I am looking for uses of past issues of MR. I have at least 10 years of them and are looking for a worthy use. They local train clubs have all they need and the local libraries have a surplus of magazines past issues. Any suggestions?Sent from my iPhone
Put them in the recycling bin. If train clubs and libraries don't want them, the ecological thing to do is to recycle them.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain Put them in the recycling bin. If train clubs and libraries don't want them, the ecological thing to do is to recycle them. Rich
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
If you have as many Drs. as I have, you could ask if they would mind if you left some in the lobby. You might even cause a kid to ask for a train for Christmas.
Periodically I pass my magazines on to the young sons of one of our club members.
A friend asked if I had any older issues of MR that I was willing to sell, and I replied to him with a curt "No!"...."but I do have almost 50 years-worth of them that I'll give you if you care to drive here (about 600 miles round-trip) to pick them up."
Another friend dropped by to help haul them out of the basement in banana boxes...5 or 6 of them, I think.
I'm contemplating getting rid of some issues of RMC, which date from 1970 to 2014, plus the later ones from White River to 2018. There are a few of the 2012-2014 issues that I plan on keeping, as I consider them the best of the lot from Carstens.
I also have a fairly good collection of Classic Trains, which I'll likely go through to see which ones I'd want to keep.
Wayne
Do you have the issue of RMC (from iirc 1983?) that has the GG1 drawings complete with nose contours? I had a copy, lost it, and now need it again...
Probably do...I'll take a look and let you know.
Overmod Do you have the issue of RMC (from iirc 1983) that has the GG1 drawings complete with nose contours? I had a copy, lost it, and now need it again...
Do you have the issue of RMC (from iirc 1983) that has the GG1 drawings complete with nose contours? I had a copy, lost it, and now need it again...
I checked through the index pages for 1982, '83, and '84, with no sign of a reference to GG1 drawings.
If I come across it in subsequent searches, I should be able to scan the necessary pages, and send them to you, without having to remove pages from the magazine, as I'd guess that anybody wanting the older issues would prefer them to be intact. If I'm not mistaken, I believe that you can still put a mailing address in my "Messages", even though I'm otherwise not allowed to offer a response there.
Hi guys, RMC's great GG1 article was in two parts. The drawings were in December 1975 issue (a fold out, so for example my scan bed is too small) and in January 1976, they had painting and lettering disgrams, as well as more prototype photos
RMC also had GG1 drawings in the August 1939 (!) issue but even my collection does not go back that far, and I doubt if Dr Wayne's does either.
On the original topic of what to do with old and unwanted magazines - in the spirit of the old Kalmbach ad for back issues that said "Every magazine is new until you've read it" I sometimes just leave surplus copies on tables at swap meets, the tables where flyers for upcoming train shows get placed. Having said that I tend not to discard old mags and have MR solid back to 1948; Trains solid back to the early 1970s, RMC and Railroad/Railfan more isolated issues, and a complete set of North Western Lines from the C&NW Historical Society. I have been trying to discard old issues of "Rail Classics" (a fairly marginal mag even when new) but nobody wants them. Ditto for old NMRA magazines/bulletins and old NRHS magazines. Vox Populi, Vox Dei -- so yes the recycle bin awaits. Given Covid most doctor's and dentist's offices do not seem to have any magazines at all, and would likely be uneasy about donated old mags.
At one time it was not uncommon for someone to write that they had discovered the hobby of model railroading because someone had left their issue of Model Railroader on a trolley car or bus. I used to leave unwanted/duplicate issues of RMC in the pocket ahead of my seat on an airline. Sometimes I wish I still had them (the local hobby shop, now gone, sold issues for a dime where they had ripped off part of the front cover to send to Carstens for their "unsold copy" refund -- unscrupulous to sell those extras but it was done back then)
I keep the old MRs mostly for the drawings of structures and some of the freight car construction articles. Trains is useful particularly those issues from the era I model.
