I have a bunch of intact model railroader magazines from 1951 ,1952 , 1953 , 1956 , 1957. A few from 69-70 Almost all are complete with their original covers and not ripped up . Is there a market for these older Model Railroader magazines and what might they be worth ? Thanks ! willc.
Here is a full listing by date of the Model Railroader Magazines I have 12-51 1-52 2-52 3-52 5-52 6-52 7-52 8-52 9-52 10-52 11-52 12-52 1-53 2-53 4-53 9-55 12-55 1-56 2-56 3-56 4-56 5-56 6-56 7-56 1-69 2-69 3-69 5-69 12-70 12-71 1-72 11-89 1-90 4-90 6-90 8-90 11-91
Well, to be honest, generally loose magazines will bring a very minimal price. Usually earlier issues worth more. Much of the time, folks don't do well selling them.
Value is zero since Kalmbach will sell literally all of them to you on a DVD now. People can't give them away anymore.
I will take them, never pay for them, read them and pitch them if nobody wants them. I can't get anything for them if I try to sell them, so I won't pay anything either. Usually you find dumpsters full of old magazines after a trains show...sellers couldn't sell, didn't want to haul them home. I had a clinic I ran, had huge stacks of model railroad related magazines...free. One moron was across from me, trying to sell...took half my magazines, priced them, didn't sell a one, left them on the floor when he left, so we pitched them
The only thing that magazines that old are good for is reading. The materials and procedures mentioned in articles are outdated. After the new year i'll be disposing of my oldest issues from 1985 to 2000 to make room for new issues. Seen bundles of them at shows either a buck for a complete year or free for the taking.
Well now I wouldn't say that. For example MR 1985-2000 is way way better than any more current MR. More useful too. Writings better, ideas better, etc. And many techniques haven't really changed. Zip texturing for example. Instructions from the 60s are still valid.
I did get rid of a bunch of Trains magazines by leaving them in the waiting room while having therapy sessions on my shoulder
I second that. I've noticed the magazines are now running the same topics and ideas over and over again where as when you compare it to the past it had tons of writing and useful info.
I second that. I've noticed the magazines are now running the same topics and ideas over and over again where as when you compare it to the past it had tons of writing and useful info.
My final issue of MR is coming in Dec., the problem is almost all the articles are hold the hand step by step stuff, nothing inspiring, rarely anything about a prototype. However, I always keep an eye out for back issues from 2000 back. The Western PA Model Railroad Museum usually has a table of them, a buck per year of issues. Get em when I go see the layout during the holidays.
I bought a few old issues for 50cents each after flipping through them. For me, their main value is prototype scale drawings, and photos of period freight cars, since I model the 1950s.
Agree completely. I very much enjoy reading older issues. In an effort to make space in our house, I recently gave my complete MR collection (1971-1984) to a local model rail club. They keep a huge stack of magazines on hand for anyone to take if they wish and it's a great way to grow the hobby, especially for young people who often don't have the money to pay the high cover prices for magazines.
I'll pick up an old issue or two at swapmeets, (they're usually free!), just for the nostalgia, articles, and even the old adds in there. We've come a long way, but alot is still true after all these years.
I keep the ones where they printed photos of mine that I sent in or have articles that I wrote. The rest are long gone.
I just gave away 26 years worth of New York Central Headlight magazines. Ran an ad and offered them to anyone who was willing to pay the postage. Got one reply and he now owns them despite the USPS's attempts to destroy the Priority Mail boxes.
Sometimes a roll of serious packing tape is needed, and a strengthend box is a must, amazing what a package goes thru the further it goes!
Believe me, Kurt, I used at least a half roll of serious tape, because the two boxes each weighed about 20 lb. The buyer reported that one, as received, looked like "they had used it as a football." The good part is that he is perfectly happy with what he received. Those Headlights are treasures of NY Central history.
