New era - Red Pen?

[d9003meld]

My only previous railway experience has been as a railway photographer (who didn't record what I saw), and as the geeky kid my older cousin was obliged to take on trains (he was a basher).
I've now got to the stage where I want to get involved. I recently purchased a Blackberry to post sightings of freight / special workings.

However;

Between such workings I have passenger trains passing me. I have no idea how to record these sightings. I have read several posts mentioning red pen but have no idea how this 'system' works. Google didn't help on this one.
I would appreciate some advice on how best to record my sightings / haulage in this way.
I am not a troll, this is a genuine request for help. If in doubt anyone on Prestonrailgen will be able to check my recent posts using the name d9003meld

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[bb21]

What most people do is buy a Platform 5 book and underline each unit/loco scored in red (hence the term "red penning"). By convention, units/locos seen are annotated with black pens and those scored (bashed) in red.

As for logging your journeys, there is a dedicated thread on the forum with plenty of resources.

 

[d9003meld]

Cheers bb21.

So underline in red for haulage and black for sightings. I've seen somewhere that people transfer stuff each year. Any help on this would really be appreciated.
If anyone would be kind enough to expand on this or even pm me a picture of a used page I would truly appreciate it.
I am struggling a bit as you can tell. Google was no help and I don't know any enthusiasts personally to ask for guidance.

Cheers

 

[TheNewNo2]

d9003, my suggestion is just do whatever makes you happy. I personally record the unit number, operator, location, date/time and origin/destination. I've never paid much attention to whether I've seen a particular unit before, and have no particular love for locomotives, which apparently makes me unusual in this world.

Record what you want in whatever way you find most satisfying. Be it with a red/black marker, a pen and folded sheet of A4, a tablet...

 

[Techniquest]

Welcome to the world of spotters and bashers!

The beauty of spotting and bashing is you basically make your own rules. I'm under the influence of alcohol currently so I'm not in a position to comment properly but will do later/in the morning.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
There we go, now I've eaten I can comment a bit better.

Everyone records sightings differently, I usually just mark down what it is I've seen, adding a location if it's unusual or if it's the last of a class etc.

Modern technology (smartphones, tablets etc) sure have made the hobby easier, as it's much quicker to get gen, discuss what's going on via this forum, follow updates, contact TOCs etc. When I first started a Nokia 3310 was still rather modern! Twitter has also changed the hobby somewhat as it's quicker and easier to share gen via it than Yahoo Groups.

I doubt this helps to be honest!

 

[Kristofferson]

The new website trainlogger.co.uk makes recording sights (and haulage soon, apparently) much more accessible

I'd recommend recording numbers in your phone's notepad then copying them across, comma separated, into train logger.

Edit: although I would love a P5 book for that authentic feel!

 

[Techniquest]

Edit: although I would love a P5 book for that authentic feel!

You can still buy one you know Ian Allen's Waterloo shop will be your most convenient shop for one. Not cheap, I believe the combined book is in excess of 20 quid these days. Not bought a P5 combine in about 10 years I believe! NREA ones have been my choice for the last decade.

 

[d9003meld]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry for the delay in returning to the thread (I am on nights).

I mean no disrespect to the people behind the trainlogger website (I have created an account). My worry is if it goes offline for whatever reason all of my records would be lost.
Thanks for the tip of the NREA book. Is there much difference in the layout of the books from different publishers?
Any further suggestions and examples would still be appreciated.

Cheers

 

[47403]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry for the delay in returning to the thread (I am on nights).

I mean no disrespect to the people behind the trainlogger website (I have created an account). My worry is if it goes offline for whatever reason all of my records would be lost.
Thanks for the tip of the NREA book. Is there much difference in the layout of the books from different publishers?
Any further suggestions and examples would still be appreciated.

