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Model Railroader is offering their first 75 years on DVD for $200.
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I for one am definitely in. What's your take?
Tom
Life is simple - Eat, Drink, Play with trains
Occupation: Professional Old Guy (The government pays me to be old.)
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I will get it. It will be the last of the three DVDs for me to buy, but I will eventually get it.
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Seriously? Wow. :o
That's a real deal if you think about trying to buy all those back issues and then store them somewhere (plus move them every time you move). I may just have to invest in this...but I still like the feel of a paper magazine. I don't take my laptop into the, er, reading room.  But I can take it to my workbench or print out any relevant drawings or articles if necessary.
Will it have every page of every issue, or just certain articles? From the description on the link it sounds like plenty of content...but it doesn't say specifically if every page will be there (all the neat ads).
Galen
I may not be a rivet counter, but I sure do like rivets!
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Every page will be in there, the ads too. They've already released DVDs for Trains and Classic Trains.
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I swore off MR a couple of years back...Too blatanly commercial in many aspects, and "product biased" as well...
While an archive copy might be neat, for that kind of $$, I'd rather buy an engine for my layout.... 
Gus (LC&P).
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I'll be getting it. Free up a TON of shelf space in my train room.
It's a total steal, like $2.67/yr - and most of the older ones are long unavailable. Sure some of the really old material is hopelessly out of date, but who doesn't want to read about the guy with the outdoor live overhead electric railroad - with 110V in the wires! A couple of years ago I picked up complete year 1943, and the ads fromt he various manufacturers alone about the contributiosn to the war effort were worth the price to me - it didn;t cost me that much, actually. Those early issues fromt he 30's were the formative years of the hobby as an organize activity rather than a few 'eccentrics' playing with trains, and will make for some interesting reading.
I also want to get Classic Trains, as there are some issues I've missed that have stuff of interest in them. I'm on the fence for the Trains, in the early years it wasn't just about trains and railroads, remember the magazine title was Trains and Travel. There are issues from the 60's and 70's that I know had articles and specials of interest, but they are harder to find individually then MR at least at most train shows I go to., so the DVD set may still be my best bet.
--Randy
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I am seriously considering the MR DVD when it is launched. I got the Classic Trains DVD today, as a belated birthday gift from my brother and sister - they had it shipped to my inlaws in Minnesota. Yet another thing to look forward to when we pack up camp and head west across the ocean for four weeks in a week and a half! :-)
Smile,
Stein
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I have been thinking about getting the DVD, but I havent firmly made up my mind.
Like Galen I am still a paper reader as I find it less strain on the eyes, and quieter as I dont have the 'puter noise in the background.
However, Randy does raise some very valid points concerning storage and moving issues, cost per issue and having it all catalogued. This is what computers designed are for; to store and quickly retrieve information as and when required.
Considering 75 years by 12 issues makes for 900 issues, not counting any bonus inclusions which makes for a heck of a lot of paper to store and protect from damp, mildew, flood, fire, fading, insects, pets, children and missguided friends and relatives.
I guess to have the best of both worlds, one could print out an important article as and when needed, knowing it is still safely stored on the DVD.
I think that I just convinced myself of the value of getting the DVD. 
Just as long as no one scratches the DVD.
Mark
Fake It till you Make It, then Fake It some More
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Quote:I think that I just convinced myself of the value of getting the DVD.
Just as long as no one scratches the DVD.
I brought this DVD to the attenion of my wife. We moved 7 times in the first 7 years of marriage, and my magazines have moved with us. This DVD would cut my collection in half, at least, and the TRAINS DVD would reduce it by another third or so. If Carstens comes out with Railfan/Railroad and RMC DVDs then it would be nearly gone. The remainder are Model Trains and a few dozen issues of other assorted publications. We've been in our current home a little over 2 years now and plan to be here at least 5-10 years more so moving isn't an issue right away, thank goodness.
You raise a good point - as long as the DVD is safe then so is your collection. There's something reassuring about having a hard copy, as long as it is stored well. First order of business after receiving the DVD - create a backup!
And lastly, it is $200. I know this is easy for some. As has been said, it's the cost of a nice locomotive or two. But it's also 10 months of my hobby stipend. Could I make do on reserved projects for a year? I could write another article or two and pay for it, but the point is, even if it's a bargain per issue it's still a chunk 'o change for somebody on my budget. THAT SAID - it's hard to put a value on the true worth of the content of 75 years worth of modeling advice and examples.
Galen
I may not be a rivet counter, but I sure do like rivets!
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Looks like I'm the first to post that I'm not at all interested in this offer. It's probably been almost ten years since I've subscribed to the mag, and started just buying issues which contained articles of interest at the lhs. And, because I had so many mags in storage, I started going thru them and tearing out articles of interest, filing them in manila folders for categories such as locos, freight cars, structures, scenery, etc. I know many cringe at the thought of tearing up their mags, but I got over that quickly. $200 is a lot of money for a dvd!
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Steamtrains Wrote:I swore off MR a couple of years back...Too blatanly commercial in many aspects, and "product biased" as well... While an archive copy might be neat, for that kind of $$, I'd rather buy an engine for my layout.... Here Hear?, I completely agree. It has probably been 10 years for me.
jglfan Wrote:Looks like I'm the first to post that I'm not at all interested in this offer. It's probably been almost ten years since I've subscribed to the mag, and started just buying issues which contained articles of interest at the lhs. And, because I had so many mags in storage, I started going thru them and tearing out articles of interest, filing them in manila folders for categories such as locos, freight cars, structures, scenery, etc. I know many cringe at the thought of tearing up their mags, but I got over that quickly. $200 is a lot of money for a dvd! Well guys it looks like we are in the minority here. Although I feel we are wise in this 
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Call me old fashioned, but I still use my camera to take pictures, not my cell phone, I use my phone to talk to people, not send text messages, I use my computer to send messages not watch movies and I use my TV to view shows and movies, not my computer or my smart phone, if I had one... Based on that, you're sure as heck not going to find me sitting in front of my computer reading a magazine. Besides, it's awful hard to balance a computer on your knees where I usually read magazines. 
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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Wait a minute Don I still use a camera to take pictures. What is a text message? Movies, well the theater has gotten so expensive We can't go if we want to eat so wait a while and see it on Television. Which DVDs have messed up for us now you have to wait sometimes 2 years instead of 6-8 months. And what in the world is a smart phone?
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The idea of being able to have the first 75 years of MR easily accessible is really cool. It is a great idea, especially if one can print off articles and plans as needed. Will I buy one? Probably not. $200 is not in my price range at the moment and I also have a filing cabinet of articles torn out from various model rr magazines to keep me busy.
Chuck
Detroit Connecting
We are your
inner-city connection.
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A "smart" phone is for smart people who don't need one....!!! 
I like my phones with a cord. If people want to get a hold of me they know where to find me...At work or at home. If I'm not at either one, they know I'm in transit between them....
Gus (LC&P).
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