Cost Of Model Railroad Planning

[Anonymous]

I purchased a copy of Model railroad planning to day, and i was shocked to see that it cost $9.95 (can)!! It is less than 100 pages and doesn't even have any 4X8 track plans this year.

I looked at he pevious year prices and this is how it goes:
1999: $6.95
2000: $7.95
2001: $7.95
2002: $7.95
2003: $9.95
2004: $9.95

It costs more than MR and you get half the pages.
Does anyone else feel this way?

[Anonymous]

Sorry it cost so much up there! However, I think it is a great magazine and look forward to it every year! I get a pile of good information from it.

[Big_Boy_4005]

I have almost every one, but I never stopped to look at the price, INTERESTING!

The pricing on this item is most likely a result of the fact that it is an annual publication, and many of the regular advertisers don't choose to purchase space. So the cover price helps make up the difference.

As for content, I always like seeing the different ways that people choose to design their railroads, but in most cases I wouldn't consider doing things in that way on my layout. I have been reading train magazines, not just MR, for so many years, that my railroad is mostly planned using things learned form other sources. Because I am modeling a specific section of a real railroad, most of my planning issues involve what to include and how to fit various elements into the space that I have.

[IRONROOSTER]

I think it is worth it, although the price is a little high. But then the price for the soft cover books is going up also.
Enjoy
Paul

[ClinchValleySD40]

I think it's worth every penny.

[Roadtrp]

The cost is still just $6.95 in the US. My guess is that the increased cost to Canada and other foreign countries is due more to the increasing costs of mailing to non-US addresses than any price-gouging on the part of Kalmbach.

[:)]

[CBQ_Guy]

I don't think it's too high because it only comes out once a year and is a "Specialty" publication.

[Anonymous]

Never once did I look at the price. I will stand there on every visit to the store and gather tidbits from the books and several others. I have several of these issues.

I buy MR. Everything else I treat as reference material. My Library has a small collection and the internet helps fill in the rest. Occasionally at train shows I will find a book or out of print magazine that is simply just too useful to not buy.

Model "Planning" is not a cost. At least in Dollar figures. It is a investment of time, effort and figuring the best use of the limited space we must run our trains in.

Ad space is minimal in these and dont forget MR has released two bonus inserts detailing different track plans and harbors. I look forward to more of these inserts becasue the art work and thought that goes into these materials.

I am betting that due to the exhange rate I probably will still pay the US price equivilant in Ontario for example.

I think the exchange stands about 1.00 US to .74 Canadian. When one considers the sheer amount of trade our two countires engage in it is no wonder we enjoy such low prices in both nations.

[tomwatkins]

I think it is well worth the price. There are always thoughtfully done articles with useful information that can be applied. Some issues are more directly applicable to what I'm doing than others, but it's always interesting. I thought Paul Dolkos' article on "How Big Should Your Layout Be" was outstanding.
Have Fun
Tom Watkins

[BRAKIE]

I buy to get layout ideas and and the few chuckles that come with it concerning some of the layout designs.

[AggroJones]

I reluctantly bought it. Only because that Santa Fe dessert layout in it.

They need to feature more so called "small layouts" and ideas related to them. This mag made it seem every layout is ernormous.

[Fergmiester]

I was really impressed by this years edition. I just wish it was thicker! and yes it is a tad steep when buying it this side of the border but come to think of it there is more articles and less advertisements.

[conford]

I enjoy MRP and think it is worth the price. My concern about it is that by putting "premium" material in a Special Issue, MR is cannibalizing the content of Model Railroader magazine. MR is the flagship publication of the hobby, and putting the planning content in a special issue has a number of negative outcomes.

First, it diminishes the content of the main magazine, making MR _less_ interesting to those with an interest in planning (which should be almost everyone!). Better content which should be in MR is also spun off into Great Model Railroads as well. This makes each issue of MR a little slimmer and a little less interesting, but it adds up.

Second, the special issue content is not indexed in Ebsco, the major database that indexes MR (along with a gadzillion other magazines). MRP is indexed in the index.mrmag.com site, so it is not a total loss. However, the content of MRP is not in public pibraries, so people who read their MR there will not get the content, and it will be lost to future readers due to its limited distribution

I'd like to see Kalmbach focus on the core magazine, and not spin off the best content into special publications.

Still working on my plan....
Peter

[Anonymous]

BB_4005 made a good point. We should also consider inflation--the cost of everything seems to rise year after year after year. I believe the cost would have increased even with a surge of advertisers. I would buy it anyway, just for the content and the numerous times I could revisit it's pages.

[Anonymous]

how much is it US price ?

[Anonymous]

As someone mentioned, "the cost of their soft cover books has gone up too". That's an understatement! Some of their books are over thirty years old-I have original and almost worn out editions that I still refer to-they were and are still good. But I question why they cost so much, since the originals were produced and the costs incurred years ago( for the research, writing, artwork, editing, photos, etc.) . Simply putting a new spiffy cover on an old publication-often a rehash of material that originally appeared in MR anyway, doesn't justify a 5 or 6 fold price increase. Let's not just accept inflation as inevitable-that's a cop out! How about some fresh material. . .If it's good, like "Model Railroad Planning" I'll probably buy it. . .

[Anonymous]

I "only" paid 7.95, thought it was high, but worth every penny though.

[CP5415]

If there is knowledge inside that is useful towards building my layout, then to me it's worth it!
Having read it last weekend I found that it was informative to me & it did give me ideas for my layout.
Worth the $10 Canuck to me

Gordon

[farrellaa]

I think the cost is a little high but since it is a Special Issue and does not have the circulation of the Model Railroader magazine I am sure the unit cost goes up. I agree with others that you can't put a price on some items that are used to develop your hobby. I look forward to it just to see new ideas.

[Anonymous]

We can't forget the exchange rate between Canada and the US.

I feel this special issue may be the best package of information a MRR can purchase! There is more pertinent data in this book than anyplace else, on designing a layout or layout element.