Cheers

no photos and the platform 5 ones are generally better set out but like techniquest has said, the NREA(my choice too) ones do just as good a job, for half the price.
I dont underline the whole thing, I just underline the number and depot code, then if i get it for haulage then I join the whole line up, my rule, just looks neater i my opinion.
Heres the link http://www.nrea.org.uk/

 

[455driver]

My method is-
Underlined in blue seen last year or earlier
underlined in red seen for the first time this year
H in blue after it, had for haulage last year or earlier
H in red after it, had for haulage this year
Blue dot if photographed.

I also keep onto my notebooks and put a red dot beside it if seen for the first time and a red H if hauled for first time.

This evolved over a few years and I have all my books back to 1979, that's a lot of books.

 

[Kristofferson]

You can "Save As" the train logger pages to keep a backup

 

[Peter Mugridge]

As has been said many times, you can make your own rules up for noting things down as long as there is no cheating anywhere, of course.


My own system is:

Underline in black: Seen, never mind when.

Note (P) after the number = haulage; as in P for "pulled by" - a relic from the steam era, which although it was before my time I just like to do it that way. I use note (P) for anything which is powered, i.e. locomotives and units.

(R) after the number = haulage on non-powered item, i.e. carriages and trailer units. R of course being short for "ridden on".

(C) obviously is a visit to the cab - in the case of gangwayed units it should be noted that the gangway passes through the middle of the cab space, so unless you are a purist who would only count it if the space was set up as a cab at the time then it's relatively easy to cab a large number of units!

(d) is the rarest note of all and for the vast majority of us it will be confined to any preserved locomotives / units that have been used on driver experience days. It should be obvious what it stands for. There are a few lucky forum members who are likely to have a large number of instances of this note by virtue of their employment!

Green highlighter over the number = photographed. Why green? Well - I tried yellow - too bright. I tried red - too dark. A mid green turned out to be easiest on the eye and did not make it difficult to read the number underneath.




I knew someone once who also used note (e) - for locomotives in which he had visited the engine bay...

 

[d9003meld]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and the encouragement.
I was hesitant before posting in case I got flamed.
I will be ordering the NREA book tomorrow. Just can't wait to get started.

Cheers

 

[Techniquest]

I hope you find the NREA useful. Less technical details in it compared to P5 books but that isn't a major detail.

Personally, I use ticks for sights and underlines for haulages. Not fussed which colour as it depends what I have with me at the time. Same applies to my AFQR (Airline Flight Quick Reference), ticks and underlines, not important which colour.

Only train I have a D next to is D1013 when I did a driver experience on the SVR in 2006 for my 21st birthday. One helluva experience and worth every penny! Not super fussed on cabbing stuff these days to be honest.

Whatever works for you, whatever makes sense, use that. After all it's for your own use and understanding first and foremost!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Only train I have a D next to is D1013 when I did a driver experience on the SVR in 2006 for my 21st birthday.

My most prized note (d) is the A4 class Sir Nigel Gresley...

 

[theblackwatch]

I prefer the ICRS pocket book to the NREA one, for the simple reason that the ICRS lists all locos, whereas the NREA seems to be random as to whether a preserved/non-mainline loco is listed.

 

[Techniquest]

I prefer the ICRS pocket book to the NREA one, for the simple reason that the ICRS lists all locos, whereas the NREA seems to be random as to whether a preserved/non-mainline loco is listed.

I couldn't find such a book when I was last shopping for one. Your point on preserved locos is a valid one, I rarely use that part of the book to be honest so it hasn't yet affected me.

 

[theblackwatch]

I couldn't find such a book when I was last shopping for one. Your point on preserved locos is a valid one, I rarely use that part of the book to be honest so it hasn't yet affected me.

It's the top book on the page at http://www.intercityrailwaysociety.org/books.html

 

[Techniquest]

It's the top book on the page at http://www.intercityrailwaysociety.org/books.html

Interesting, as if the pocket book contains LU as well as preserved stuff, that's very convenient for Tube bashing!

Now if it also lists locos for all narrow guage lines too, that could be more than handy...

 

[BlythPower]

My method is-
Underlined in blue seen last year or earlier
underlined in red seen for the first time this year
H in blue after it, had for haulage last year or earlier
H in red after it, had for haulage this year

Alomst exactly what I do - the minor differences being my 'past' Hs in black and putting the Hs to the left of the loco/unit details.

