Shenware's MiTrains is used to manage the fleet and print car cards. All locomotives and rolling stock are issued a car card prior to placement into service on the railroad.
For rolling stock, the car card bears the AAR type, the reporting marks (and verbose name of the railroad), the road number, the home road's class (if different than the AAR type), and the color (optional).
When the car card lacks a waybill, it is empty. Foreign road car cards will have instructions for disposition of the empty car -- East to Enola, West to Altoona, or East or West:
Home road cars, unless assigned to a specific service, do not include Empty Car instructions. Local yardmasters may hold the empties for future customer fulfillment and assign as needed, when needed. Yardmasters must maintain an inventory of empty cars of various types, ordering empties from Enola or Altoona when needed.
For locomotives, the car card is similar except that the AAR type describes the model of locomotive:
Prep Cards
Initially, all car cards receive the addition of a "Prep Card" which tracks various preparatory tasks the locomotive or rolling stock requires. Once complete, the Prep Card is removed.
DCC Function Cards
A DCC Function card is included in the Locomotive Card of the lead locomotive in a consist. The card documents the DCC address of the consist as well as the primary functions.
Bad Orders
When a locomotive or rolling stock develops a mechanical issue or a breakage, please remove it from the railroad and complete a Bad Order form. On the form, include the nature of the problem and the location from where the locomotive or rolling stock was last assigned.
