MRR Layout Database

[nolatron]

Hey all,

Thought I'd share a new site I had put together.

Model Railroader Layout Database

http://layouts.railstuff.net

Basically I found myself flipping through issue after issue looking through layouts for ideas, etc... and just found it to be time consuming, even with just 1.5yrs worth of issue so far!

So I whipped up a simple site with all the layouts in the magazines I have with a brief description, magazine issue & page, and thumbnail. It currently covered October 2004 to present. This week I'll finish adding the Dec 06 to March 06, and the 2006 Great Railroads layouts.

A LHS has back issues of MRR for $1 copy I think, so I may go grab a year or two (or three!) and add some more back layouts.

Anyway, to make a long story longer, I wanted to go ahead and share the site with fellow gauge members here. I hope some will find is useful in tracking down layouts or whatever and save ya some time.

 

[interurban]

Thanks Shaun .

I for one appreciate all your hard work, I am looking for ideas for my son in law`s n scale L/O. :thumb:

 

[Nazgul]

Shaun, What an excellent idea! There's a lot of possibilities contained in those layouts. All of your hard work is sure to be appreciated by fellow members and anyone else who checks out your site...Great Job!

 

[Pete]

Yikes...if I get really bored someday, I have most of the issues from mid-1979 though 1987 or so....back when there were more articles than advertising.

 

[Pitchwife]

Great work Shaun! I put a link to your page on the How-To page of my links site that you can link to from my signature. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[nolatron]

Thanks for the compliments yall. I just finished up adding the last of my MRR issues. Next up is the MRR Great Model Railroads 2006.

I made some changes to the homepage too, with some navigation there. Gonna find a place to put in a listing of Issues covered as well, so when no ones are added be easier to spot.

 

[jwmurrayjr]

Great work Shaun!

I've added your site to my layout links book marks.

Good idea. Let me know if you need any back issues (Although I don't really have a lot.)

 

[nolatron]

Got the MRR Great Railroads '06 added. Also added a search field to search the database by name.

 

[screwysquirrel]

interesting.


Almost every layout is a room-sized, million dollar monster of a layout, very little small-space apartment type layouts

 

[engineshop]

Shaun
I don't want to spoil your great web site but did you ask MR if you can publish their work?
I know for engine drawings that they let you make copies for your personal use but you are not allowed to re-publish them or give copies to somebody else.
If you want to put a lot of work into this, I would check with them first.
I had some copyright issues when I started my web site and now I only put up stuff that I did or I have the right for it.

 

[nolatron]

Shaun
I don't want to spoil your great web site but did you ask MR if you can publish their work?
I know for engine drawings that they let you make copies for your personal use but you are not allowed to re-publish them or give copies to somebody else.
If you want to put a lot of work into this, I would check with them first.
I had some copyright issues when I started my web site and now I only put up stuff that I did or I have the right for it.

Actually this is something I tool into consideration today, so I sent an email to MRR regarding the site. Hopefully I'll get some good news back. *crosses fingers* Otherwise, I'll just make the site private for my own use

 

[KATY]

All I see now are blank boxes with the old "x" in them. Did MR get their hands on you?

 

[nolatron]

Heh. No not yet. Haven't gotten a reply back yet.

Just doing some behind the server work. Should have everything 100% tomorrow morning.

 

[webmaster]

A cracking idea.

If MR say you can't use them, then I think all the members of this forum should send them an e-mail informing them of how by not allowing it, they are stifling the progression of the hobby..

 

[nolatron]

In steering the site to be more of a generic "layout database", and not just Model Railroader, I've added the ability for visitors to the site to submit their layout plan to the database if you'd like to share it.

I'm still working on adding the ability to create individual info pages for each record too, but you can always link directly to the image files in the mean time.

It's meant for more "completed" layouts (not drafts you'll be revising a lot, etc..) so if you got one to share, send it in!

 

[LoudMusic]

Heh. No not yet. Haven't gotten a reply back yet.

Just doing some behind the server work. Should have everything 100% tomorrow morning.

I see you've secured the full images. I take it MRM wasn't keen to your reproduction?

You've also got a section for visitor submission but have a grand total of zero. Perhaps we could encourage The Gauge members to populate your database.

 

[nolatron]

I see you've secured the full images. I take it MRM wasn't keen to your reproduction?

They never replied to me about the site. So either the mail didn't get to the right person, or they didn't care. While I was waiting to hear back locked downt he full-size ones. Guess I'll open them up though.

I did plan or not posting recent issues though. Mainly keeping it more of back-issue thing you know. Like waiting 4-6 months before adding an issue to the database.

You've also got a section for visitor submission but have a grand total of zero. Perhaps we could encourage The Gauge members to populate your database.

Yup. I just opened up the submission page the other day so nothing in there yet.

 

[csxnscale]

Thank you so much, great idea and good work :thumb: :thumb:

 

[nolatron]

Just a quick update on the site. I've never been 100% comfortable having the full image online because of the copyright problems and possible results that could come of that, so I decided to remove the full-size layout pics from public view and just go with a thumbnail index format for MRR subscribers (or anyone really) to use. This way you can just go back to the issue for all the info and pics. We all have piles and piles of MRR magazines, right?

Also, this week I'm gonna bust out the scanner and get the rest of 2006 entered and start with 2007 and keep up monthly now.

Don't forget, you can also submit your own layout track plans in jpg format if you have them. Those will be viewable in full-size too. Only MRR are restricted to thumbnails.

Of course, if you have suggestions for the site, lemme know
.
And..... that's all.