I was reading the article on freight car trucks and a couple of thing caught my eye:
o - This seemed to be similar to an earlier artice a number of years ago, but without the charts of available model freight car trucks(Jeff Wilson - Dec 2003).
o - All of the examples appeared to be of Kadee Products trucks.
I re-read the article this morning, and they mention that they used Kadee trucks in this article, and that a 'complete' guide was available as a 'download' to subscribers. I looked at the 'download' and it had the nice chart of available trucks from various model manufacturers that I remember.
My question is if they are going to do an updated article, why not generate a new chart with the currently available model trucks in it? And why did they only use Kadee trucks this time for the examples? Is this 'Product Placement' advertising that Kadee paid for?
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
jrbernierIs this 'Product Placement' advertising that Kadee paid for? Jim
Jim,Over the years MR has ran several infomercials pushing this or that brand as the absolute top line products..I remember when Central Valley trucks was all the rage and pushed as the standard replacement trucks.
When you have some free time to kill thumb through your back issues and you will see a pattern MR used over the years pushing certain brands,KD couplers,nickel silver track,DCC or other new and improved modeling or operation ideas or in some rare cases "gimmicks" that isn't really needed..
I agree the article should have been updated or better rewritten.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I still refer back to the original article from time to time (hard copy) and also to Jeff Wilson's "The Model Railroader's Guide to Freight Cars" which also has a good discussion of the evolution of freight car trucks. I needed this kind of information more when I was modeling the transition period but now that I model the late 1960s it is still useful to know what roller bearing trucks I should have expected to see back then. I have a pretty good notion of what solid-bearing trucks to use.
What struck me more about the latest article was the strange way the trucks were lighted and photographed -- they all looked like they had received a dusting of talcum powder, presumably a function of the lighting. It was not, in my opinion, very flattering to the trucks from Kadee -- who might actually wish someone else's product had been chosen, but for the fact that the good visual quality of their trucks is well known.
Dave Nelson
Mainline Modeler had a three-part series on freight car trucks. The Nov. '93 issue showed photos of prototype trucks, while Dec. '93 had 4 1/2 pages of photos showing available versions in HO scale, and Jan. '94 offered another 4 pages of photos of HO scale ones. Most, I think, are still available, and, of course nowadays, there are many newer ones on the market, too.
Wayne
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
NP2626Do you guys really read articles with an eye towards what the publisher’s ulterior motives for printing this article where? I
First at 67 I still have a fair memory and above average reflexes.
To answer your question,I don't think one can't help but see the infomercial articles MR has written over the years.My favorite was the one about how bad a bright boy was and how it scratches your track-these scratches could be seen under a microscope at 10X.IIRC it was about buying a high dollar track cleaning car,polishing your track or something like that.I found that article laughable at best.
BRAKIE NP2626 Do you guys really read articles with an eye towards what the publisher’s ulterior motives for printing this article where? I
NP2626 Do you guys really read articles with an eye towards what the publisher’s ulterior motives for printing this article where? I
"I don't think one can't help" Huh?
BRAKIE ...you will see a pattern MR used over the years pushing certain brands,KD couplers,nickel silver track,DCC or other new and improved modeling or operation ideas...
The only brand in there is Kadee. The rest is them promoting new technologies and ideas, which is exactly what I expect of them.
Steve S
Why should Kalmbach who publish's MR turn down $$ for paid advertising of some MFG's product. I would not blame MR or anyone else for that matter. Would not be a MR magazine if they didn't make any money. It is still your right to choose what You like.
Just my
Take Care!
Frank
There was an article in MR back in the late 80's-mid 90's on the evolution of freight car trucks; it was by Rand Hood, as I recall (I could be wrong on the author). I have not read the April issue yet, but I do know that that article some 20 years ago was very informative and useful, especially to me, who had just recently gotten into scale model railroading at that time. I know that I still have the article, as I have saved all of my back issues of MR over the years.
If there is “Black Ops.” involved here, I can’t see it and don’t feel there is any reason to believe so! However, you guys can certainly have as much fun with this line of overly critical thinking as you want! Have fun!
NP2626If there is “Black Ops.” involved here, I can’t see it and don’t feel there is any reason to believe so! However, you guys can certainly have as much fun with this line of overly critical thinking as you want! Have fun!
No black ops needed..One just needs to read the article as it was intended with a open mind.
KD trucks are good without a doubt but,there are better wheels sets and trucks available today.Why not run a article covering these?
Why rehash(rerun?) a old article? This isn't the first time MR ran a rehash article.I'm sure it was intended for new modelers or maybe some returning modelers that missed that issue years ago.
Long time readers like me can't help but think: Huh? Again?
