Magazines - Modeling Foreign RR

[DSchmitt]

As I was looking through the latist issue of Continental Modeler from England, it struck me that the USA has no magazines dedicated to modeling foreign (non North American) railroads. I wonder why?

[simon1966]

How about because not many folks here model anything but North American RR. I would think it would be tough to get many companies to advertise in such a journal over here, which would basically make the mag a financial non starter. I always make a point of picking up foreign Model RR mags when travelling overseas, I find it really interesting to see what others are acomplishing.

[IRONROOSTER]

You also can't find very many foreign models in the hobby shops, a little German and that's it.
Enjoy
Paul

[DSchmitt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by simon1966

How about because not many folks here model anything but North American RR. I would think it would be tough to get many companies to advertise in such a journal over here, which would basically make the mag a financial non starter. I always make a point of picking up foreign Model RR mags when travelling overseas, I find it really interesting to see what others are acomplishing.

True, but I think we need to broaden our horizons. For instance there are many good scenic techniques used in England that are almost unkmown over here. American modelers would find many of the products advertised in Scale Modeler and Continental Modeler very useful.

The latest issue of Continental Modeler has a German prototype layout with a change in equipment and some structures would look at home in the Appalachia[:)].

[simon1966]

I don't disagree with you at all on the point about getting ideas from other places and broadening horizons. A really good example of this are the articles by Iain Rice in MRR. Since he is a Brit and writes a lot for magazines and such in Europe, a lot of the things he does for the US mags are heavily influenced by European ideas. In particular the ability to create really interesting switching layouts in small spaces. The ideas on staging in small spaces would help many over here struggling with space constraints. Another obvious difference is that the European's put a lot more emphasis on passenger trains, since passenger service is much more a part of every day life in most countries in Europe. I for one, thoroughly enjoy the British mags, but then I grew up in England and can relate to alot of what is being modelled.