 

[DarloRich]

god this all sounds VERY complicated.

I don't write train numbers down but if i did when i was small i would simply take whatever coloured pen was in the kitchen draw. If i owned anything like a platform 5 combined stock book any underlining would have been done in a multitude of colours. Not that i did anything like that as a kid you understand ............

Just do whatever you are happy with

 

[d9003meld]

Thanks for the help everyone. I have started to record my sightings.
In three days I had seen 9 of the 10 TP 350's. However 350404 and I are playing a game of hide and seek already!

 

[Minilad]

Thanks for the help everyone. I have started to record my sightings.
In three days I had seen 9 of the 10 TP 350's. However 350404 and I are playing a game of hide and seek already!

You should have been with me today then. I passed it on my way out of Manchester on the 1507 Manchester - Bristol

 

[47403]

D9003 Meld wrote:- However 350404 and I are playing a game of hide and seek already!

2 visits to Carlisle. albeit one overnighter and I scratched them off, a bit patience you'll get it fairly soon. Happy hunting.

 

[trainlogger]

I mean no disrespect to the people behind the trainlogger website (I have created an account). My worry is if it goes offline for whatever reason all of my records would be lost.

Hello, no offence taken. I appreciate that it may be hard to put trust in a website that has recently launched.

A bit of background to the website and myself. I have been running a similar website since 1999 - ontrackplant.com - where over 500,000 sightings have been logged of "yellow track machines". In the 16 years, I've spent thousands of hours keeping the site uptodate & adding new functionality, and a lot of money on keeping the site online.

Trainlogger was launched just over 2 months ago, having been in build for well over a year. It already has 400,000 sightings including 30,000 of my own. All data is regularly backed up to avoid any disastrous losses; and I have absolutely no intention of taking the site offline now so many people rely on it.

I hope Trainlogger has a bit of advantage over underlining in books - most importantly you can easily view where and when you've seen something, and more than just once. One can also upload photos to accompany sightings etc. You can view your sightings on daily trip reports, class lists, operator lists and preserved location lists. As alluded by someone else in the thread, you can now also store your haulage on the website.

I hope this helps clear up your concerns, please feel free to get in touch if you have any more.

 

[d9003meld]

Cheers Trainlogger.

I have an account with you and have decided to use this in conjunction with books / red pen as well as a simple Excel spreadsheet.
I do not have the time to manually record the level of detail most people go into. Therefore your site is ideal for my requirements.

Thank you for the excellent site and service.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Another (probably stupid question). Yesterday I traveled on a NR 150/156 combination. I sat in the 156 with the 150 leading.
How would you record this for haulage purposes? Mark both units as haulage. Only mark the 150 as it was leading though I wasn't sat in it. Or mark the 156 I was sat in even though it was the rear unit.

Thanks for the help so far.

 

[FQ]

I would mark both because I guess that both engines were powering. If so, then you got both units (kind of like HST power cars. I don't know anyone who just records the front one. They are both powering.)

 

[55013]

Agreed.
Both are powering, so for me both count, although you can make up your own rules

 

[noddy1878]

I count both. They are all powering and make up the train!

 

[47403]

Cheers Trainlogger.

I have an account with you and have decided to use this in conjunction with books / red pen as well as a simple Excel spreadsheet.
I do not have the time to manually record the level of detail most people go into. Therefore your site is ideal for my requirements.

Thank you for the excellent site and service.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Another (probably stupid question). Yesterday I traveled on a NR 150/156 combination. I sat in the 156 with the 150 leading.
How would you record this for haulage purposes? Mark both units as haulage. Only mark the 150 as it was leading though I wasn't sat in it. Or mark the 156 I was sat in even though it was the rear unit.

Thanks for the help so far.

sit in the rear and count both, unless its got a pacer on the back, then my rule says, just sit in the front and enjoy, ignore the horrid thing attached, count both anyway.
I'd have sat in the 156 regardless, nowt against 150's just like 156's a damn sight more.