I thought the article was very short on detail. I was actually looking forward to that one and was disappointed by the content. A couple of things that would have been helpful would have been the dates some of these trucks were banned from interchange. I believe there were a couple of dates mentioned in the article that would give a nice time frame that some of the trucks could be used on ones models. If one is trying to model a realistic setting and keep as many of the details as era specific as possible little things like that are a big help. There are as has been mentioned other sources for this type of information.
Wow, you guys have really good eyesight and intimate knowledge of Kadee trucks!!!
The only way I knew that they were all Kadees was the from the one mention in the last paragraph that said the pictures were all Kadees. The one at the end where they listed 12 other manufacturers of HO trucks.
I saw the point of the article as explaining different prototype trucks for model railroaders. Given that it has been over 10 years since the last time - seemed like a good idea to me.
I think some of you guys might be reading more in here than really exists.
Enjoy
Paul
Maybe they used Kadee trucks because they're readily available and Kadee has a good variety in their lineup. By using the same mfr for the article, you eliminate variability in detail between mfrs and you can see a more-or-less apples-to-apples comparison of the different trucks. If it wasn't Kadee, it would be Walthers. Not sure if any other mfrs have a similarly wide variety.
It would have been nice to see prototype photos instead of model photos (or in addition to them), but access to decent photos of every type might have been an issue, and if you use models you can shoot them all under identical conditions.
Just my thoughts, I usually try to give people the benefit of the doubt.
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
I will not comment on whether this is a Kadee advertising piece or not but I agree with J. Rob that this was a missed chance by MRR. I would have loved to learn more about the history of the truck manufactures. Who were the major manufactures ? What yer did they build what type ? Did they go out of buisness when someone eloses techonology cornered the market ? Who ran the company ? Were they a sister company to a major railroad etc....
OK Group it's time for an offical "Kadee comment". First, Kadee had no part in this artical directly or indiectly. We didn't know about the artical until we receive our copy of MRR and we were rather surprised and yet flattered that only Kadee trucks were photographed, thank you Jim. I do believe that the point of the artical was clearly made. It being only a "brief" review of common types of trucks and when they were used. This gives the "average" modeler enough information to select the correct type of truck to put on their model to match their particular time era. I don't think the artical was meant for much more than that. The normal scope and size of magazine articals simply won't allow the extensive historcial data of truck manufacturing along with the related history of the ARA and AAR and their involvement in truck developement. As mentioned, perhaps Jim used Kadee trucks because of the avilability and our large selection, however, he did fail to mention one of the manufacturers that also offers a large selection of very nice trucks and that's Tahoe Model Works.
Sam Clarke R&D
Kadee Quality Product
Jim,
I'm glad you brought this up. It was certainly helpful for newbies, even though incomplete. I have found most of the articles in the MRR mag to be substandard of those articles of say 15 years ago.
ONe key way to know MRR used to be a serious key reference source is to read other publications and how they reference those older issues.
I will renew my subscription because it supports the industry and it provides some good information. But my NMRA mag has much better articles if you want the detail on how something is done or on a subject matter.
Since I am a supplier to the RR industry I also get Progressive Railroading and the other one I can't recall now--lol. Those have shrunk too. BTW, there were some recent articles on trucks in those magazines.
Richard
For anyone interested in a more exhaustive list of available trucks, at least for pre-1960, the late Richard Hendrickson's material is still avialable here https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bz_ctrHrDz4wcjJWcENpaDJYbUU/edit?pli=1 . MRH also published an article from Hendrickson in the May, 2013 issue with more in-depth information than the piece in the latest MR.
A reference for N scale can be found here http://www.model160.com/n-scale-news-blog/freight-car-trucks-in-n-a-pictorial-comparison/ .
Rob Spangler
Train Modeler Jim, I'm glad you brought this up. It was certainly helpful for newbies, even though incomplete. I have found most of the articles in the MRR mag to be substandard of those articles of say 15 years ago. ONe key way to know MRR used to be a serious key reference source is to read other publications and how they reference those older issues. I will renew my subscription because it supports the industry and it provides some good information. But my NMRA mag has much better articles if you want the detail on how something is done or on a subject matter. Since I am a supplier to the RR industry I also get Progressive Railroading and the other one I can't recall now--lol. Those have shrunk too. BTW, there were some recent articles on trucks in those magazines. Richard
Why, with the opinion you have shared here, would you continue to spend money on what you feel to be such an inferior product? I certainly wouldn't; but, then I like model railroader and appreciate the hard work the writing staff put's into the magazine every month!
Yes, Jeff Wilson did a great article a while ago in MR. I was thinking Tony Koester also did one more recently.
Personally, I prefer Kadee products in general to all the others. They have been consistantly high quality items since my first purchase way back around 1957.
