Pop over to this site:

http://www.popsci.com/archives

and imagine, if you will, that instead of Popular Science it was say, Mainline
Modeler.
Makes you wonder.....

.vp



________________________________
From: rwitt_2000 <rwitt_2000@...>
To: STMFC@...
Sent: Wed, July 14, 2010 5:47:38 PM
Subject: [STMFC] Re: Model Railroad Magazine index is no more



Dennis Storzek wrote:

I assume that Tom is referring to the origins of the Data Train index

on disk. Just to set the record straight, the Model Train Magazine Index
has a different origin. The search engine software was written and
original database compiled by Jeff Scherb, who worked as an IT
professional and spent a lot of time traveling for his job. Jeff did a
lot of the data entry while he was on various airplanes.

Jeff's Model Train Magazine Index has always been web based.

Originally it was hosted by some amateur telescope site (hey, the server
space was free) and when they needed their server space, we hosted it on
the Accurail web site for a couple years. Eventually Kalmbach made Jeff
an offer he couldn't refuse, and moved it to Trains.com. I assume that
Kalmbach has made the decision that the site costs more to maintain than
it is worth as a traffic builder, and so has lost interest in it. I'm
not sure that they see much commercial value in a CD based product; it's
the kind of thing that just should be on the web. My thoughts are they
could put a value on it and donate it to some not-for-profit (which
would allow them the tax write-off) and whatever organization it goes to
could use it to increase the traffic and visibility of their web site,
while using volunteers to make periodic updates, something Kalmbach
stopped doing about two years ago.

Dennis,

Thank you for the background information on the origins of the Model
Train Index.

Its disappointing that Kalmbach has taken this position as it appears to
be a step backwards. They and Craftsman should be scanning all their
magazines or at least their model railroad magazines, to have them
available as PDF documents so one could buy individual articles as
needed. Maybe the business model is not there as Kalmbach tried this on
limited basis. but has not expanded it. I would sure love to buy and
download all of Ted Culotta's Essential Freight Car Articles to make my
private model refernce book.

It seems to survive Craftsman and Kalmbach will have to move to
ePublishing. It seems the whole web page and DB for the index could be
re-written by a really bright summer intern, OK maybe two iterns. This
is not rocket science for those versed in these programming tools. One
can only hope ...

I hope someone will be allowed will be allowed to obtain the Model Train
Index to preserve it and enhance it. It was the fastest way I could find
articles I know I have in my collection.

Regards,

Bob Witt