Model Railroaders Dream, Plan, Build DVD Series


Trucklover

Trucklover

BNSF SD70MAC's
Who here is getting the Model Railroader Dream Plan Build DVD Series in the mail? I believe they send them to you only if you subscribe to the magazine, but im not sure

I got the first one a while back, watched it, thought it was okay, decided to keep it, forgot i had it and forgot to pay for it for a few months (whoops) :lolol: then paid for it (was only $9.95) and then just got the second DVD in the series, Volume II. Both have come with a medal with trains from the past and the "Model Railroader Dream, Plan, Build" words on them, there kinda neat i guess. This time i got the DVD, a new medal, and a display stand for the metals. Its pretty cool, i now have the first 2 medals and the first 2 DVD's from the series

But i went on to read it, and this DVD, Volume II is twice the price as Volume I, being $19.95 and there sticking you for the shipping this time to ship it to you which is $4.75 to ship the display stand. I could have done without it, and just got the DVD and medal, but i guess its kinda cool

Letter says, keep it for 21 days, if you dont like it, return in the pre-paid envelope. If you want to keep it, you send payment in the pre-paid envelope. So if i want to keep this one, and keep getting the rest of the series, along with each new metal, i have to pay $24.95 for Volume II. Something which i have not decided if it is worth as of this time. I do want to keep receiving future Dream, Plan, Build DVD's but im just not sure its worth $24.95. Im really hoping if i continue to receive future DVD's by paying for Volume II, that they will be less then $19.95.

Well i guess ill watch it and see what i think, maybe delay for a few months like Volume I LOL

Anyone else get these?
 
I got the first one also, and then moved and forgot about getting it until just now lol. Maybe I should pay for mine and get another one also, lol.
I did rip a copy of it and give the copy away to a friend. I hope I don't get into trouble for that, lol. :rolleyes:
 
ThoroughBreed said:
I got the first one also, and then moved and forgot about getting it until just now lol. Maybe I should pay for mine and get another one also, lol.
I did rip a copy of it and give the copy away to a friend. I hope I don't get into trouble for that, lol. :rolleyes:
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LOL hey Eric, good to see you over here

If you send in the payment for the first one, they will send you the second one a few weeks later, thats what they did for me, and i sent the payment prolly 4 months after i got the first one LOL
 
Guys, be advised that the D-P-B DVD series must simply be going through yet another mailing cycle, as the program actually started several years ago but initially included only a small segment of MR's readership. I'm aware of at least 3 or 4 cycles of the program up until now.

Anyway, the $24.95 price is what it costs for all the DVDs after number one. Their overall usefullness generally depends on how far along in the hobby you are...beginners probably get more out of them than experienced guys. Be advised that the first dozen or so DVDs include large recycled segments of the PBS program series Tracks Ahead, along with some new modeling material.

Later, you will start also receiving DVDs addressing more specific subject matter, like modern diesels, certain railroads, using DCC, etc. I consider the DVD regarding layout operations the best hobby-related DVD of the entire series but I'm sure others will have a different choice.

Copies seem to come at about 4-6 week intervals once you are in the program and I think this is what killed it for a lot of folks. I would also point out that, at least up until recently, if you returned more than one of the DVDs you'd likely be dropped from the program. Good luck with your choice of whether to participate or not.

NYW&B
 
I got the first dvd a few months ago. It had some helpful tips, some not so helpful, but i found it all intersting. If you are looking for a cheaper way watch ebay for awhile. I have seen 9 of the dvds go for 65 bucks.
 
I like the layouts they show on the disc, but some of the workshops on it are good also. The one on painting the background, skyline, is good. :cool:
 
NYW&B said:
Guys, be advised that the D-P-B DVD series must simply be going through yet another mailing cycle, as the program actually started several years ago but initially included only a small segment of MR's readership. I'm aware of at least 3 or 4 cycles of the program up until now.

Anyway, the $24.95 price is what it costs for all the DVDs after number one. Their overall usefullness generally depends on how far along in the hobby you are...beginners probably get more out of them than experienced guys. Be advised that the first dozen or so DVDs include large recycled segments of the PBS program series Tracks Ahead, along with some new modeling material.

Later, you will start also receiving DVDs addressing more specific subject matter, like modern diesels, certain railroads, using DCC, etc. I consider the DVD regarding layout operations the best hobby-related DVD of the entire series but I'm sure others will have a different choice.

Copies seem to come at about 4-6 week intervals once you are in the program and I think this is what killed it for a lot of folks. I would also point out that, at least up until recently, if you returned more than one of the DVDs you'd likely be dropped from the program. Good luck with your choice of whether to participate or not.

NYW&B
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Hey thanks for all the info :D

I watched Volume II and i did like it. The layouts were okay, im more of a modern modeler, but it was cool to see the older layouts too. Some of the stuff was useful to me, and ill go back when im going to paint the rails and such like that.

