I have several years worth of Trains Magazines from the 1960s in exceptional condition. Does anyone know whether they have value?
They have alot of value to people who appreciate good writing and detailed coverage. Unfortunately you won't get much money for them... I recently picked up some musty old rail mags from the 50s.. not sure how many...too many to carry in two arms...for 10 bucks.
I love those old magazines though... they tell so much about the times..people read more...articles were much more detailed and lengthy 30 or 40 years ago although the photography was often lacking.
At swap meets I typically see prices for old Trains magazines between 25 cents and a dollar, rarely more than that. Condition matters quite a bit -- and by the way "odor" does too.
I would say that sellers who organize their magazines by year and month and make them easy to flip through are generally able to charge more than those who have a box full of loose and unorganized issues. If you have entire years, make an effort to sell them by year. There are certain issues that are more collectible than others and some guys will buy an entire year just to get that issue.
Dave Nelson
There's usually a "paper & collectibles" show and sale here in Allentown late each September, at which I have worked on completing my collection back in that time frame. I have paid as high as $5 "retail" for a specific issue - the 1964 one with like 17 pages on the PRR's GG1 electric locomotive comes to mind, if I have those details right. $3 or so is more typical.
Probably universal advice: Have you checked on e-Bay ?
Also, there were (are ?) a few dealers of books and magazines who advertise in the classifieds for "Wanted to Buy" or "For Sale" in the back of each issue of Trains. I don't have an issue handy here to check, but you could. I seem to recall that there were a couple form out in the Harrisburg, PA area, maybe southern California, and up in New England - Connecticut, etc.
Or do an Internet search and see what comes up.
If all else fails, don't trash them. Find a local rail museum or model railroad club, and donate them there for a good home, and take the resulting modest income tax deduction (if you can). I did that with a lot of my old Model Railroader magazines a few years ago.
- Paul North.
Check with Paul Gibson at Railpub.
www.railpub.com
He buys and sells back issues of Trains and other railroad related magazines
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