Western Railroad Discussion > Extra 2200 South magazine - status update

Periodically, people have inquired on the status of this magazine. Please see the link below for a recent letter from the publisher on what's going on:

http://www.extra2200south.com/letter.html

Please note, I am not affiliated with the publication other than an occasional contributor. I am providing this link for the information of other subscribers and fans of the magazine.

Mike Derrick
http://www.shortlinesusa.com

Personally I wish it were back like the old days. It would be nice very timely inclusive update on whats going on.
In print, in one place, for the country. It would be a great time saver.


Bob Jordan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/02/10 07:31 by robj.

They kinda leave out one little detail they don't seem to find important - Diesel Era.

What they really ought to do is contract with White River Productions, can't lose under their banner.

I used their rail facility locater feature extensively. For me, it alone made the subscription price worthwhile.

The RFL was a regular section listing the precise location of engine serving facilities, yards, etc. In those pre-internet, pre- google.maps era, it was very helpful to know precise locations when traveling.

Thanks for this.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

I have been a subscriber since the early 70's and have every issue dating back to 1968. The last few years they just could not get an issue published anywhere near on schedule. It's no wonder hobby shops and other dealers did not want to stock it anymore, and it's easy to understand why they could not get new subscribers. Who wants to tie their money up in a magazine that only comes out once a year? While I find the internet useful for last minute/breaking news sort of things, there is still no substitute for the hard copy you can take out on the porch and read and save for reference. All it takes with a web site is for someone to just "pull the plug" and all the info is gone. The last few years I've just put X2200S in the back of my mind, and let "Diesel Era" become my main source of info. "The Railroad Press" is a much improved magazine and provides an excellent source of odd locomotives and their movements. In fact, I will probably take the money that has gone to X2200S and start a subscription to "TRP." I also find it ironic that the info-letter from X2200S has an April date yet no one seems to have learned about it until now.

I'm trying to figure out a couple of things.....

1) when was X2200 EVER reliable in showing up in one's mailbox? I put in my first subscription for six quarterly issues in the late 1980s. It took five years, during which time I lived in three different states to get the six quarterly issues. Nothing has changed here.

2) if the letter was "dated" April 2010 and it's just now coming to light (I've seen it referenced elsewhere on the inter-webs today, so let's say that Doug wrote the letter five or six weeks ago and just now got around the posting it to his site), then that's actually pretty good timeliness by the pathetically low standards of X2200S.

BobE

X2200 "was" the locomotive magazine in the 70's, their day is passed.
I have bought both religiously for as long as they have been in print.
I'll take Diesel Era any day.
Tom

Unfortunately, it's very difficult to live up to the standards
of Don Dover's X2200South. Even today with the inter-web, it's hard to
find any compilation of data like was in his magazine. In addition to
the pixs of all sorts of new or newly painted power, exhaustive articles
on fleets, and ORO, RFL, and just tons and tons of data. He lived and
breathed this stuff, and most of his family was involved with getting the magazine
together, so I'm told. The magazine was never on time, but the wait was always
well worth it. Where else would you ever find a roster of every GE 70 tonner ever built,
along built date, every owner, tech data for each unit, serial #, and current location
or disposition. The only thing close that I've seen is Diesel Era. Lots of
good photos and tech data. The complete roster of NW-2's was excellent, but I don't believe it had the ownership history and disposition of each unit, which is the most interesting part.

One thing to keep in mind is that X2200 has always been a labor of love, from the early days when Jerry Pinkepank founded it and sent a mimeographed (remember that printing process?) sheet or two to friends, through Garth Tyckoson and then Don Dover and family. Doug Cummings has supported it while working full time and raising his family and I'm sure he's yet to see his first profit. Plus, none of us are getting any younger and I don't see a lot of young fans stressing over the chain of ownership of the local NW2.

So, kudos to Doug and here's wishing all the best with the electronic future of X2200 South.

A trivia question: Where did the title X2200 South come from?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/02/10 13:31 by masterphots.

Could it reference a SCL Alco C628? Just guessing.

masterphots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> A trivia question: Where did the title X2200
> South come from?


Wasn't it something to do with an ex ATSF Baldwin unit? I believe that it was I had heard a few years back. B

masterphots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A trivia question: Where did the title X2200
> South come from?

It came from Jerry Pinkepank's home address at the time, 2200 South Rundle Ave., Lansing MI

BobE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> 2) if the letter was "dated" April 2010 and it's
> just now coming to light (I've seen it referenced
> elsewhere on the inter-webs today, so let's say
> that Doug wrote the letter five or six weeks ago
> and just now got around the posting it to his
> site), then that's actually pretty good timeliness
> by the pathetically low standards of X2200S.
>
> BobE

I must be the kiss of death for quarterly magazines. I also subscribe to Backstreets Magazine, and they went two years between issues (thankfully most recent issue just came out)!

I had pretty much given up on X2200, don't even know how many issues are left on my subscription (been buying it since Issue 44). I didn't even realize that they had a web site. If a reader didn't have net access, how did they expect the reader to respond to this letter?

As for the content, I got LOTS of mileage out of the RFL feature over the years. Of course, MANY of those engine facilities are now gone too.

masterphots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I don't see a
> lot of young fans stressing over the chain of
> ownership of the local NW2.


Kids today....Sheeesh.

Who could not care about a classic diesel like the NW-2,
and then get all excited about some SD70 ACe's in Lionel
style paint jobs on the UP.

CO5232 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> masterphots Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A trivia question: Where did the title X2200
> > South come from?
>
> It came from Jerry Pinkepank's home address at the
> time, 2200 South Rundle Ave., Lansing MI

You got it!