In the mail today came a copy of Railroads and Coal DVD.
Sorry for my impatience ! [oops] [#oops]
I love the new slim DVD case it came in. Takes up so little space. [:-^]
I kept the first two but sent back the next one and never heard from them again which was fine with me. The quality was OK but certainly not worth the price IMHO. I felt I could get much more info by spending less money annually on subscribing to other railroad magazines.
Not at all, fivel. In fact, I completely agree with you!
So it sounds like your mileage may vary … maybe MR will be reading this thread and can help those who want to “get back in” to the DPB series. [swg]
You know I sometimes find it difficult to fall asleep at night. It’s awful when I just lie in bed with my mind racing. I believe I may have made a mistake by throwing my DPB videos out because all I have to do is put any one of them on while lying in bed and I would be asleep in minutes. Those videos are like Ambien (sleep aid) and can put any grown man fast asleep.
Cute, but not very helpful.
Why do you find the DPB videos so uninteresting? Are the production values poor? The topics not interesting? The pacing too slow? The “talent” presence not captivating? What?
Ok you ever watch this Tv show on Spike TV on Saturday mornings where they spend an hour showing you how they hook up a truck or car? That is cool and interesting to watch because of the way it is presented and the two host. The DPB videos are so WEAK in deliverance and not captivating with some stiff guy showing you a procedure or something. It is in a quiet area that has a feeling of a jail cell (no I have never been in jail but I have watched MSNC Lock Up) The detail of the work not good. I am not lying about being boring. Yea I was making a joke before but it is to me really boring. maybe they should use a loud black guy to present the videos with 70’s Motown music in the backround. Or maybe Peter from Family Guy that would make it great! LOL
Everyone seams to be dissing the DYI instructionals, I wasn’t aware there was a set of these DVDs out there that were missing the layout tours, the visits to real railroads and various RR historical segments. While the DYI stuff is a tad dry, I kept these DVDs primarily for the layout tours and real train stuff like tourist line visits or even the Real Rails stuff, which I find more interesting than the other stuff. Train videos are ALWAYS going to be on the dry side, name me one dedicated train video thats as exciting as a Peter Jackson film and I’ll eat a bug! Some of those videos out there could be used to euthanize deathrow inmates. Lets face it, they are ALL dry to one degree or another, why would these be any different? its just in the nature of the beast. Dont like the DYI stuff? Thats what the SKIP button on the DVD controller is for. [;)]
I can relate to those who fall asleep watching hobby videos. I don’t have any of the DPB videos, but many with layout tours and prototype subjects. I like the subjects, and want to view them, but too often I drop off to sleep while trying to watch them! A good buddy of mine said the same happens to him too.
I think it’s probably because I rarely watch the TV right next to my computer/workbench by itself. I’m usually doing surfing on the computer, working on a model or reading at the same time (multitasking?). I think its devoting all of my energies on watching the hobby videos. I never have the inclination to drop off to sleep when my wife and I watch dramatic video movies together on the upstairs TV.
One of those mysteries I guess!
Back to our regularly scheduled rant!
Ok I have to ask, what is your FAVORITE “dramatic video movie” do you enjoy the most when your with wifee??
Schoolhouse Rock Trains?
Here is a famous example Preamble:
Well instead of being negative, why don’t we include suggestions of things we would like to see in future series.
For example:
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How to wire a tortoise into DCC decoders
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Longer review videos of available products. Maybe include tips on how to modify them or maintain them (how to remove shell, lube, replace lights etc…). Point out detail features and note for which perioid they are appropriate. Note their common use (passenger, yard goat, etc…) (ie: Mars lights would be on later edition F7 units)
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How to kitbash various locomotives into other varieties. For example turn a VC16 tender into a VC12.
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How to build trestle bridges from scratch.
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Basic electronics like keep alive circuits for lights in cars. (On DCC and DC)
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Animation- For example how to turn a walthers coal mine into a working coal dump.
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How to build a helix
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Histories of various locomotives like Y3 class, or Niagra, or C&O’s H-8, or T-1, or the Pennsy K-4. I still can’t tell the difference between a RS-1 and RS-3. (I stink at recognizing anything that isn’t steam for that matter.) So a primer on various engine types would be nice.
