Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Model Railroader

3782 views
25 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 7 posts
Model Railroader
Posted by kacey66 on Monday, August 7, 2017 4:08 PM

Quite a price increase on the new issue.........

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Monday, August 7, 2017 4:21 PM

I subscribe, so I hadn't noticed.  It's a hard way to build a reader base, though.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 1,500 posts
Posted by ROBERT PETRICK on Monday, August 7, 2017 4:42 PM

Yeah, I noticed the price increase as well. MRR did that before, but in previous single issue price hikes, they published fatter special editions. Sixteen extra pages or so for only $2.00 more.

Wonder if that newsstand price will stick.

Robert 

LINK to SNSR Blog


  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, August 7, 2017 6:35 PM

Along with Model Railroader and Fine Scale Modeler, I also subscribe to two Wargaming magazines and the Tamiya Modeler magazine.

.

Kalmbach publications are easily the lowest priced, and highest quality magazines out there. I would expect with the drop in advertisement pages, they will begin to look more like the other magazines I subscribe to, and have higher prices to match. Most of these have a $10.00 per issue cover price and a $100.00 per year subscription rate.

.

These hobbies are expensive, but worth it.

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Culpeper, Va
  • 8,204 posts
Posted by IRONROOSTER on Monday, August 7, 2017 6:49 PM

Interestingly, the small print on the page with the staff listing still say $5.99.

If you click on the magaine on the bar above and then go to buy it off the web site, the price is $5.99.

I wonder if someone goofed on the cover.

Paul

If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New England
  • 6,241 posts
Posted by Jumijo on Monday, August 7, 2017 8:14 PM

Well, what is the price on the cover?

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 7 posts
Posted by kacey66 on Monday, August 7, 2017 8:15 PM

$7.99

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 5:00 AM

Not my coverCool  Seriously, I pulled the label off then realized it was July's, found August's and pulled the label off:  Both $5.99

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Southeast Texas
  • 5,449 posts
Posted by mobilman44 on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 5:17 AM

OK, got to add for comparison......... my first MR was December, 1959 and I recall it being $0.50.   Other trains magazines were $0.35.   But MR was the premiere model  railroading mag and well worth the money.  In perspective, minimum wage then was $0.85 / hour and is $10-$15 (I believe) now. 

If you find yourself buying MR at the newstand each month or say 9 times a year, you would be well advised to get a subscription.

 

 

ENJOY  !

 

Mobilman44

 

Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central 

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 5:42 AM

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 5:56 AM

Well I'm still a month behind then.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

Moderator
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 1,764 posts
Posted by Steven Otte on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 10:11 AM

The September issue is $7.99 on newsstands because it comes poly-bagged with a special supplement reprinting articles from previous issues. Since subscriers (supposedly) already got the articles in the supplement when they were first printed, they don't get the supplement, and get the issue for the regular subscription rate (which, depending on the offer when they signed up, is likely considerably less than $5.99).

--
Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editor
sotte@kalmbach.com

  • Member since
    February 2017
  • 189 posts
Posted by Deane Johnson on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 10:12 AM
I decided to drop my subscription to MR Videos. After a year and never watching any, I think I can conclude it's money wasted. Trouble is, if there is a way to cancel on line, it's well hidden. I ended up just leaving an expired credit card posted so it will bounce at renewal time. Heck of a way to run a railroad. I think MR may go also at renewal time. The cost is out pacing the value.
  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 10:35 AM

Well... There we have it, mystery solved! That makes sense.

.

Thanks Steve!

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 10:54 AM

How many of you were also subscribers in October 1967 when the price increased from 50 cents a copy to a whopping 60 cents -- the first price increase in over 15 years they said.  