I'd just say in general that what makes an old magazine worth keeping changes over time. When I was a Pennsy modeler all those published articles on C&NW stuctures and rolling stock meant very little to me. Then I became a C&NW modeler and suddenly I was looking at old issues with new eyes. I was glad I had not discarded. At each phase we go through in this hobby, be it benchwork, layout plan, track laying, wiring, scenery -- articles on things you are not then working on tend to be regarded as a "meh." Then someday those articles are not a "meh."
I guess I would say that from a model building perspective I find some of the 1950s issues to be the most actually useful even though that was the pre-styrene era. Most of today's model building articles -- where you watch along as Cody or David or Eric or Steve builds this or that, but no scale drawings are provided -- I can't even regard as useful without a drawing. So I'd probably discard MR 2000 to 2022 before I'd discard 1948 to 2000.
Dave Nelson
Take some of them to doctor or dentist offices.
I recycle mine. I feel a bit queasy recycling such things, but I remind myself that if I haven't found a use for them in the past four years, chances are rather excellent that I never will. And out they go.
I do look through them critically for exceptional and rare material that might spare them the heave-ho, but most of them don't get filtered out that way.
As for Classic Trains, those are gonna keep me company when I can't move around much any more and have a lot of butt time each day. My fervent hope is that it will be post 2042.
kasskabooseTake some of them to doctor or dentist offices.
Seems to me that many medical facilities are removing "shared" newspapers (remember those?) and periodicals from their waiting areas due to their inherent risk of spreading communicable disease.
Just my observation.
Regards, Ed
dknelsonHi guys, RMC's great GG1 article was in two parts. The drawings were in December 1975 issue (a fold out, so for example my scan bed is too small) and in January 1976, they had painting and lettering disgrams, as well as more prototype photos
Thanks for that info, Dave. The fold-out for the GG1 is too big for my scanner too.
Now if Overmod will supply his mailing address in my "Messages" feature, I'll send him both the December '75 issue and the January '76 issue, rather than trying to scan and print the pages separately.
I didn't have a "use" for all my back issues of MR, Trains and CT. But then I wasn't looking for other uses. WHen I had to downsize to move into the home, I ran an ad in Craigs list. It took a while, but eventually a guy called and he was thrilled to have them. He and his son were just getting started in the hobby. I had about 15 years wworth piled up. I had sorted them and inventoried them. I gavve them to the guy, and he "donated" $10 for my trouble.
I used to take issues and leave them in doctor offices, but since COVID, there are no magazines in doctor offices. I saved a few favorite issues. Especially issues of Classic Trains devoted to: E-units, F-units,GPs, GG1, Name passenger trains of the steam era. They sit in my, um, reading room, and I have read them a hundred times.
Another option is to remove (cut out) the articles that interest you. Then recylce the remains. You can then store the saved articles in 3-ring binders, sorted by subject.
Dan
Got rid of my old mags like 10 years ago or more, nobody wanted them, not even clubs. Kept a few but the only thing a still look at is I have some old Walthers catalogs and they give me info of what was out there in detail parts for wood kit cars as well as what kit cars might be lurking on sites like e-bay that I don't have but want.
josephbwIf you have as many Drs. as I have, you could ask if they would mind if you left some in the lobby. You might even cause a kid to ask for a train for Christmas
Undortunately around here, doctors offices and hospitals have removed all reading material from waiting areas. To prevent spread on infectious diseases.
My collection dates back to the early 60's, and years ago, I began keeping a record on my computer of articles/plans/photos (in date order under headings and sub-headings) that I found particularly interesting. That document is now 20+ pages long!
Yes, I know that MRR maintains a digital library, but with this method, I already know the article will be exactly what I'm looking for!
Jim
HudsonRR I am looking for uses of past issues of MR. I have at least 10 years of them and are looking for a worthy use. They local train clubs have all they need and the local libraries have a surplus of magazines past issues. Any suggestions?Sent from my iPhone
Any train shows coming up in your area? Most shows will have a give-away table near the entrance where you can leave magazines for others to pick up and enjoy.
