I was wondering if it would be possible for the OGR staff to create some sort of index of all the articles on different subjects so folks could more easily determine which issue of OGR or BackShop Video to search. I realize that this could entail a lot of work but I think it would be a valuable search tool. I hope that there's some way it can be worked out.

Here's an index I compiled from OGR, the Video series:


OGR, the Video Table of Contents

Volume 1, #1
Rich Melvin on locomotive hardware.
The Carnegie Science Museum layout
John Sapita and his scratch-built circus wagons.
Jim Barrett in the Backshop, gear fix on MPC engines
Matt Pfall and his Lionel collection
Jerry Petro and his scratch built wood structures, the 115 Station, the Hellgate Bridge

Volume 1, #2.
Jerry Petro, and putting a brakeman with a lantern on the back of caboose
Matt Pfall and his layout room.
Rich Melvin and the Baker Valve Gear
Doc Colvin's layout
Jim Barrett in the Backshop, multiple unit, simultaneous operation.
Bill Hoffman's trolleys.

Volume 1, #3.
Chuck Civitovic's layout
Jim Barrett in the Backshop, hot shoe fix.
Cab ride on the 765 in the New River Gorge
Rich Melvin on railroad signals.
Making trees at the Carnegie Science Museum layout
Marty Fitzhenry and his passenger train showcase layout.
Branford Connecticut, Trolley Museum.

Volume 1, # 4
Myron and the MP&K railroad.
L-girder bench work by Rich and George.
Rich Melvin on locomotive theory
Stamford Model Railroad Club.
Conneaut, Ohio Railroad Museum.

Volume 2, #5
Myron takes us to Kutztown Publishing
Brandywine Museum Layout
Jim Barrett in the Backshop, installs uncouplers anywhere
Bill Roberts' custom kitbashed locomotives
Myron and painting brick buildings
Dick Foster's 3 rail layout.
CSX' Jacksonville Dispatcher

Volume 2, #6.
Myron builds a Delta Lines kit
Bill Roberts' carpet layout
Jim Barrett in the Backshop, replacing/repairing a Lionel smoke unit
Wharther Museum in central Ohio.
Roy Everett's Little Lakes Lines.
Myron paints a Buildings Unlimited Cape Cod house.
Operation Lifesaver.

Volume 2, #7.
Myron at the former Lehigh and New England train servicing yard.
Phil Klopp's layout
Jim Barrett and the Backshop, ZW repair
Ed Boyle, previews in 1995 Lionel line.
Rich Melvin and diesel mechanics.
Horseshoe curve

Volume 2, #8.
Lycoming County Pennsylvania Museum, the collection of LaRue Shemp.
Jim Barrett in the Backshop, installing motors with flywheels.
Conversation with Bob Weaver/Joe Hayter
tour of the Weaver factory.
Bob Weaver's 2 rail Union Pacific layout
Ohio Central steam trains



Volume 3, # 9.
Myron requests video of your Christmas trains.
B&O Museum, Baltimore, Maryland
Rich Melvin and Hydrocal scenery
Hazlett train shop and layout
inside of a steam locomotive boiler
Frank Battaglia's attic layout.

Volume 3, #10
Myron at the hobby trade show in Chicago
the operation of a swing bridge in Buffalo, New York
Jim Barrett repairs old whistles/horn relays
Dave Birmingham's Shenago Flume Co.
Dave Birmingham's photo backgrounds
Shay and Heisler locomotives, described
Rich with the bonded ballast technique

Volume 3, #11
Myron at OGR office
Cass Scenic Railroad
Jim Barrett tests tractive force
Winter 1996, Lionel Line
Bill Flickinger's Lakeland Central
structure weathering with Frank Barillaro
Rich on railroad signals

Volume 3, #12
Myron on clubs
Steamtown, Scranton Pennsylvania
Frank Barillaro and roof detail
Jim Barrett and E unit repair
Rich Melvin on railroad signals, part two
Brooke Evans, his carnival, and his O scale carnival layout

Volume 4, #13
Charles Wood and tinplate restoration
Jim Barrett installs tortoise switch machines
Brad Markowski, and the Midwest Central Railroad
Brad' s bits: ballast, switching
Lionel for 1997
Rich on steam versus diesel power.

Volume 4, # 14
Myron and Nancy show their scratch built summer place on their layout
Olgelby Park Layout
Fred Dole and Bob Lavessi on cutting Homasote for roadbed
Morris & Essex Road, Whippany Railroad Museum
Jim Barrett cleans up old postwar trains
Hackensack Medical Center train layout

Volume 4, # 15
Myron and the future of model railroading in cyberspace
Fort Wayne Railroad historical society
Jim Barrett repairs postwar milk cars
Lee Wood and the Edgewater Park model Railroad
Keith Blackhall and installing Gargraves track
Jim Ford's Niagara
Reggie Shilliken and O gauge in a small space

Volume 4, #16
Myron on the future of OGR, and makes the sad announcement
Jack Hager's layout
Jim Barrett, and what tools to have in your workshop
Virginia Transportation Museum in Roanoke
a day on the Ohio Central Railroad
Goodbye

Some or all the magazine issues may be indexed at http://index.mrmag.com/ However, I could not find it listed in the magazine catagories shown.

Note that, although Kalmbach hosts the site, it does not appear to limit the magazines included. Before Kalmbach took over the hosting of the site, the listings were supplied by enthusiasts as a community service, and this may still be the situation.

Since many/most/all back issues of OGR have now been scanned to CD (or is it DVD?) those disks should have indexes which could be combined rather easily. And putting such an index on the OGR site or the Kalmbach site (or both if copyrights permit) just might help sell the CD/DVD collections.

I too wish OGR provided (as does CTT) an annual article index sheet within its magazine. I find the yearly index very helpful in referencing "how to" or "product review" articles. I don't know if the OGR DVD's offer indexing or a search function, but I still feel that the print magazine readers would greatly benefit from a once a year index.

Keystone....
Please email me.
Joe O'Loughlin

railfancwb and Keystone,

The OGR Digital Archive does indeed have a comprehensive, searchable "Table of Contents" that contains every article, author, and magazine feature plus additional information for columns like "Barrett in the Backshop". This index is part of a copyrighted product that was painstakingly developed by me for purchasers of the OGR Digital Archive series. It is an integral part of the OGR Digital Archive and is a valuable reason for users to purchase the archive.

I do not work for my friends at OGR. This project was a joint effort (I developed the product and OGR produces and markets the product) and my only compensation is through sales of the OGR Digital Archive product. Until someone undertakes the effort to create their own, original searchable index from the magazines themselves (as Peter has done above for the videos!), the only legitimate way to obtain this index is through the purchase of the OGR Digital Archives. They are available directly from OGR. Here's a full write-up on the HSL web-site:

http://www.hslinc.com/dahome/daogrhome.html

The order link directs you back to OGR's online order mechanism. Try them ... you will not be disappointed!