The PROTRAK BASICS manual table of contents lists an Appendix N -- Importing Data, evidently a couple of pages with two sections titled Importing Data and Importing Car Data. However I do not find this Appendix, nor for that matter an Appendix M -- Weighing and Filling a Car, which I don't currently need.

Failing that, I turned to the separate table of contents of Appendix L -- Frequently Asked Questions, and was led to Importing car data on page L-75. This is question H.1. -- How do I import car data from another program? The question and the response are specific to importing from Railbase Professional. The steps in this process are (1) exporting your (car) data in "comma-delimited format", (2) cleaning up your data (in for example, Excel), and (3) using ProTrak's "Import car data in Unknown format".

In order to correctly import car data from Excel, the columns must be in the sequence ProTrak is using. Upon exporting the sample car data to a CSV file I obtain the following single record:

x THB,3667 ,XM ,XM ,44,163700,56300,C,2500,23 Jul 49,Joe Brann,

which I interpret as the following fields

Initials,Number,CarKind,Class,Length,LoadLm,Lt_Wt,Plate,Volume,BuiltDate,Owner, ?

If I click "Import car data" I am asked if the file is in ProTrak car format, Unknown format, or Text format (ordered). I don't have any information about the ProTrak car format.

Selecting Text format offers options of 2 data fields (initials and number), 3 data fields (also carkind), or 4 (carkind and length).

The Unknown format offers me a checklist of 32 data fields in the unknown format file; I presume initials and number are pretty essential and carkind and length nearly as essential, and the selected fields must be in the order shown.

Thus to import the file I just exported I would use Unknown file format and check the fields listed.

My questions concerning Export are:

1. What is the significance of the "x" ahead of the reporting mark, THB?

2. Is there an additional field exported after owner which is blank in the example?

3. Why is only one of the nine cars in the example exported?

4. It appears the locomotive data can only be imported or exported in ProTrak format. Is this correct?

5. I would appreciate copies of Appendices M and N if they have ever been written.

Thank you.

Alex Schneider