Creating a web archive of old PTJ magazines??

so i have been thinking recently...

i have a lot of PTJ magazines, probably most of the ones that ever came out. i am also somewhat good at and enjoy web design. so i was thinking during my free time i could set up a website and scan in these PTJ magazines and basically have it a place for people to go who want to look something up, see a magazine they don't have a copy of, etc...

i do not have all the issues that ever came out, so i will need to post on here and on my website which ones i need and people can donate scans of them if they wish, and credit will be given to them on my site unless they wish to remain anonymous.

i can also do some advertising for railroad.net on my site.

this project will take a while, seeing as i have school on a regular basis. it will go faster during the summer when i have more free time.

so does anybody have any suggestions or anything about this idea? please let me know if you would like to help out or if you have any ideas or if you think this is a big waste of time or anything. i appreciate your help.

also, moderators, please feel free to move this thread somewhere else that you feel would be a more appropriate location, just let me know so i can keep checking up on it.

Yes, I have an idea: STOP IMMEDIATELY. Those PTJ magazines are protected by copyright. You can make an index of those issues, but you cannot reprint or reproduce those magazine pages on your site.

-otto-

oh really? ok i'll stop. just another of my crazy ideas.

Are you serious about the "oh really?" Yes, really. Anything published (including this web site) is protected by copyright. Unless you are making copies for your own personal use, you cannot reproduce them and distribute to others. Doing so exposes you to a possible lawsuit. Unless you get written permission from the publisher, do not reproduce copyrighted material on your web site.

Learn more here:

http://www.copyright.gov/

-otto-

PTJ?

I googled it and found Pakistan Textile Journel.

gprimr1 wrote:PTJ?

I googled it and found Pakistan Textile Journel.

Passenger Train Journal

Ah, Greg. I can always count on you.

http://www.whiteriverproductions.com/2aPTJ.html

-otto-

That textile journal seems pretty interesting, too! Textiles

Otto Vondrak wrote:Are you serious about the "oh really?"

yes i'm serious about it, have i gotten a single positive comment yet?

I had a few years worth of PTJ a while back, some neat stuff about the NYC. You should just try to contact the origional publisher and see what they say, the worst that could happen is they say no. Like Otto said though, don't do it without permission, that could cost $$$. Hey, the more useful information on the net the better for us.
Mike

Yeah stevo, because I'm trying to keep you from doing something that will get you sued and educate you about copyright law at the same time. Yes, it's great that you want to share this info, but you have to follow the rules. I find my work ripped off all over the place and I don't want to see it happen to others.

yes i understand what you mean. it's just that when i first thought of this i didn't think of copyright laws. i figured i was missing some important info, which is why i posted here first.

conrail71 brought up a good point. but where PTJ is out of business, how would i contact the copyright owners?

steveo- I understand why you might be confused. While the original Passenger Train Journal ceased publication a number of years ago, the copyright is still in effect. In 2007, Whiteriver Productions reactivated the title and is again publishing Passenger Train Journal. See the link I provided above to get in contact with the current publishers.

-otto-