These are just a few I wouldn’t mind seeing…
Whatever is available for rental at the time - I’m talking about recent movie releases here. Among recent favorites of mine were “Transformers” (great effects!) and “Next” with Nicholas Cage.
You’re certainly entitled to your opinion, but fortunately, not all of us need 2X4s slamming us in the side of the head, or an obnoxious, overbearing jerk of a host who insults everyone in sight, to find something interesting. I for one appreciate the lack of attention-deficit-inspired gimmicks designed to hold the focus of the sub-average intelligence male that is the target audience of Spike TV (I’m also entitled to MY opinion [angel]), because it allows me to concentrate on what the presenters are actually presenting. And I must admit I’m curious - what does the race of the host has to do with whether or not his/her presentation is interesting?
Curiosity killed the man. Anyways, The race of the host has as much importance as the option of the fat white guy named Peter throwing insults to everyone in sight. What a question. I used TWO funny examples of different host to use and you stick to the race one? Get over it, it was a joke. Why didnt you ask me what difference in cartoon characters have to do with what makes the vide
I kept the first one because I felt the price was acceptable relative to the material it contained. I sent back the next two because I didn’t think they were worth $25 each, and I was removed from the mailing list. So it goes…
First, I’m a noobi and I’m an information sponge. I’m constantly searching for material that will improve my construction skills. If I want to observe visits to model railroad empires accompanied by dry interviews, and that I will never be able to build in this lifetime, there are numerous ones to be had already available. Same goes with videos of real trains going around curves, up grades, and over bridges. And, I don’t care how tank cars are manufactured. By #3, I was totally turned off with the series. I wanted articles and segments that would give me the information and skills I needed to make my layout the best I can make it. My first impression after subscribing to MRR for 4-5 years, downloading several of their on-line products, and finally reviewing three of their DVD’s is that they make a lot of money recycling articles between magazine issues, selling PDF downloads and using them as fillers on DVD’s. How many ways can material be marketed before it “runs out of steam”? Pun intended…Were some the segments informative and helpful? Absolutely… Were some of them useless to someone wanting to build a model railroad? Yes on that one also… If Kalmbach decides to do another series, I hope it will be comprised of articles pertaining to projects, how-to’s, how not too’s, and in general information that is actually useful to a modeler. I’m willing to look at it, but if it’s the same type of information, presented in the same format those will be going back also. How about something besides an article that appeared years ago that the editors think no one will remember…
For what it’s worth, Kalmbach isn’t the only guilty one. I purchased a Woodland Scenics DVD at a train show that turne
Joe, I think most of what you pointed out is the issue for many viewers. I personally most enjoyed the video on operating David Pops (I think) Nagatuck Valley. It was a bit fast paced yet he was thorough, it seemed to me. I watch it most often than any of the others.
Here’s what happened to me. Let me first say that I am not a Kalmbach basher, nor do I like to spend time on here complaining or reading a lot of complaints. However, I started receiving the DPB series from the beginning. I hot the first four, and I sent the fourth back, remembering that they were advertised as having no obligation to buy nor any minimum purchase (their words, not mine). I was cut off for returning one. I called to get back on, I got a really hard time from an operator about how they couldn’t afford to continue sending them so someone who returned them. The said they would restart me with the one I sent back. They did…14
TWO funny examples? I didn’t see ONE. I’ve heard of Family Guy - never watched it, so I have no idea who Peter is, what race the cartoon character supposedly is, and I wouldn’t know if he’s funny or not. Clearly you consider a loud black man to be funny, and race seems to be a primary reason for that. Since my sense of humor is not founded on race, I wouldn’t see the first funny (over a loud man of any other race), either.
I’m not trying to start an argument here or disparage you or anything, but if I’m not missing some key part of where you’re coming from here (and I certainly hope I am), the implications of your posts are very disturbing.
Maybe we should just let this go.
[quote user=“n2mopac”]
Here’s what happened to me. Let me first say that I am not a Kalmbach basher, nor do I like to spend time on here complaining or reading a lot of complaints. However, I started receiving the DPB series from the beginning. I hot the first four, and I sent the fourth back, remembering that they were advertised as having no obligation to buy nor any minimum purchase (their words, not mine). I was cut off for returning one. I called to get back on, I got a really hard time from an operator about how they couldn’t afford to continue sending them so someone who returned them. The said they would restart me with the one I sen