Hey does anyone here think they know what a 1954 Kalmbach Model Railroad book would be worth. [?]
I Swear to God I found a book entitled “Small Model Railroads You can Build” . The original publication date says 1954. In looking through it, the techniques for most of the facets of modeling railroads included seem awfully primitive. No mention of power tools, wire mesh and plaster for scenery carved with a pocket knife. Plans for 4 x 6 layouts as well as 5 x 8 and
5 x 9 ??
I’m really curious as to whether or not this book is worth more than the $1.00 price on the cover. Incidentally inside there is mention of Model Rairoader magazine with a photo of it, you can just barely make out the price $.50 an issue !!! [:0]
Do a search on this site: http://www.bookfinder.com/ Their prices seem to be grossly inflated, though. But if it is listed their price might be a start.
Bob boudreau
I don’t know of anyone who collects books like that, and even then to be worth something it would have to be a first edition. It is one of those things they reprint and reprint. I think that specific one was printed up until 1978 when they came out with the All New small railroads YOU can build (capitalization theirs not mine).
I was excited to get a 1952 copy of Practical Guide to Model Railroading I picked up at a swap meet somewhere for a buck. My excitement had nothing to do with its real value but personal value. I wore the cover and first few pages off of my original copy, as it was the only “book” I had on Model Railroading through grade school (1963-1970). I almost had it memorized.
I doubt that you’ll get very much for this book, despite its age. As you mentioned, the techniques used in 1954 are no longer the techniques used now. There were several incarnations of this book, and in looking at book search services, more recent versions (1979) of this book are available for anywhere from $0.42 to about $5.00 Yes, that’s less than a dollar, and there are about six or seven of them at that price. Since this is a paperback book that was published in fairly large printing runs, it’s likely that it’s never going to be very rare. Plus, there’s probably going to be a very limited number of folks interested in collecting it.
So, I would guess that it won’t be worth much more than that cover price. But you never know. All it takes is one individual who decides that he must have that particular edition.
-Ed
is it a money worth to you? you obviously picked it up.
or are the plans in there valuable to your information?
It’s a collection of reprints from Model Railroader. The chief value is nostalgia or history depending on your age. It does provide some beginner information that is adaptable to today, but there are better books available. Since there is no significant collector’s market for model railroad books, especially reprint collections, I doubt that this has much value beyond the $1 you paid. Enjoy it for what it is - I do with my copy.
Enjoy
Paul
This is one of those cases where just because something is over 50 years old doesn’t mean it is of great value. Keep in mind that this title was in print for about 30 years, so $5 sounds about right.
Now if you found a hard cover book like “Steam’s Finest Hour”, that would be worth something.
I also have copy of this book,I found it in 1972 while at a garagesale,paid 10 cents for it. A 5X9 was the size of a ping pong table.
I received in change, an obsolete $10.00 bill from the 50’s and was jumping for joy because I thought I had hit the jackpot. I found out it was worth the face value of $10.00 and no more.
I seen on “Antiques Roadshow”, PBS, a person bring in a Bible from the 1700s
and they found out it was’nt worth much.
I guess the point is, just because something is old, does not meen it’s worth
a lot of money.
That’s right John. After all, I’M old and I’m not worth squat.
My experience with old Kalmbach books is that there is no real collector’s value except for the prototype photo books. But do look out for old Model Railroader Cyclopedias – not the steam locomotive and diesel locomotive ones they sell now, but the old ones. They are a treasure trove of plans and prototype photos
Old model railroad books, and magazines, do have their charms however. They can make you more grateful for the array of products and techniques we now have available. They can make you respect the amount of work a real layout involved back then, Some ideas are still useful I suspect. There might be track plans or parts of track plans that appeal. After all the Linn Westcott book on 101 track plans, which is about that same era, is still being sold and referred to.
Dave Nelson
After wriing the above I went through my collection of old model railroad books and found Kalmbach’s “Practical Guide to Model Railroading” I think I paid 25 cents for this book first published in 1952 and printed in 1954. It still has reasonably useful information about laying track and roadbed, kit building, and the basics of cab control wiring.
But the dedication is also interesting – dedicated to the little daughter of a one time member of the Model Railroader staff named Bill Wight. Name ring a bell? I didn’t think so. He was in his 20s when he died in 1950, leaving a wife and small child. In 1950 the NMRA had its 15th annual convention in Milwaukee and there was a railfan special on an electric railroad called Speedrail. Due to negligence there was a horrid collision and something like 10 or 12 model railroaders were killed – including this Bill Wight. Dozens more were badly injured. The dedication reads “Dedicated to Mary Lee Wight. Your daddy started to make this book, Mary Lee. We wish he could have finished it.”
Dave Nelson