Received my MR Today and I am pretty excited

[Tom Bryant_MR]

...
..there was track ballast on the roads, all that grass where ballast should be, it was just too much railroad in such a small space..even a couple of the buildings were not level and were leaning if you look close enough..even some of the roadwork had paint blotches, plaster mounds, and uneven ballast where it met the road in some locations....it would look a lot better if it was tidyed up a bit before taking pictures...chuck


You have a keen eye! I do see a building or two.

[IRONROOSTER]

QUOTE: Originally posted by robengland

I am re-reading some MRs from the 1970s. I read them so many times back then when i was early teens that I immediately recognise the articles again now, and I even remember some of the ads!!!

The first one I got was Nov 71, the next day I got Dec 71. I practically memorized them. They were my introduction to model railroading and the only model railraoding magazines or books the PX carried in Germany. Even now I could just about draw the East Broad Top trackplan from memory.
Enjoy
Paul

[robengland]

I am re-reading some MRs from the 1970s. I read them so many times back then when i was early teens that I immediately recognise the articles again now, and I even remember some of the ads!!!

[Anonymous]

Im sorry but some of you guys are being too *** critical on that layout. Please post your best work so we can break it down too. That layout was verall good looking. YOu guys are pointing out very very small details that does not make it a "bad" feature layout. Are you trying to convince yourselves that the layout was not worthy of the MR? It must be a perfect layout for that huh? Well realistically ballast does get on the roads, grass does grow on the tracks. Dont be so opinionated on it.

[Yampa2003]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

QUOTE: Originally posted by jesionowski

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

Besides forum member experience, I rely upon their product reviews.

I hope you did not rely on the review of BLI's SD-40-2 which is clearly a substandard engine by anyone's assessment. Lately the reviews have been written so as to not offend the manufacturers so the advertising does not get pulled.


Rick

Juding from the comments made on Atlas, there's some major disappointments on MR's
review of the BLI. That's why I also consider forum feed backs.

I've given up on magazine reviews.
They are invariably too late mainly due to the internet.
Also magazines don't want to upset their advertisers, so avoid giving poor reviews, even when the product is of poor quality.

Brian

[cwclark]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tom Bryant_MR

QUOTE: Originally posted by cwclark

Got my MRR Saturday and wasn't too impressed at the feature layout of the Canadian Pacific...the track plan was too cluttered with too many tracks in such small space...I thought the layout in general was cluttered, messy, and shoddly thrown together...at least woodland scenics made a killing on this guy ... all that grass on the tracks?.....oh well..different strokes for different folks...chuck

I agree with the grass on the tracks. Aside from that I am curious, what did you see that indicated messy and shoddily thrown together?

..there was track ballast on the roads, all that grass where ballast should be, it was just too much railroad in such a small space..even a couple of the buildings were not level and were leaning if you look close enough..even some of the roadwork had paint blotches, plaster mounds, and uneven ballast where it met the road in some locations....it would look a lot better if it was tidyed up a bit before taking pictures...chuck

[CNJ831]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cwclark

Got my MRR Saturday and wasn't too impressed at the feature layout of the Canadian Pacific...the track plan was too cluttered with too many tracks in such small space...I thought the layout in general was cluttered, messy, and shoddly thrown together...at least woodland scenics made a killing on this guy ... all that grass on the tracks?.....oh well..different strokes for different folks...chuck

Chuck - you have to understand the hobby's history to fully appreciate Carl's layout. It is a classic example of 1970's model railroading, an era when trackwork and not scenery, dominated layouts. The text of the article indicates Carl had built seven previous layouts since the late 1950's, starting on this final one at least 20 years ago - say 1980 or there abouts. Thus, he would likely have been heavily influenced by earlier techniques and designs, which would have strongly favored just the type of layout you see - lots of trackage, some steep grades, modest track ballasting, and limited areas of monotone-hued trees and grass.

While it may not look like many of the latest layouts appearing in MR, it still a well executed example of this particular era in the hobby and hardly shoddy or with excessive trackwork for its time.

