Car Routing System Forms: Bad Order Slips and Track Warrants
By Quality Tools & Supplies for Hobbys, DIY & Crafts - Micro-Mark Tools | Published: 2026-10-31
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how Bad Order Slips, Track Warrants, and Train Order Form 31 work with the Micro-Mark Car Routing System to add realistic paperwork to your model railroad operations.
Quick answer
Use Bad Order Slips to flag cars that need attention, Track Warrants to authorize train movement, and Train Order Form 31 to dispatch trains to destinations. All three are pre-printed pads designed to work with the Micro-Mark Car Routing System (#82916).
Why use paper forms instead of just moving cars by eye?
Paperwork forces you to think like a dispatcher: you must identify the car, decide its destination, and record the authority before the train moves. That small delay creates realistic operating sessions and gives visiting operators clear roles. The trade-off is that forms add setup time and require a system for storing completed slips, so they suit operators who enjoy the procedural side of the hobby more than those who just want to run trains.
Do the forms work without the Car Routing System?
The Bad Order Slips are explicitly designed for use with the #82916 Car Routing System, and the Track Warrants and Train Order Form 31 are part of that same system. If you use a different car-routing method, these pads may not match your waybills or car cards. Check your existing system before buying.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a Bad Order Slip used for?
- A Bad Order Slip flags a car that needs inspection or repair before it can move. On a model railroad, you place it with the car card so the next operator knows the car is out of service. Keep a small supply near your car-card box so you can flag problems as you spot them.
- How does a Track Warrant differ from a Train Order?
- A Track Warrant authorizes a train to move to a destination along the layout. A Train Order Form 31 dispatches a train with specific instructions. In practice, use warrants for routine movement authority and train orders for scheduled dispatching.
- Can I use these forms with any model railroad scale?
- The forms are scale-independent paperwork, but the Bad Order Slips are sized at 2 by 3 inches. Check that this fits your car-card system or layout clipboard before ordering.
- How many forms do I need for a session?
- It depends on how many cars and trains you run. A pad of 100 Bad Order Slips, 50 Track Warrants, and 50 Train Orders gives you enough for several sessions, but busy layouts may want a spare pad of each. Count your typical car moves per session and buy enough pads to avoid running out mid-session.
- What is a clearance form A on a model railroad?
- Clearance Form A is a prototype railroad document that confirms a train has the necessary orders and warrants before departing. The Micro-Mark Car Routing System does not include a clearance form, so you would need to create your own if you want to model that step.
Product facts
- Car Routing System Bad Order Slips, Pad of 100: Pink Bad Order Slips measure 2 inches wide by 3 inches high and come in a pad of 100. The small size fits in a car-card pocket or on a layout clipboard, and 100 slips cover many operating sessions before you need a refill.
Car Routing System Bad Order Slips, Pad of 100 - Car Routing System Track Warrants (Pkg. of 50): Track Warrant forms are printed on carbonless copy paper and include chipboard backers as copy blockers. You get a clean copy for the dispatcher and one for the train crew without using carbon paper.
Car Routing System Track Warrants (Pkg. of 50) - Car Routing System Train Order Form 31 (Pkg. of 50 ): Train Order Form 31 comes as a pad of 50 sheets on carbonless copy paper with chipboard backers. The duplicate copies let you keep a record of dispatched trains while the crew carries its own order.