I doubt seriously that Kadee was invloved in the "conspiracy". First, because it's a quality company and had they been involved I would think they would provide much better photos of their products for use. Those were indeed sad. Second, because MR often uses rehashed articles. Look at their books! Buy the magazine and get the article and then pay them even more for the same article in their books. Smart move for them! You don't have to pay an author for an article if it's a copy of one by the MR editors. Smart move for them!
Personally I wish MR would go back to some quality, thoughtful, in depth articles and plans rather than the self promotions and promotions of Walthers products. I know people write and submit good articles but they get them rejected for silly reasons. With the huge staff of college grads they have couldn't they fix the stupid little errors in the submissions and give us something besides Cody Grivno 4 page photo tours of painting a Walthers plastic building? Come on MR step up and be professional like you used to be. The magazine is so "dumbed down" now it's a joke. Maybe too many cooks do, indeed, spoil the broth!
You guys keep sending emails and promotions about the Video this and that and all the great new things like the complete MR collection. Maybe if some of your many editors would go back and read some of those old issues you might learn something.......like how to write a great and interesting article or actually build something.
For me my MR subscription ends in 2 issues and I won't renew as it's just not a good investment for me.
My 2¢,
Roger Huber
Deer Creek Locomotive Works
oldline1I doubt seriously that Kadee was invloved in the "conspiracy".
There's no "conspiracy" involved since MR been doing such articles for years-even the many rerun articles was infomericals suggesting you buy this or that book,a back issue,the KD coupler as the modeler accepted coupler standard push(in the 60s) etc.
I been reading MR for 60 years and I've seen many of these articles so,its nothing new under the sun.
BRAKIE oldline1 I doubt seriously that Kadee was invloved in the "conspiracy". There's no "conspiracy" involved since MR been doing such articles for years-even the many rerun articles was infomericals suggesting you buy this or that book,a back issue,the KD coupler as the modeler accepted coupler standard push(in the 60s) etc. I been reading MR for 60 years and I've seen many of these articles so,its nothing new under the sun.
oldline1 I doubt seriously that Kadee was invloved in the "conspiracy".
Of course to you conspiracy theorists these FACTS only lend credence to your conspiracy addled brains! I expect we shall hear from Giorgio Tsoukalos (or Bad Hair Day Giorgio as I like to call him) on how rife with conspiracy the Model Railroading hobby truly is!
Is Big Brother really involved with Model Railroading? Probably more like 1/87th brother.......
Geez, guys, long ago, Sam the Answer Man wrote a reply disavowing any conspiracy. Don't believe him?
Rich
Alton Junction
It's not a conspiracy, neither are any other articles where they mention specific products by name. And yes, information gets repeated - we didn;t always have the luxury of access to every issue to rad the one article in 75 years covering a given topic. Look through the archives, how many articles on how to hand lay turnouts have their been? Dozens at least. Of COURSE information is repeated, if not, how would any new modelers ever learn the basics?
It could be worse - I can only imagine the moaning and complaining if the decision was made to never publish a beginner article ever again and instead tell all beginners they must buy some books and/or buy the archive option and dig up the old issues with the beginner information on their own.
The trick is setting a balance, so that any given issue has something of interest for readers across all levels. But then we get the complainers that "oh this issue only had one good article in it"
Actually, I think people just like to complain.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
richhotrain Geez, guys, long ago, Sam the Answer Man wrote a reply disavowing any conspiracy. Don't believe him? Rich
Rich,I will repeat what I said there is no conspiracy but,MR doing what they been doing over the last 60 years.This is easy to prove by reading the articles over the last 60 years with a open mind.
MR has had dozens of repeat articles which is good for the newbies and returning modelers that has been away from the hobby for several years.
Me thinks the only " conspiracy" is from those that want to see one where none exist..
There has been many infomercial articles over the years and most was for the betterment of the hobby.
Of course there have been "infomercial" articles: CTC-16, Chubb C/MRI, Easy-DCC. Heck there was one, "Building the Big Boost" which was really just the instructions for assembling the CVP Booster-10 10 amp DCC booster.
BRAKIE There has been many infomercial articles over the years and most was for the betterment of the hobby.
NP2626 BRAKIE There has been many infomercial articles over the years and most was for the betterment of the hobby. In my mind, the use of the word "INFOMERCIAL" means that what is stated, was paid for by the person/company wanting the Infomercial published; or, televised. It therefore connotes a monetary connection between the two entities. Whether this is truly the case, you would need to provide proof. Otherwise what you say is purely speculation on your part!
Why don't you reread your past collections of MRs and read the articles with a open mind? Remember to read the reviews,the columns and articles.
I know that requires time so maybe you can do just that when you nothing to do?