CNJ831

[Tom Bryant_MR]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cwclark

Got my MRR Saturday and wasn't too impressed at the feature layout of the Canadian Pacific...the track plan was too cluttered with too many tracks in such small space...I thought the layout in general was cluttered, messy, and shoddly thrown together...at least woodland scenics made a killing on this guy ... all that grass on the tracks?.....oh well..different strokes for different folks...chuck

I agree with the grass on the tracks. Aside from that I am curious, what did you see that indicated messy and shoddily thrown together? I personally thought the layout offered a lot of variety. It is an operations inclined layout. I am considering seeing how this would fit in an N scale version - just cleaned out my garage last weekend!

I just recently got involved in the hobby and my first N layout, while not complete, was a copy from an Atlas mag - "Monopoly & Octopus". I was interested in a small space (4x4) with enough variety that I could experiment with several different aspects of the hobby on my first layout. Now, looking at it, I can see that my layout has too much track with little purpose. I believe I have learned from this first layout that my interests are more in the operations aspect. So, obviously my opinion of the feature layout differs.

[cwclark]

Got my MRR Saturday and wasn't too impressed at the feature layout of the Canadian Pacific...the track plan was too cluttered with too many tracks in such small space...I thought the layout in general was cluttered, messy, and shoddly thrown together...at least woodland scenics made a killing on this guy ... all that grass on the tracks?.....oh well..different strokes for different folks...chuck

[Anonymous]

Still haven't gotten mine...

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jesionowski

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

Besides forum member experience, I rely upon their product reviews.

I hope you did not rely on the review of BLI's SD-40-2 which is clearly a substandard engine by anyone's assessment. Lately the reviews have been written so as to not offend the manufacturers so the advertising does not get pulled.


Rick

Juding from the comments made on Atlas, there's some major disappointments on MR's
review of the BLI. That's why I also consider forum feed backs.

[davekelly]

Muddy,

I'll agree with you 100 percent. Between my dad's collection and mine I have about every issue back to around the 60's. Some times I'll pull a binder out and just read the articles. Amazing what was state of the art back then! But more importantly, there are somethings that at the time I received the issue I couldn't have cared less, but now, many years later I want to know more about or have the need for a certain drawing. Yup, until they decide to put old issues on CD (perhaps 10 years per disk) I'm keeping the paper.

[Anonymous]

I see lots of mention about cutting out or scanning "the good articles" & tossing the rest. Perhaps good advice if one is set in his ways and certain that his or her interests won't change or grow in the future.

It's only been a short while since my interest in logging & iron mining was ignited. I'm glad my collection of RR magaizines, such as it is, wasn't reduced to just "the good articles" about my previous interests, coal hauling. There would have been a lot of good info mouldering away in a landfill or recycled into shipping cartons. Someday, in my old age perhaps, I may even develop a fondness for Diesels, a subject I have little interest in now but the magazines seem to be keenly interested in. If diesels ever seem like they would have a place on my layout, I may be glad I saved the "bad articles."

Wayne

[chutton01]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DSPA77

LOL I gues I am young and newer to the hobby. I am 28 years old and have been modeling only 13-14 years. I just ike to see what is new and see the pictures f other peoples layouts to get ideas for my home layout. I like the magazine but hate the price. LOL

Heh, 28 and 14 years - then you must have got in at a good time.
When I was 28 (and modeling rough 17-18 years by that time), I liked getting the new issue, but was never all that excited by it. Then again, at that time I was seriously into clubbing (because Long Island in the early 1990s had a killer dance club scene for the 25-35 crowd - that's pretty much all evaporated now, and there's little around for the 30s, let alone those in our early 40s... [:(!] , as well as finally earning a serious living after Graduate School...
I can tell by the clippings (for after a few months, I clip articles I want and toss the rest) when MR was good (IMO, anyway) such as the late 80s and late 90s, and when it wasn't so hot (like the early nulls, when other mags like RMC or Rail Model Journal dominate).
Still, come to think of it, I was pretty excited when I was 12 or 13 when the new MR issue came out (and oddly, I was infatuated with Bachman Plasticville snap-together models for some reason - if only I kept the new car showroom, cause now after 25 years I think I finally figured out how to make it look realistic as a carpet showroom [:(] )

[Tom Bryant_MR]

Operations on a Railroaders layout is in HO. I wonder what the smallest size layout could be done of the same layout in N. Is it 1/2 ?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JohnT14808

.....Hey Wayne, got $400 I can borrow?? Course, the production run is probably all sold already.....

