the car (underside or even on the side). I also wouldn't think they would leave much of the sticky residue if you wanted to remove them at a later date.

Ken

Jeff,

I think you may be trying to solve a non-problem.

I can only remember one occasion where I had an identical piece of rolling stock as another member at a show. It was a new release caboose that both myself and the other guy bought at the show! Even then we had no trouble separating them.

Normally members select from 2 to 5 trains to bring with them.

When it is their turn to run they stage their train and run. The train is either parked on a siding or taken off between runs.

Occasionally another member might borrow a cut of cars I have on a siding to make a longer drag but typically mixing is pretty much not happening anyway.

I am curious if you have experienced problems with rolling stock mixups and what sort of problems.

That being said, I do find it a good idea to mark my clamps as they tend to get mixed up otherwise.

I assumed the OP meant a somewhat permanent modular setup at a fixed location, not a show. I could see where rolling stock left there for long periods of time might need to be marked. Do the NJ Hirailers mark any of their stuff? If it was a show where people bring things in the morning and take them home at night it I agree it wouldn't really be an issue.

Right now the layout is permanent and the stock may be left for a while, when the yard gets built.

Thank you all for your input. I will bring all your ideas to the meeting tonight.

Jeff

Jeff,
You could also buy a label marker, similar to those made by Brothers and others. Print out a bunch of initials or other unique identifiers and stick the label to the underframe of the car, or on the truck. Easy to sort out at th end of an operating session.

Chris
LVHR

Even if the stock is left for a while, how many member have and bring identical rolling stock?

I wouldn't disfigure the outside surfaces any. Instead put a lable on the bottoms out of sight. I get lots of name and address labels every year from various charities asking for money. I just save those and stick them on the bottom of my stuff.
.....
Dennis

That's an excellent idea Dennis. I get a bunch of those too.

Have the club buy a table top laser, 50 watt or so and have a night where everyone brings in rolling stock to engrave. Works great!

I have a bunch of Lionel Hotbox reefers but only four have Hotbox controllers inside them. I could not tell them apart let alone spot my car from a mix of cars owned by a group of people. I use a tiny black dot on the side of my cars to show where the switches are so I can slide a finger under to switch off features not wanted at the moment. A name or color tag is not out of the question for traveling equipment.

Small wire markers would be perfect... I decided to use them on all of my "currently being built" layout wires...

You get 10 of each number 1 to 45 and the strips can be split into 2 so up to 20 cars for 45 members could be labeled on the spot... just keep a few extra booklets on hand...

Here's what they look like, but they're a lot cheaper at the Depot

http://www.all-spec.com/produc...base&utm_medium=feed

There can be similar problem with switching layouts with mixed owner cars.
One which requires a tiny hole in roof, walkway, whatever is a thumbtack that has
its head painted to meet colors of the owner.
Another way is perhaps just paint the brake wheels on cars a similar color.
Finally, if this is a switching layout, esp if on a foam board bed or yard,
the thumbtacks work fine to locate buried magnets for uncoupling, tho this
maybe worked better with HO and Kaydees.....

L