Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

New episodes of "Back on Track"

4137 views
20 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Coatsville, PA
  • 97 posts
New episodes of "Back on Track"
Posted by gshin on Thursday, December 9, 2021 6:46 AM

Every morning I do two things:

  1. Check the Trains Newswire
  2. Check for a new episode of Back on Track by Gerry Leone

It looks like there hasn't been a new episode since September 2021, unless I'm looking in the wrong spot.  Is this series still alive?  It's one of the few that I really value for the in-depth information from a skilled and veteran model railroader.

Greg

Greg Shindledecker Modeling the =WM= Thomas Sub in the mid-70s

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • 170 posts
Posted by nycmodel on Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:40 AM

Same here. The first set of videos seem to be "buried" and hard to find. I hope Gerry is OK.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • 2,572 posts
Posted by John-NYBW on Thursday, December 9, 2021 8:21 AM

Is this a YouTube series? I've never heard of it.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Coatsville, PA
  • 97 posts
Posted by gshin on Friday, December 10, 2021 6:53 AM

It's a Model Railroader video series, not YouTube.

Greg Shindledecker Modeling the =WM= Thomas Sub in the mid-70s

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Fruita, CO
  • 541 posts
Posted by slammin on Friday, December 10, 2021 7:42 AM

The best way to describe video series under the new Trains.com format is sporatic. Under MRVP we got regular additions to all the series we enjoy. The last Rehab My Railroad episode (#12) is dated April 19! In the comments section of the last Back on Track, Gerry posted that the series has been posted in groups of 3 and predicted the next 3 episode dump will be December. We have lost Cody's Office so he can answer one question at a time in his new series Ask Trains. I always checked out David's Ask MRVP. The new series, like the new Trains.com, is cumbersome at best. 

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 3,139 posts
Posted by chutton01 on Friday, December 10, 2021 8:40 AM

slammin
 We have lost Cody's Office so he can answer one question at a time in his new series Ask Trains.


Hmm, he used to answer 2-4 questions in the Office series, as well as product reviews (which I always thought was the main angle of the series), as well as a modeling tip (often heading down to the MR&T to demonstate).
Is his answers that much more in depth now than what we used to see in Office?

  • Member since
    March 2021
  • From: Grants Pass, OR
  • 60 posts
Posted by Pauley on Friday, December 10, 2021 4:54 PM

I've too have noticed that many of the video series that are posted are quite old and I've wondered if those who subscribe to the "all digital" trains.com have access to more videos than those who just have MRVP. If not, I'm wondering if it's worth paying for so little - if any - "new" content.

I had tried the free trial a few months ago, but could never access the archived issues. I'd like to try it again, but I had found tech support, er, lacking. 

Has anyone ever received technical help - besides being told to clear your cache?

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Friday, December 10, 2021 8:22 PM

gshin
It's a Model Railroader video series, not YouTube.

Sounds like I haven't missed anything since not signing up for Trains.com  I actually enjoyed MRVP and posted that regularly.  When the change took place I called to see when my subscription ended, they told me I didn't have a subscription and cut me off. 

I did sign up for a different video service, that cannot me mentioned, at Black Friday pricing, but I haven't watched anything yet.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,853 posts
Posted by maxman on Saturday, December 11, 2021 10:07 AM

BigDaddy
I did sign up for a different video service, that cannot me mentioned, at Black Friday pricing, but I haven't watched anything yet.

Let us know how you like that.  If it's the same one I joined (it was offered as a special through MicroMark), their primary purpose is to offer a teaser video and then try to sell you additional videos, many of them by Allen Keller.

  • Member since
    July 2020
  • 50 posts
Posted by chris.mincemoyer on Saturday, December 11, 2021 12:52 PM

Questioned the same last weekend, prompt answer I received Monday.

ssweeney@kalmbach.com

Mon, Dec 6, 9:12 AM (5 days ago)
 
 
to me
 
 
 
 
 
 
Good morning, Chris.

