What does TOPS mean in railway terms?

Total Operations Processing System (TOPS) is a computer system for managing railway locomotives and rolling stock in the United Kingdom. TOPS was originally developed between the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP), Stanford University and IBM as a replacement for paper-based systems for managing rail logistics.

What is a TOPS code?

TOPS is the Total Operations Processing System, a network of computer terminals and databases that track and record the movements and status of rolling stock. These are generically referred to as TOPS codes and give operationally relevant information about each vehicle.

What is a depot code?

The application of a depot code was generally reliable as a guide to the base from which the locomotive or multiple unit operated but with some variations, mainly relating to shunters and departmental locomotives.

What is tops?

What Is TOPS? TOPS (Total operations processing system) is a computer system used in the railway industry to assist managing locomotives and rolling stock used on the UK rail network. TOPS is not available to the public, but some railway websites offer occasional TOPS lists.

When did the TOPS system come into use?

The adoption of the TOPS system during the early 1970s led to several changes in working practices across Britain’s railway network. Hitherto, locomotives had been numbered in three different series. Steam locomotives carried unadorned numbers up to five digits long.

What are the related systems to tops?

To my memory, the list of related systems is something like TRUST, TRUST DA, ACTRAFF, GEOGIS (indirectly), PALADIN, POIS, CTT, TSI, TSIA, ERIC, GEMINI (indirectly), RAVERS, RSL, ITPS and SPINNAKER. On a slight tangent, how does TOPS deal with a main line diesel that didn’t originally get a TOPS number? Would D1023 be 52023?

Should tops2000 be modernised?

Let’s not forget TOPS2000. It uses the same core stuff as “back screen” tops but has a much friendlier GUI. Its a perfect example of if it aint broke then don’t fix it. Apparently the TOPS and TRUST systems will never crash in their current form that’s why it aint been modernised. Its simple,basic and it works. Unfortunately they do crash.