Model Railroading > Digtial at Kalmbach

I went digtial with Kalmbach and saved money over buying the magazines and reading everything in ten minutes per magazine. I didn't think I would ever do it, but the price of the magazines at the hobbyshop was just getting too high. The subscribtions were getting out of reach too when I factored in all the magazines I wanted to subscribe to.

You can watch feature videos, read Trains, Classic Trains, Model Railroader, etc., the current issues or back into the last century that includes when MR had plans and construction articles. (IMO, there's some great stuff in the 1960s.) You also get news, reviews and a heads up on new products.

I also like going through Trains magzine in the 1950s time period I model for ideas or looking at the freight cars. (If you can catch them, they have special lower price offers if you want to try it.) I do wish they had an all time index, but I found another source for that.

I am very happy and will never go back to printed magazines!  (I am also alergic to dust and mites, so was happy to pitch or give away everything except Mainline Modeler.)

Victor Baird



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/23 07:43 by wabash2800.

Great.  Do they have the entire digital issues of Trains going back to 1940?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/09/23 21:22 by billmeeker.

I have a print and digital subscription.  I've found that Trains.com is one of the slowest web sites I've ever used.  This goes back to the MR Video+ days.
They really need to upgrade their servers or farm it out.  

Mike Stewart
Oakley, CA

   A couple of years ago I got the whole Mainline Modeler digital run from the C&O historical society. Well worth the investment and now I don't have to scavenge ebay to get any missing issues.

Bill Phillips

I still like the magazines as I read them when I go to bed before sleeping. I avoid looking at the cell phone because it just keeps me awake, so the digital option is not an option, I don't currently subscribe to Kalmbach publications because they have drifted away from my core interests. Trains has become more oriented toward the industry and less toward railfans. Model Railroader is too focused on beginners.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

funnelfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I still like the magazines as I read them when I
> go to bed before sleeping. I avoid looking at the
> cell phone because it just keeps me awake, so the
> digital option is not an option, I don't currently
> subscribe to Kalmbach publications because they
> have drifted away from my core interests. Trains
> has become more oriented toward the industry and
> less toward railfans. Model Railroader is too
> focused on beginners.

Interesting...I thought Trains was too slanted towards rail buffs...but I suscribe for what industry news I can get. I guess this mean its even coverage...

Yes, they do! And Model Railroader going back to the beginning in the 1930s plus all of the Classic Trains issues!

Victor Baird

billmeeker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great.  Do they have the entire digital issues of
> Trains going back to 1940?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/23 07:36 by wabash2800.

Thanks Bill. I will probably spring for that one of these days.

Victor Baird


mrbill11 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>    A couple of years ago I got the whole
> Mainline Modeler digital run from the C&O
> historical society. Well worth the investment and
> now I don't have to scavenge ebay to get any
> missing issues.
>
> Bill Phillips

I'm getting old and am cleaning house.  I have the complete Mainline Modeler + extras and have offered them for sale, pickup only, but the St. Louis area is notoriously frugal.  Also Locomotive Quarterly and Locomotive and Railway Preservation.   Crickets.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/23 09:17 by Frisco1522.

I saved even more money by cancelling my entire subscription 3 years ago like thousands of others.  They aren't deserving of my hard earned cash.  No digital content necessary, there's plenty without them!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/23 15:48 by CO1309.

Re the Mainline Modeler archive DVD: They have lowered the price quite a bit from its initial offering.
I bought that but considered my payment to be partly a donation, so no problem here.
Then I gave away my print copies to make space.
So the DVD is a pretty good value now, IMHO.
Bill in Ft Worth
 

Can you comment on how easy it is to search the Mainline Modeler DVD?  What is the quality of the scans?  Does it require additional software to make use of it?

gnguy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a print and digital subscription.  I've
> found that Trains.com is one of the slowest web
> sites I've ever used.  This goes back to the MR
> Video+ days.
> They really need to upgrade their servers or farm
> it out.  

Slower and more backward than Walthers website?

grahamline Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can you comment on how easy it is to search the
> Mainline Modeler DVD?  What is the quality of the
> scans?  Does it require additional software to
> make use of it?

Opens with Adobe Reader.

I put the Mainline Modeler DVD contents on Icloud which works fine also.
The scans look fine when enlarged. So IMHO it's a good product.
Bill in Ft Worth
 

RRBMail Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> gnguy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have a print and digital subscription.  I've
> > found that Trains.com is one of the slowest web
> > sites I've ever used.  This goes back to the
> MR
> > Video+ days.
> > They really need to upgrade their servers or
> farm
> > it out.  
>
> Slower and more backward than Walthers website?

Is that possible?

ChicagoCoyote Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RRBMail Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > gnguy Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I have a print and digital subscription. 
> I've
> > > found that Trains.com is one of the slowest
> web
> > > sites I've ever used.  This goes back to the
> > MR
> > > Video+ days.
> > > They really need to upgrade their servers or
> > farm
> > > it out.  
> >
> > Slower and more backward than Walthers website?
>
> Is that possible?

You've obviously never have tried to use the IRS website...