Sorry, I've taken "Bank Of America" out of my signature. It's just Muddy Creek now and $400 is the RR budget for this fiscal year.
Wayne

[davekelly]

I think the steel benchwork article is very interesting. Have to find out if there is a distributor near me so I can get a couple of pieces to play with.

[JohnT14808]

Yeah, I got mine on Thursday. A good read this month, especially the article about Gatorfoam/Gatorboard. Hadn't thought of using a product like that, but I can see where it would be a better tool than some other papers/cardboard.
Also, saw the bit in News & Products about the three car Pioneer Zephyr from Con-Cor.....o-o-o-o-o-oh-h-h-h-h- I want one of those.....Hey Wayne, got $400 I can borrow?? Course, the production run is probably all sold already.....

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

Besides forum member experience, I rely upon their product reviews.

I hope you did not rely on the review of BLI's SD-40-2 which is clearly a substandard engine by anyone's assessment. Lately the reviews have been written so as to not offend the manufacturers so the advertising does not get pulled.


Rick

[Anonymous]

Besides forum member experience, I rely upon their product reviews.

[howmus]

Uhm,,,, I don't know if I would say I got excited. Well, there looks like there are some articles that will make good reading to block out the Idiot box. Actually I haven't turned on the idiot box in over a week..... However, the "Mountain operation in a bedroom might be a bit..... Kinky? Steel Benchwork! Naw damp cellar, would probably rust. Now the "Operations on a railroaders layout" will be a must read.

All in all I enjoy the magazine each month. I look at it as just one more expense towards the layout and my favorite hobby and that is well worth it!

[Anonymous]

I was happy to see my copy show up in the PO box today, partly because usually there's an active topic about it here long before mine arrives, and partly because, due to the power being off all afternoon, I could justify spending time reading instead of working.

Some nice, moderate sized layouts in this issue, layouts we ordinary humans can aspire to.

Wayne

[Anonymous]

I'm not new to the hobby, or a troll, but I get excited every time I go to the book or hobby store and there's a new issue.

Us humans are funny. We can get excited about the simple pleasures in life so easily. It seems everyone has something like this. For some, it's the sound of a racecar, for some, it's a beautiful chord on a guitar. We all have at least one such simple pleasure we experience on a regular basis.

[IRONROOSTER]

I am still excited to receive my MR each month and I've been buying/subscribing since 1971.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

It allways takes a few days for the new issues to show up here. But its worth it.

[Anonymous]

LOL I gues I am young and newer to the hobby. I am 28 years old and have been modeling only 13-14 years. I just ike to see what is new and see the pictures f other peoples layouts to get ideas for my home layout. I like the magazine but hate the price. LOL

[chutton01]

Well, either of two things...
Either you are young and new to the hobby (and MR), or you're a troll

If you are young and new to the hobby, then I know exactly how you feel, as in my early teens I was thrilled when the new Model Railroader issue came out that month (this was the late 1970s, and there has lively debate if MR was much better then - one thing is that the recent issues have been more interesting and useful (well, to me anyway) than those of the early part of this decade (the early 'nulls'), so perhaps you got in at the right time indeed [:)].
Indeed, I more or less remember the first MR I purchased (edit: Oops. I guess I remember it less rather than more, as checking the index I found I conflabulated [:)] the Oct 1976 issue, with the Odgen article and the switch machines (I loved the description of Atlas switch matchines as looking like abandoned military machinary by the ROW) with the Nov 1976 issue - this one had the Milwaukee Street Cars, the freelancing fire-fighting tank car (along with other MOW cars), the Jerrybuilt Jail... and an article on painting/weathering a new railroad, one I had only heard about that past April watching a TV in some Department store while my parents shopped for a new TV ... a railroad called ConRail...)


Now, if you're 72 years old and been reading MR for 50 years, I call troll [xx(]

[Anonymous]

I am going to read my magazine today. I am all excited i received my Magazine. Have you gotten your May issue?