I still have not decided if i will pay for this one or not yet, im not sure that $24.95 a pop is worth it, especially since i have heard that there are like 13 or 14 of them lol. But im sure i will pay for this one and keep the series going lol
 
I got the first one more than a year ago, paid for it & they never sent another one. $25 seems a bit steep considering you can buy a top Hollywood movie in which they pay the actors millions each for the same price.
I realize it's a smaller volume operation, but each copy probably costs them 50c or so & I don't think they pay the "actors" millions.....probably just part of thier job. I just shipped a CD in a heavy cardboard box for a little over $2.00 Jerry
 
Dream Plan Buildis Hit or Miss

I have every DPB video since they started making them and I have about 20 or 30 of them. I must say that I have more money than time so I just keep buying them. Some of them are very usefull and fun. Some are boring. I think I will make copies and sell the entire series on E-Bay at some point. $24.95 is very steep in price for some of them. The instructual ones cost more to produce but the ones on the different railroads are just sombodys video camera work.....and not that interesting. They should vary the price. $14.00 would be a better price point in this weird economic time.
 
I've paid for most of them. The seventh was a DVD all about diesel power. I don't know why, but I liked it. I think I only have one more left. I enjoy the series.
 
jerryl said:
I got the first one more than a year ago, paid for it & they never sent another one. $25 seems a bit steep considering you can buy a top Hollywood movie in which they pay the actors millions each for the same price.
I realize it's a smaller volume operation, but each copy probably costs them 50c or so & I don't think they pay the "actors" millions.....probably just part of thier job. I just shipped a CD in a heavy cardboard box for a little over $2.00 Jerry
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I agree with you, $25.00 is a bit much for them lol but like i said before, im sure ill get sucked into buying more of them. When i get some extra money, ill be able send the $24.95 off to them, but until then, ill just keep it for now :D
 
hairygoateeguy said:
I have every DPB video since they started making them and I have about 20 or 30 of them. I must say that I have more money than time so I just keep buying them. Some of them are very usefull and fun. Some are boring. I think I will make copies and sell the entire series on E-Bay at some point. $24.95 is very steep in price for some of them. The instructual ones cost more to produce but the ones on the different railroads are just sombodys video camera work.....and not that interesting. They should vary the price. $14.00 would be a better price point in this weird economic time.
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lol just be careful if you copy them, im sure they have copyrights on them so you might get in some trouble if you copy and sell them on e-bay

$14.00 would be a much better price, and i prolly wouldnt hesitate to buy all of them like i am when there $24.95 each lol
 
I just got the first one in the mail and was just looking online to find the "regular price". I hate marketing schemes like that and knew immediately when I could not find the "regular price" any where in the offer, that the price was going to be too high.

I liked what I saw, especially since I am a newby, but immediately spotted the recycled Tracks Ahead segments. I don't mind that so much, accept that I get those free on PBS...LOL. So I am mostly paying for the sparse modeling segments. At $14.95 a pop I would probably do it, but definately not $24.95 a pop.

Any one purchase Joe Fugate's series? I have been thinking about that set.
 
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Most of the guys around here are making a copy & then sending them back. No money involved. I'm w/most of you about the price. It's to high. I would rather go thru the Video catalogs & pick out something that I could use for my line of RR'ing.
 
I've seen threads about these elsewhere over the months. Most keep them as they were sent unsolicited. Therefore, the risk is all with Kalmbach.

Content appreciation is a function of your skill level. For the beginner, issue 1 offers very good information.

Personally, I think Kalmbach is missing a bet by not offering a video/DVD component to their subscriptions, probably a quarterly being the most feasible and tailor the mailing to the reader's self proclaimed level: beginner, intermediate, skilled.

Most with layouts would not be interested in seeing them build a 4x8 layout like they do. for the beginner. The shelf layout they did is an upgrade from that for the intermediate person. DCC upgrades and installations maybe for the intermed to skilled person.

"Shows" would have to be in-house productions which cost some dinero to do for the time and setups along with production costs. But that could be offered to the subscribers as an upgraded feature for an extra $15 or so annually.

Their contributors would have to continue to be only featured in the publication for obvious reasons.

But for me, seeing video beats the page turning any time.
 
Blazeman said:
Personally, I think Kalmbach is missing a bet by not offering a video/DVD component to their subscriptions, probably a quarterly being the most feasible and tailor the mailing to the reader's self proclaimed level: beginner, intermediate, skilled.

But for me, seeing video beats the page turning any time.
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MRR posts corresponding videos on there website every month for subscribers.
 
mike8693 said:
MRR posts corresponding videos on there website every month for subscribers.
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That's true, but they are probably 5 min long. The "New Products" video altho entertaining, gives little information on the product being "tested" Jerry
 
I threw it out when I got it. I don't like having things shoved in my face when I don't ask for it. They've since sent 2 mailings regarding it and asking for the money. Maybe it'll be the last thing they send me. ;)
 
TaeOH said:
Any one purchase Joe Fugate's series? I have been thinking about that set.
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Fugate's series is a, um, more focused in that you know you're getting something on scenery or tracklaying or whatever. Nice production values, in many cases better than K'bach for my money. They also key into his Web forums and his free Model Railroad Hobbyist online quarterly magazine.
 
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