Ken's Trains
Search Guide and Hints

Welcome to Ken's Trains catalog search guide. This guide is designed to help you in using the search engine for Ken's catalog.

Please select one of the following:

• Explanation of search
• Guidelines
• Common Abbreviations
• Ken's Manufacturers
• Some Road Names to Use
• Common Mistakes

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Explanation of Search

• The search system is a straight forward, plain text search. Ken's catalog will be searched for a match with whatever character strings you type in
• There is no reasoning or logic employed (no librarian using his brain to apply his knowledge to your entries)
• Please remember that the search only has Ken's data base to work from and sometimes you will discover some unusual ways Ken lists an item
• The box labels are only a guide to use and you do not need to fill them all in. If they are blank or contain the word "All" the field is ignored
• It does not matter where you place your search information, as all fields are actually free text searches. (i.e. you can put a manufacturer entry in any field and achieve the same results)

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Guidelines for Use:

• Keep your entries as broad as possible to begin.
• Narrow your search in steps: for example enter AT&SF, for a listing of all AT&SF, then enter Caboose
• Use the manufacturers list (below) for exact entries (please note abbreviations, when used)
• Try a variety of abbreviations (Ken's data base was created over years-abbreviations change)
• When possible use stock numbers. These numbers are identical to Walther's numbers
• Do not be bound by category: for example you can fill in manufacturer name in item description
• For item description: keep to broad categories too much detail will have no match
• Sometimes abbreviations are used in item descriptions, other times not

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Common Abbreviations and Symbols that you might use:

Beg. (beginning), Bldg. (building), Cov. (covered), Conv. (conversion), Dbl. (double), Hop. (hopper),
L/H or LH, (lefthand), Mech. (mechanical), Obs. (observation), Pass. (passenger), R.R. (railroad)
R/H or RH (right hand), Refr. (refrigerator), Sta. (station), w/o (without)
Symbols: # (number), Degree (degree sign), ' or ft. (linear foot), " or in. (for inch)

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Some Road names:

Amtrak, ATSF, BCR, B&M, BN, B&O, Chessie, CNN, C&NW, C&O, Conrail, COG, CP, CSX, D&H, EJ&E, EL, Erie, FGE, GN, GT, G&W, Lackawanna, L&NE, LV, Milw., MP, M&SL, NH, NHN, NP, NS, N&W, NYC, PC, PFE, PRR, P&W, REA, Reading, RI, Rutland, SBD, SOO, Southern, UP, VIA, Vermont, WC, Wisc. Cent., WP

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Manufacturers Carried by Ken's Trains

A-C:

A-Line, A.I.M., Accu-Paint, Accurate, Aero-car, Aksarben, Alloy Forms, Amer. Ltd., Amer. Model, AMI, Arbour, Arn/ Riv, Arrowhead, Athabasca, Atlas, Aztec, Bachmann, Badger, Bear Valley, Bev-Bel, BL Prod., Brawa, C in C, Caboose Ind., Cal-Scale, Calif. Frt., Calif. Model, Campbell, carsNscale, Carstens, Catnip, CCS Decals, Centerline, Chalk-Ez, Chooch, Circuitron, Con-Cor, Cornerstone, Crescent Sta. CS Models, CTT,

D-H

Delaware Valley, Delux Innov., Depots by John, Detail Assoc., Digitrax, Dimi Trains, Donegan, Dornaplas, DPM, Durango, Dyna, E/R, East. Seaboard, Fairmont, Faller, Fine N-Scale, Fleischmann, Floquil, Gloor-Craft, Gold Medal, Grandt Line, Green Max, GRS, Guts, Gyros, Heki, Heljan, Herkat, Highball, Hobby Craft, Hobsco, Holgate,

I-M

I.T.T.C., IBL, IHC, Imagineer, IMU, Intermodel, InterMountain, JnJ, Jaeger, JL Innov, JV Models, K&S, Kadee, Kalmbach, Kappler, Kato, Kestral, Kibri, LaBelle, Life-Like, Loco-Motives, Magnuson, Mainline, Marc's Models, Mascot, Merit, Merten, MicroEng., Micro-Trains, MicroScale, Min. by Eric, Mini-Highways, Miniatronics, Minitrix, MLR Mfg. Co., Model Power, Mr. Plaster, MRC, MZZ, N Hobby Dist.

N-R

N Scale Arch., N Scale Nev., N.J.I., NMRA,. Noch, Northeast Decal, Ntrak, NWSL, Pacer, Peco, Period, Piko, Plano, Plastruct, Pola, Polyterraiin, PP Tools, Pre-Size, Prec. Masters, Precision Scale, Preiser, Prototype, R.&R.F., Raintree, Rivarossi, Rix, Road Apples, Roco, Roundhouse,

S-Z

S&S Hobby, Satellite, Scale Replicas, Scale Works, Scalerail, Sequoia, Seuthe, Shinohara, Sierra, Stewart, Sunrise, Tenax, Testors, Tires&Tracks, Tomar, Tomix, Tool Man, Tracksetta, Train Pack, Ultimate, V-Line, Vintage, Vollmer, Walthers, Western Rail, Wheel Works, White Ground, Wiking, Woodland Scenics, X-Acto, Xuron and Zona

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Common Mistakes

• Being too specific: keep entries broad to begin with
• Not using abbreviations
• Misspelling
• Assuming that the search can find categories of items such as "locomotives" or "passenger cars", unfortunately Ken does not have a category field in his database at this time

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Copyright 1995-2008 by Tried & True Trains, Inc.
For more information contact Debbie Ames,  President tttrains