Thank you for your note.

(Trains.com Video Producer in blind copy.)

I am sorry to learn that you are unhappy with Trains.com videos.

We did cancel Cody’s Office. In its place are:
•Weekly Questions and Answers with editors: https://www.trains.com/beginners/ask-trains/
•State Line Route videos, which Cody is helping with: https://www.trains.com/?s=State+Line+Route
•And more individual videos and articles with Cody and other editors as time permits.

Producers decided to release Back on Track three-at-a-time in quarterly installments, so you should expect the next batch to be arriving soon.

And yes, editors will be working on the HO MR&T in the near future. They needed to finish the N Scale project first, however.

I hope this helps answer your questions.

Best,
 
Steve Sweeney
Digital Editor, Hobby
Kalmbach Media
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Coatsville, PA
  • 97 posts
Posted by gshin on Monday, January 3, 2022 7:24 AM

slammin
next 3 episode dump will be December

Well, it's January 2020 and still nothing new from Gerry.  I'm sad.  It seems like the whole Model Railroader section of the trains.com site is pretty static.  I really dislike the fact that there are no dates on any of the videos - makes it tough to figure out if you're up to date.

 

Greg

Greg Shindledecker Modeling the =WM= Thomas Sub in the mid-70s

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Monday, January 3, 2022 9:31 AM

Part of the problem is combining all the different mags. There are those that like that but personaly I could care less about anything other than scale trains. They say the others are just a bonus for what you want but the search engine puts up lots of the other stuff when it works and also don't mispell anything or you get nothing, no is this what you wanted suggestions here. My personal opinan is the site looks like it was designed 12 years ago and this is from a person not into high teck.

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 70 posts
Posted by gerryleone on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 12:50 PM

gshin
Hey, gang!  This is actually my first visit to the forums and I stumbled on this post.  (I check the "Back on Track" comments on the videos fairly often, tho.)

First off, a huge THANK YOU to everyone out there who's watching "Back on Track" and is looking for new episodes.  I appreciate it.

"Back on Track" is alive and well and I'm told new episodes will be posted soon.  I just finished editing Episode 23 yesterday, so there are a ton of episodes waiting in the can.  (And I don't mean "in the bathroom."  :-)  )  You'll see the upper deck get finished, a mini-series on building the first scenery, and even some track re-routing. 

The BV5 is moving forward and I appreciate you folks moving forward with me!

  -Gerry

 

 
slammin
next 3 episode dump will be December

 

Well, it's January 2020 and still nothing new from Gerry.  I'm sad.  It seems like the whole Model Railroader section of the trains.com site is pretty static.  I really dislike the fact that there are no dates on any of the videos - makes it tough to figure out if you're up to date.

 

Greg

 

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,853 posts
Posted by maxman on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 3:18 PM

gshin
Well, it's January 2020

WHAT?  You mean I have to live those two years over again?

  • Member since
    June 2018
  • 7 posts
Posted by 611passenger on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 1:34 AM

gerryleone

  

Hey, gang!  This is actually my first visit to the forums and I stumbled on this post.  (I check the "Back on Track" comments on the videos fairly often, tho.)

First off, a huge THANK YOU to everyone out there who's watching "Back on Track" and is looking for new episodes.  I appreciate it.

"Back on Track" is alive and well and I'm told new episodes will be posted soon.  I just finished editing Episode 23 yesterday, so there are a ton of episodes waiting in the can.  (And I don't mean "in the bathroom."  :-)  )  You'll see the upper deck get finished, a mini-series on building the first scenery, and even some track re-routing. 

The BV5 is moving forward and I appreciate you folks moving forward with me!

  -Gerry

 

 

 

Thanks, Gerry! I’m glad there are many episodes to come. I wish they would be posted more frequently though, since you’ve already finished a bunch of them. Looking forward to the next batch!

