I think they do a dang good job. 12 months, yes. More of the close to the back page articles on old cars and engines. Great to read. More on how to spruce up old engines and accessories. That is great info for those who have the "old" stuff. Love the modern reviews as I am mainly a "modern" railroad guy.
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
I would love to see CTT at 12 isswues -- and gladly pay for the privilege of having one each month.
As far a content, I think it is super as it is.
My interest in in postwar "display style" layouts and trains (and collecting) but it's always nice to see hi-rail, too ...
I only have room for a 4x8 layout so I naturally love the small layout articles best.
As far as technical stuff is concerned, my technical expertise extends to lubing the engines. Other than that, I take 'em to a service station. So how-to fix it articles are pretty well bypassed by me! That dosn't mean they shouldn't be published, as I know many folks appreciate them.
A good well-balanced mix of articles and features is best, and I think CTT does a nice job with that already.
TimboyChiefEagles: I agree! I've been through all the other magazines I can find. I probably SHOULD have a script for the S Gauge mags out there, but all they ever seem to feature is all the new stuff. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it's not for me. When my script to Model RR'er expires this fall, I'll pony up for CTT. Despite some flaws in it at least it deals with classic toy trains; whatever THEY are. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) Probably the second best mag out there (hold your pants on - I'm actually gonna say it) is the O Gauge mag. Have whatever toy trains you want with however many rails turns you on, but I have found that a good model railroading idea is a good model railroading idea - regardless of the source. I've stolen a lot of good ideas from the most unlikely places (from a Flyer point of view). Sigh. -Timboy
There does seem to be a market for either older heads or folks interested in (surprise) older toy trains such as history, all the different makes etc beyond Lionel, or for that matter ubiquitous Hi Rail such as Dorfan, Marx, Voltamp, Hafner, Kusan or the odd forays into HO scale by O scale manufacturers.. I have found some good but incomplete info on Marx, and my first train was a AF..The first editor Rodger (?) of CTT seemed to include more "classics" which since has wandered into the equivalent of O Gauge Magazine, although they have more info and less pictorial content...it's really all we have in the market until someone mines the wealth of these areas exclusively..I think a bi monthly or even quarterly mag would do well. Do any of the national clubs or associations put out magazines?
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
I have subscribed to CTT since their 2nd magazine was published. And, I still have every copy. I like CTT for their historical stories about Lionel and the people who used to work for Lionel. The Joe Algozinni articles are great as are the how-to articles. I live in an area of Northwest Florida where hobby stores are rare and train stores are not up to par on those found up north or in bigger cities. I therefore use CTT and another magazine as well as on-line access for ALL of my train needs. I haven't been to a train show in almost 9 years. It for these reasons I really look forward to CTT as a window on the hobby. CTT does a great job.
I suggesed one thing to CTT a few months ago but never received a reply. It dealt with their photos. I was hoping that the photo caption could provide the train number for the loco, caboose, etc shown in their photos. Not every item shown, just those showcased up front in the photo. For example, CTT recently published a photo of an Milwaukee E6. I have tried without seccuss to learn the MTH part number for this diesel. I would like to purchase one if they are available. I also wrote MTH and asked if they planned to build another Milwaukee E6. MTH didn't respond either.
I'm easy going. Whatever way CTT goes is the way I'll go. Their mag. is great.
How about 3D paper pop out engines, scratch n sniff smoke or even sound like those cards you open up in the card isle at Wal Mart?
Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.
How about an add-on 'e-magazine' version? I know we've talked about this before and OGR is trying it. I'd like something I could view on an e-reader like the nook or Kindle. Though I prefer the paper mag.
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Bob Keller
Well, just in case you are wondering when CTT will be entirely on the web, did any of you subscribers notice that there was NO hard copy of the index for last year's CTT bound into the issue? You can only get it online. The powers that be tried to eliminate the index a few years ago, but then brought it back.
Furthermore, there was NO hard copy of the index for last year's MR bound into the issues. I've been a subscriber for over 25 years and this is the first time they have ever eliminated the index.
So by baby steps, first they have exclusive free online content, then they have web only downloadable content that you have to buy, then they take away the index but you can get it free (you just have to pay for the ink and paper to print it), then they charge you for the index, then they charge you a premium to get the magazine in print form. Slowly but surely you will lose the magazine.
Am I the only one who likes to read a magazine in a hammock or in bed, and doesn't want to take the chance that an iPad will be destroyed if I drop it on the ground when I fall asleep?
Little Tommy
Can you spell Chicken Little?
I really like CTT. In my 10+ years in the hobby my interested have changed a bit, but i appreciate all aspects, and like to see what others are up to.
My one suggestion has to do with photos. I know that the goal is to get down into the scene and really get lost in the world that the modeler has created, but it would be great reference to include in each article a wider, overall view of the layout. I'm interested in these as I plan and build my layout, though I know that it these may not be quite up to the high standards of CTT and there is limited page space, so maybe they could be an "online exclusive"?
Respectfully.
Other than send more money to CTT...
What can be done to see more items we may be interested in, reviewed in the mag? Maybe its just me that is surprised your not flooded with product to review?
OgaugeoverlordI can only address the reviews - I don't like to re-review the same item (a few exceptions being mainly starter set engines with sets) within a four or five year period. Reviews are mainly limited to NEW, new items or items that may not be new, but which we have not reviewed. Second, if we don't have it, we can't review it. I have a fairly tight budget for buying trains for review of the magazine, and I supplement this with trains I buy for personal use. I'd love to turn the clock back to when I was reviewing four or five locomotives an issue - but as the market has become saturated with product, manufacturers are making fewer NEW new locomotives for us to review. That is why in the new issue I critique Atlas O's new Trainman line cars and a bridge kit. : I've been doing the reviews for 14 years and virtually every locomotive we've received has been reviewed. If we had more product to cover, I'd cover it.
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