Promoting the hobby

[Bfagan]

Promoting the Hobby
 
We all have railroad magazines lying around on shelves, in bookcases and in boxes under the layout never again to be read except on that rare occasion we need information on something we read somewhere.

I purchased the Model Railroader 75th anniversary DVD a few years ago and decided to get rid of those old magazines prior to 2009.  I tried giving them away at my last two open houses but everyone laughed and said they had their own piles at home.

Then I got the idea of taking four Model Railroader magazines and leaving them at the doctor’s office, dentist office or anywhere I go that has reading material in the waiting room.   When I go back the next time they’re nowhere to be found.  Someone is taking them home.  That’s a good thing!

Doing this serves a twofold purpose.  Getting much needed space at home and most importantly “Promoting the Hobby”.

Remember the more model railroader's, the more manufactures and local hobby shops stay in business.

We should do this as a way of getting people interested in Model Railroading.

Bill Fagan
Warminster, PA
NMRA member

[strummer]

That's a good idea...

Mark in Oregon

[Kisatchie]

Then I got the idea of taking four Model Railroader magazines and leaving them at the doctor’s office, dentist office or anywhere I go that has reading material in the waiting room.   When I go back the next time they’re nowhere to be found.  Someone is taking them home.

Hmm... or the doctor/
dentist is throwing them
out... 

[MVW]

Think I could do this with my copies of MR and RMC dating from the 1940s and '50s? 

Seriously, though, this is a great idea for "recycling" more current issues.

Jim

[conrail98]

Interesting idea. I'm about ready to ditch the ones I've bought in the last decade because I subscribe to the online archives and can get whatever I want whenever. I may just do this,

Phil

[wm3798]

Great Idea.  Let's chat about it in the Crew Lounge! 

[badlandnp]

Another thing we can do is take our excess or 'need to sell' stuff to flea markets fairs and craft shows. If you have a functional portable module or something to draw them in, well that helps, too. I do a couple of flea markets a year with excess stuff, and it seems to help people talk about the stuff they had, or have packed away and ought to get out! Oh, did I say it was fun too!

[tom mann]

Doctor?

Yes, what is it Nurse?

Your 2 o'clock patient left all of his train magazines here. We may need to schedule him to return for additional tests.

 

[MVW]

Reminds me of the joke about the banjo player who accidentally left his car unlocked with the banjo in the backseat.

When he came back, there were two more banjos in the car.

Jim

[GaryHinshaw]

When we moved to small town Ohio from Boston one late summer about 30 years ago, our new neighbor advised us to lock our car when we parked to go shopping.

If you didn't, you were liable to end up with a car full of zucchini.

[Andrew Hutchinson]

I've been taking surplus issues to  one of the local miniature railways. They double as a museum and have a constant stream of youngsters filing through their doors on school trips and birthdays. My understanding is that youngsters can get them for free or with parents (if present) paying 25 cents or so. I'm sure a few adults have taken them for themselves.

Andrew Hutchinson

[Joetrain59]

I started dropping my old train mags, both proto and model, at Doc's office a few years ago. Was also involved with a Lady at local hospital. She would drop them in several waiting rooms. Saw one fellow reading one of my drop-offs, after it being there a month! Yes, great idea.
 Joe D