I was just over at www.allenkeller.com to see if he had any new videos out and he had a farewell message stating that his current video volume #67 will probably be the last he produces. After watching his videos over the years all the way back to when he worked for Model Railroader, I sure hate to see him retire! He sure has increased my enjoyment of model railroading and don’t know who will pick up the slack!
Hopefully he’ll offer some of the earlier VHS videos on some sort of video on demand. ITunes ar Amazon VoD maybe. We’ll have to persuade him!
Although there is many other fine videos, no one does it as well as Allen did!
Allen did a GREAT service to our hobby. I, too, remember when he worked for MRR Magazine. I have 3 of his videos which I watch with some frequency. The Rennsalsear MRR Club and Jim Shaughnessy are in his debt.
Well that is too bad, but all good things must come to an end sometime. I have quite a few of the first of Allen’s videos. Funny thing though, often when watching them in the past I’d fall asleep! I don’t understand, as I was really interesed in them. Mentioned this to a friend who said the same thing happens to him too. I don’t fall alseep when watching a drama on video. It’s not like the videos are boring, maybe its just me and my friend!
I feel the same way about Pentrex videos. Maybe it is the soothing voices of the narrator(s). Here is what I propose: have Fran Drescher (“The Nanny” tv show) re-do the voice overs. It is hard to fall asleep during the sound of fingernails running down a chalk board …
I have to jump in on this one. I’ve known Allen for over 20 years. He has produced three videos on my layout, The Piermont Division. Working with Allen and crew on these videos was a delight and a breath of fresh air. I doubt that he made a bundle on these and it was probably a labor of love. These videos were a major plus for the hobby. I have every one and have learned much of what I know from this series. In my opinion every one was excellent…of course some more than others, but still there they offered so much.
What many do not know, is that Keller is also an excellent modeler and has a very nicely done layout. He would blow me away with his abilities to find views that I never would have thought of. Every time he would start shooting a run-by, almost everything would malfunction, but he was quite patient and always a gentleman. (Of course before the shooting and immediately afterwards, everything would work just fine. I believe this is one of the cardinal rules of model railroading…“Things don’t work when showing them to others.”).
I only hope that someone continues with a similar series, but it will be a tough act to follow.
Good luck, Allen. I /we sure hope you still stay active in this hobby for decades to come.
I’m told the earliest Keller videos weren’t of sufficient quality to reproduce on DVD rather than videotape. There are some definite gems in the 87-program run, like the Jack Burgess, Rick Rideout and Paul Dolkos videos.
No, it’s not just you. I have the same problem. I also find that the same thing occurs when I’m watching some of the railfan videos that my friends have recently shot. The mind can only absorb so many stack trains before it zones out.
I’ve enjoyed them much, in the past particularly when he discusses model railroading with the builders and any techniques and clinics they’d perform. Definitely a plus for all those in the hobby whose learning style is the visual learning style.
I can echo Howard’s sentiment on Allen’s modelling, his Bluff City Southern is a wonderful layout in its own right.
I contacted them (Keller) about approaching “Netflix” to see if they would be interested in some of their DVD’s for rental but Keller never responded. Bill O…