That's what we do at our VTCA shows, and there's usually very little left at show's end. People do like freebies and the free mags may just inspire new people into the bobby. Anything left goes in the trash at shows end.
kasskaboose Take some of them to doctor or dentist offices.
since the men in those facilities dont really get anything & since i live in fla AKA gods waiting room
there are a bunch of homes to chose from here in cape coral
DanRaitzHome»Model Railroader»Forums»General Discussion (Model Railroader) New Reply Fill out the form below to create a new reply. DanRaitz wrote the following post 13 days ago: Another option is to remove (cut out) the articles that interest you. Then recylce the remains. You can then store the saved articles in 3-ring binders, sorted by subject.
I scan the articles of interest and store them as files on my computer
I take them with me to Dr. appointments and leave them in the waiting room for others to read.
Modeling the Motor City
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
Like Dave Nelson, I keep them and have no plans to get rid of any.
MR nearly complete from the mid 40's, been a continious subscriber since 1969.
RMC nearly complete from the early 50's.
NMRA publications since 1968.
Storage has never been a problem, this stuff will be on bookshelves under the new layout as it progresses.
But hard copy media is a thing with me, maybe it is my orignal training as a draftsman, or just my interests.
Likely 3000 magazines or more?
1700 vinyl records (they sound so much better than shinny ones and zeros)
700 music CD's
Books - history, trains, architecture, construction, electronics, HiFi, automobiles, tractors, guns, politics, classic literature.
Bought another train book just last month.
Other interesting items - my original 1968 NMRA Standards, Recommended Practices and Data Sheets from when I joined.
Walthers catalogs - a random collection of 24 issues from the early 80's to 2016.
None of it takes up space that I need for anything else, so why would I get rid of any of it?
Again, like Dave, I find the model train magazines from the 50's and early 60's to often be the most useful - but ALL of it is reference material.
Sheldon
The only books I have in my house are atlases. I love maps.
Everything else has been given out. All my magazines, books, every bit of it.
I no longer have access to the MR digital archive, so that hurts a bit.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 The only books I have in my house are atlases. I love maps. Everything else has been given out. All my magazines, books, every bit of it. I no longer have access to the MR digital archive, so that hurts a bit. -Kevin
I have the MR digtal archive, but I only use it for quick checks, to actually build from info, I go pull the hard copy, and make working copies on the printer. OR, I down load the pdf and print the necessary pages.
This is very important:
https://rrmagazineindex.org/about.php
I can't imagine my world with out books, I find it harder to read stuff on the computer/tablet.
I only use the phone for talking/texting. Even then I prefer to text on the tablet. I hate the vertical format....
But then again, I still have vinyl records, and a few VHS tapes.....
I'm another one who keeps old magazines.
I have MR solid back to 1948 and several prior ones as well.
NMRA back to 1972 when I joined.
RMC solidback to 1973 and most issues from there back to 1955 and some older ones.
Have many issues of other model railroad magazines acquired here and there.
Like some others here, I have the room for them so I keep them.
I also have 300+ railroad books and 50+ model railroading books.
And then of course I have a couple of thousand (or more) other books, plus many vinyl records, cds, dvds, etc.
I prefer reading hard copy to digital.
Paul
When something is important to us, or originally cost us quite a bit, it's difficult to get rid of it.
In the early 2000s, as digital platforms got more common, we would have people want to donate entire collections of National Geographic magazines, or entire sets of encyclopedias, to the school. The first time this happened, we said 'yes' just to be nice. After that, we declined. Many of the donors were upset to learn there was no need of the magazines or books that had meant so much to them.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
I have some gaps but my MR issues go back to the late 1970s and I keep them in large plastic 3 drawer cabinets. I can get two years worth in a single draw so each cabinet will hold 6 years of issues. I don't have nearly as many issues of RMC but I think I have two cabinets with those. Then there are drawers for Classic Trains, Passenger Train Journal, historical society publications, etc.
With every MR issue available through the archive, it probably doesn't make sense to keep the printed issues around but I can't bring myself to part with them. Every once in a while when I get bored I'll go grab an issue at random and leaf through it. I enjoy that a lot more than if I did the same with the electronic version. Sometimes I'll come across an ad that looks interesting and I'll look for the name of their website before I remember I'm looking at a 40 year old magazine.
The cabinets fit easily under then benchwork of the layout so they aren't taking up space that I would otherwise be using.