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Coatsville, PA
  • 97 posts
Posted by gshin on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 7:30 AM

maxman
You mean I have to live those two years over again?

 

Ooops!  2022.  Big Smile

Greg Shindledecker Modeling the =WM= Thomas Sub in the mid-70s

  • Member since
    June 2020
  • 3 posts
Posted by LBLAZE on Monday, January 10, 2022 4:45 PM

Memo to Steve S:  There needs to be some sharing of info.  Dave Popp mentions somewhere along the line that he had back problems that made it impossible for him to perform the tasks to move the Olympia along.  Also, that the window had closed for the MR&T rehab to continue (due to his aforementioned problems).  Can't there be something about these situations posted with the weekly new letters you send?  New subscribers must be disappointed unless they really want to dig.

My gripe is how the video threads are sorted.  Used to be, each week or so, when signing in, there was the "cover page" that told you if new episodes were posted for continuing video journals (Olympa, Virginian, Ask MRVP, etc) and project layout blogs.  Now, one has to "search" either with a search inquiry by the project name, or hunt through the "videos" section, then sort by "track planning" or "scenery."  Oh, by the way, wiring DCC for the State Line series is under "track planning."  Really?

Can't you get a programmer to make these adjustments to your service? 

Likewise,  is there some sort of plan each month as to when new episodes will be posted?  Can a calendar be established and posted?  It would demonstrate to potential subscribers you all have it together and there's a plan moving forward. 

Similarly, how do I know what segments or blogs come with my subscription.  I'm still on the MRVP subscription as well as Classic Trains.  Last time I clicked on a Classic link, it used one of the seven freebies.  

This is supposed to be an activity that's enjoyable.  The confused indexing is not.  It's frustrating.

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Coatsville, PA
  • 97 posts
Posted by gshin on Friday, January 14, 2022 7:49 AM

LBLAZE
My gripe is how the video threads are sorted.  Used to be, each week or so, when signing in, there was the "cover page" that told you if new episodes were posted for continuing video journals (Olympa, Virginian, Ask MRVP, etc) and project layout blogs.  Now, one has to "search" either with a search inquiry by the project name, or hunt through the "videos" section, then sort by "track planning" or "scenery." 

I share this sentiment.  Digging down through menues and searching should not be the default mode by which we find new videos.  I also don't understand why the date of the video is not shown.  It would sure help me know when the last one of a series was published.

Oh, and here it is, January 2022 and no new videos in the "Back on Track" series.

Greg

Greg Shindledecker Modeling the =WM= Thomas Sub in the mid-70s

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Coatsville, PA
  • 97 posts
Posted by gshin on Friday, January 14, 2022 7:57 AM

gerryleone
"Back on Track" is alive and well and I'm told new episodes will be posted soon.  I just finished editing Episode 23 yesterday, so there are a ton of episodes waiting in the can.  (And I don't mean "in the bathroom."  :-)  )  You'll see the upper deck get finished, a mini-series on building the first scenery, and even some track re-routing.

Gerry, you're killing me! Smile There are only 12 episodes on the trains.com website and you are editing #23?  Why, oh why is someone keeping all of your incredible work and learned ways from my viewing pleasure?

Greg

P.S.  I sooo wish I had watched your helix episodes before butchering mine!

Greg Shindledecker Modeling the =WM= Thomas Sub in the mid-70s

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Fruita, CO
  • 541 posts
Posted by slammin on Friday, January 14, 2022 8:05 AM

Still no access to episodes after number 12! Gerry, for your sake, I hope Kalmbach pays you faster for your work than they make that work available to subscribers.

 

 
 
  • Member since
    June 2020
  • 3 posts
Posted by LBLAZE on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 2:52 PM

#13 was posted on Feb 2!!!!!

And the Olympia episodes previously run have been swtiched to something called Olympia Underground.  Accessing them "costs" one of the free looks.  Amazing that they were previously run as Summer Camp, and now seemingly behind  a pay wall.  

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!