Western Railroad Discussion > Railfanning and Laptop PC's

Not to off topic but here goes.. How many people railfan and bring a laptop computer?
What do you do with it? What Railfanning applications do people do? Upload images? Put them into a database? Just curious.. As I have one and am unsure how to utilize it to gather data..

Thanks
Mike

Colo-Rfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not to off topic but here goes.. How many people
> railfan and bring a laptop computer?


Not at all off-topic.




> What do you do with it? What Railfanning
> applications do people do? Upload images? Put
> them into a database? Just curious.. As I have
> one and am unsure how to utilize it to gather
> data..


I don't have a digital camera, so I can't upload images on the fly. However, I do have a wireless internet service and the ability to tap email, yahoo groups, maps and other internet applications during the heat of battle (so to speak) has proven invaluable.

For example, last year I was trying to shoot the CORP's Coos Bay Branch, down at the south end of the line. I knew that the crew went on duty at Cordes, OR but after they reported to work, they quickly took off and I lost them. I jumped on the net, tapped into the CORPfan yahoo group and asked the members where I might search for the train. Within a couple of minutes, I'd gotten an email suggesting that they could have tied up in Hauser or Gardiner rather than Cordes. I went to Hauser, found an MOW crew and asked them. They called the DS and found that the train was at Gardiner and headed my way. I suppose I could have figured that out on my own, but I doubt it...Hauser isn't visible from the highway and I didn't know there was quite a complex back in there.

Another good application of the laptop is the ability to check weather sites before committing myself to a particular area. I can shoot until dusk, check the weather and decide where to drive to for the next day's shooting. Booking motels on line can be quite a bit cheaper than walking up and asking if there's a room available.

Wireless net access that works anywhere isn't cheap. I think I am paying $80 monthly for unlimited access. I'm sharing it with the wife's business, though in reality I get the most, ahem, mileage out of this.

Hope that helps.

BobE

Download digital images to free up space on memory cards (especialy if shooting RAW). Run map programs like TOPO USA. Take notes on photo locations and lighting.

Colo-Rfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not to off topic but here goes.. How many people
> railfan and bring a laptop computer?
> What do you do with it? What Railfanning
> applications do people do? Upload images? Put
> them into a database? Just curious.. As I have
> one and am unsure how to utilize it to gather
> data..
>
> Thanks
> Mike


Comes in quite handy. I download from flash cards taken during the day and store images in a portable hard-drive and on additional flash cards (for backup) while in motel/hotel room at night. It also gives you the opportunity to view what you shot during the day.

Don Winslow
http://www.donwinslow.net

I still shoot film, but mapping and wireless internet are my biggest uses for my laptop whilst fanning. I don't do the wireless anywhere subscription for in the field applications yet, but I'd be lost with out it at night in the motel, plus wireless zones are popping up in many places.

I don't use a laptop for ATCS yet but my friends do, where compatable to RR.
http://www.atcsmon.com/

I use it as a spare memory bank to keep the CF cards from being filled up and the cameras in action, for reviewing the pics and flicks taken that day and as a portable DVD player to entertain the passengers between stops and between trains. A basic power converter that can handle the draw and a bit more is essential and keeps things running smoothly. Future addons may include a second scanner with monitoring software (Scout?) as I like to listen to more than just the RR frequencies sometimes and a printing program to go with the portable printer I want to take along.

GP30

I've found that running the DeLorme map CD on a laptop is most helpful.


Also I use mine to look up files with information on the road and area I'm interested

in shooting.


Helpful for looking up sun position files and charts to determine where and when

to set up for a shot.

I shoot film, I'll enter the relavant info into a file in the

evening (time, place, road number, film, exposure.......)

Wi-Fi is next on the list.

Be Well,

Tim Colbert K3HX

I have a DELL laptop and I sometimes take it with me railfanning. Depends on the mission. Casual railfanning I leave it at home. Something rare or importnant and railfan trips I will bring it. I have the Canon Dig Rebel 300D and it makes viewing pictures easy when on the road away from home.

When out mobil railfanning, I can use my Verizon cell phone to access the internet but the speed is a little slower then my fast Verizon DSL at home. I do have a wireless connection at home off my DSL Router and wireless is very nice to access anywhere in the house, upstairs or downstairs.

I haven't tried accessing WiFi on the road yet. Usually stay at hotels that have DSL.

--
David Hawkins
Plano, TX

I am on a railfanning vacation right now and have the laptop with me for 3 reasons. 1. My car doesnt have a working radio and I need some music to drown out the railroad radio talk all the time. 2. wireless internet thru the cell phone lets me check weather ,email, msn messenger, and like right now, trainorders! 3. delorme and ms streets & trips with gps, so I know where the roads are to get to the trains.
Im going to hopefully learn a bit about APRS soon(hams know what it is) and start running that in the car too...
Steven kc9gmx
Im in N. Platte, going to be in Cheyenne this after noon, then off to Denver tonite and the next 2 days, around the moffat line!

I use mine to run my moonlight brightness prediction program in the field. I also keep a lot of technical notes on it that come in handy form time to time.

So far I haven't had to download digital images onto the hard disk yet. Having a spare 2 Gig flash memory in the camera bag seems to be taking care of capacity problems.

And as for entertainment after hours - there are no after hours when the moon is up! But having a nice book along can help while away the hours during the day.

- Kit

I download pictures from my camera to free up space on the memory cards. Have a DVD player for a little intertainment when things are slow. Have a GPS hooked up to it for mapping. Also handy for checking things on my database.

If one must know...

Panasonic CF-27 Toughbook touchscreen with APRS, wireless internet, GPS. Also good for dumping images into if needed.

Well sure :)

I have a iBook G3, a blue Clamshell. BN_Girl has a PowerBook Titainium.

How else do you keep up with TO when you are on the road. :)

J.

I carry a used Dell with me. Besides downloading all the pics off of the memory cards, I also run DeLormes with it's little GPS thing. I have a pile of Railfan locations marked on my Railfan map....

:D

Kennedy