Dave Nelson 

 

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 11:12 AM

dknelson
How many of you were also subscribers in October 1967 when the price increased from 50 cents a copy to a whopping 60 cents

What I recall was the all the complaining about the price increase..As one club member put it that's more then two pounds of Baloney.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 5:20 PM

Deane Johnson
I decided to drop my subscription to MR Videos. After a year and never watching any, I think I can conclude it's money wasted. Trouble is, if there is a way to cancel on line, it's well hidden. I ended up just leaving an expired credit card posted so it will bounce at renewal time. Heck of a way to run a railroad. I think MR may go also at renewal time. The cost is out pacing the value.
 

 To each his own, I supposed. I've watched them all. Always learning something, and I've been doing this for 48 years. Some of the extra content not produced by MR, like Tracks Ahead, has turned me on to a few things to visit not oo far from me, like the OC&T Railroad, and especially the Williams Grove Steam Association - a place to run a steam loco that's not on the opposite side of the country and doesn't cost hundreds of dollars! There's very few is any of the videos I haven't watched. And you can't even get a cup of coffee at one of those fancy places for what one month costs. But I guess if you don't even attempt to watch any of them, might as well save the $2.50.

                                    --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 5:50 PM

Deane Johnson
After a year and never watching any, I think I can conclude it's money wasted

With that criteria, pay and never watch, I would have to agree with you. 

I check the website every day to check for new videos and have seen some of the old ones, but Randy surprised me with Willaims Grove and OC&T.  Wiliams Grove is reasonably close and has an upcoming steam show

https://www.wghsea.org

There is a competing product from a competing magazine.  I get their ads but I've never watched more than one of their previews.  Management probably doesn't want the discussion to trend in that direction and I am OK with that. 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 7 posts
Posted by kacey66 on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 6:39 PM

I was just surprised when I paid for the mag. It had no plastic, etc.  I`ve sub. to at least one of the three mags since 1973. All in all it`s still a good read.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Huntsville, AR
  • 1,251 posts
Posted by oldline1 on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 7:10 PM

kacey66
I was just surprised when I paid for the mag. It had no plastic, etc.  I`ve sub. to at least one of the three mags since 1973. All in all it`s still a good read. Add Quote to your Post

Mine had no plastic or anything attached or inside either $7.99 at B&N.

A quick glance shows it to be one of the better issues in a while. No Pelle which always improves the mag.

oldline1

 

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
Posted by BRAKIE on Wednesday, August 9, 2017 9:39 AM

Steven Otte
The September issue is $7.99 on newsstands because it comes poly-bagged with a special supplement reprinting articles from previous issues.

Good to know..I've been reading MR for sixty years and I would hate to start cherry picking the better issues.

And for what its worth I been reading Trains Magazine for sixty years.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

Moderator
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 1,764 posts
Posted by Steven Otte on Wednesday, August 9, 2017 4:18 PM

If you purchased September's issue on the newsstand and didn't receive the supplement, contact Customer Service and they'll send you one. 877-246-4879. (Yes, that's a new number.)

--
Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editor
sotte@kalmbach.com

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Staten Island NY
  • 1,734 posts
Posted by joe323 on Thursday, August 10, 2017 6:00 AM

But not to subscribers?

Joe Staten Island West 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Thursday, August 10, 2017 7:32 AM

 It's just a collection of past articles - if you've been a subscriber for any amount of time, you probably have everything that's in the supplement on your shelf. I've gotten a few over time from buying issues of GMR or MRP at the bookstore instead of ordering it direct, and yup, every article in the supplement is indeed something I already had.

                                  --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

Moderator
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 1,764 posts
Posted by Steven Otte on Thursday, August 10, 2017 9:57 AM

joe323

But not to subscribers?

 

No. As Randy said, these booklets are all previously published articles. They're intended to show casual newsstand purchasers what they might be missing out on by not getting every issue. So subscribers aren't missing out on anything. Subscribers aren't paying any extra for the supplements they aren't getting, either.

--
Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editor
sotte@kalmbach.com

  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 175 posts
Posted by Drumguy on Thursday, August 10, 2017 9:13 PM

If you've never watched any, how can you draw a conclusion? It's a small sum, and for me the educational value is a bargain, and the entertainment value is a bonus.

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!