Not sure if this is allowed - if not - moderators, you know what to do [:D]
I have a lot of recent MR magazines. Not sure of the start date, maybe around 2015/16 to present plus two Trains storage notebooks.
These are free for local pickup. Not getting out of model railroading, just doing some house cleaning. Otherwise they’re going to recycling. I’m in the Chicago NW burbs.
I understand the need and desire to do a cleanup and housekeeping, but “someday” when things are more or less normal, there will be opportunities to put those mags on a table at a train show, swap meet, NMRA divisional meet or other event, marked “free” and just let folks have at it. Beginners are among those who would benefit from having back issues like that. Those back issues can do other folks some good, and do the hobby some good at the same time.
Not practical now but I recall a modeler who would take his unwanted back issues to the dentist’s or doctor’s office with the hope that they might make some converts.
Dave Nelson
Several hobby shops I have visited have a free box of old magazines. They accept donations to the box, and ask you return them when you are done for someone else.
That seems like a nice system.
Old Model Railroader Magazines have great re-read value.
-Kevin
I like the idea of leaving a few recent copies in the waiting room magazine racks of hospitals, doctor/dentist offices, auto service centers, etc. [I]
Jim
I have a few appointments coming up, I think I will do this as well.
-Kevin
With Covid some doctors and the like don’t have magazines available, I would find out before you bring in a whole bunch. [;)]
I have about 5 complete years that I bundled and plan to take to our local semi-annual train show when it gets going again.
Yeah I’d wait. My dentist, eye doctor and medical doctor removed all magazines from the waiting rooms, and were vigilant about spraying the chair you sat in the moment you get up. It may be a while. Just think it might be years before I see another copy of People magazine. [;)]
Dave Nelson
Nobody wants them, either recycle them or just trash them. Even our county will not accept magazines for recycle. They tell us to just trash them.
Dave
All excellent suggestions. Thank You!!
I hadn’t thought about local recycling programs not accepting magazines. I checked and our community does.
I’m just getting back into the hobby - if anyone in the Minnesota area wants to get rid of old Model Railroaders, I’d love to give them a new home.
Maybe you and Arto could work out shipping them over. Media mail is pretty cheap
Where my daughter, son-in-law and family live (a new area) after reading books and magazines (in plastic bags) people leave them in certain places. Under park benches, anywhere under cover. People in the area now know the places.
Other people see them and take the ones they want to read, leaving the rest for someone else.
They do the same with children’s toys. As their kiddie has grown up and stopped playing with toys the toys are also left at the ‘leaving places’. A form of recycling at its best.
It is now such a friendly area that at Easter, easter eggs are left by people at the doors where children live.
David
I donated all of my magazines to the local chartible book shop that gives the proceeds to the local hospital for use with patients, especially kids.
What some others mentioned–about leaving them in public places–is outstanding! I was told to do similar with old Toastmasters’s magazines. Who else gets tired of being in an office waiting for an apt and left reading magazines about the apparent breakin at the Watergate?
What??? Are you telling me that it isn’t the Easter Bunny??? I suppose that the next thing you’ll tell me is that the Tooth Fairy is not real[:'(]
I have mostly complete mags from the 1970’s to the present, and they could use a new home (free). Contact me. I can’t get PM to work to reach you. If you can, PM me with your phone and/or email address, or whitepages.com. Gary Waller, Shakopee.
PM sent. Thanks.
I remember in my early years a buddy went to pick up an item and was given boxes of old train mags which he gave to me, lots of good stuff in them.