Some Suggestions For CTT

[Banks]

 I'd like to see

More issues like the December 2009 issue

More articles on the lesser known trains.

Less Hi-rail and custom built layouts

Maybe an article or series of articles on how Toy Trains evolved

Once in a while how about something on early HO. Or on Lionel and Gilbert's foray into the scale 

[Buckeye Riveter]

lionroar88

Bob,
You could start a 'mail your favorite item to Piere Pierre for review'.

88........What a great idea!!!  One of your best ever!!!!

[Civil War]

Firesteel

In my opinion, CTT is just fine the way it is. I enjoy the variety of topics covered in each issue. My layout leans toward the Hi-rail side but I also like to see and read about postwar and tinplate. I actually like the pictures the way they are currently presented. Text is indeed important, but sometimes it is difficult to put into words certain aspects of scenery and other parts of our layouts.

 

I second this. I would hate to see pictures made smaller. Big pictures show details better. I also abhore the notion of a digital magazine. I have saved every issue I have in a file by year so I can read them in bed or in the car while my wife is driving etc. I would hate to have to print out everything I want to save. It would probably cost me more in ink jet cartridges than the current subscription and wouldn't be the same quality. CTT might want to offer a digital magazine some day but I hope that will be only an option while we still can get the print version. Love the magazine. Keep up the good work.

[Firesteel]

In my opinion, CTT is just fine the way it is. I enjoy the variety of topics covered in each issue. My layout leans toward the Hi-rail side but I also like to see and read about postwar and tinplate. I actually like the pictures the way they are currently presented. Text is indeed important, but sometimes it is difficult to put into words certain aspects of scenery and other parts of our layouts. In regards to a printed magazine versus an on line version, I prefer a printed magazine. I personally find that a printed magazine is far more portable and light weight than my computer. Longevity is another reason. I still have a few favorite issues of Model Railroader and RMC from 1981. These issues come in handy when researching structures to scratchbuild. I am not sure if our computer downloads will be accessible thirty years from now. In fact, if everything goes digital, future archeologists may think that we were an illiterate society because no printed material will exist. Of course I doubt anyone will be interested in our toy trains a thousand years from now. All of this is just my opinion and others may have different opinions that are also correct for their individual preferences. 

[Ole Timer]

 The big plus of online subscriptions is you can print the info easily for reference and the pics along with it .... edit and save the files for fabulous references . I agree Bob .... if a company or employee does'nt own and test a product ... I don't want a review or opinion of it . Some online reviews give rave reviews on manufacturer specs and no real trials .... those just seem like paid advertisements for them in my opinion .

 

[wallyworld]

Ogaugeoverlord

We can be pretty rough on stuff - I've had more than one locomotive become airborne. I don't think anyone would like their new Challenger or SD70 returned in kit form ...

 

I believe you when you say that less product is being sent for your review, but while you mentioned engines I was including new operating accessories, retrofitted sound systems, that would work in conventional locos (like RMC which I discovered a review of elsewhere that was supplied to another publication) but I do have brand loyalty in regard to publications as a product..and it seems very counter-intuitive that manufacturers would not send product for review as I have yet to read a complete thumbs down on any product..it would be like cars not being supplied to Car and Driver for testing..what do you attribute this to? It seems rather bizarre. Is it inconsistent quality? I noticed some glitches remarked upon in some past reviews...if you are not given product how can a major publication push self same product?   . Others have remarked that they are reluctant to invest over 1K on a locomotive whose quality is uncertain...I myself have been burned with bad product and so I rely on word of mouth largely..to vouchsafe a choice of where I spend my few dollars I can..What about all the new tinplate product in O scale? I think the manufacturers are doing themselves a disservice with the choice of product out there..ie..more choices...by not providing you with product. Cest La Vie..

[Bob Keller]

We can be pretty rough on stuff - I've had more than one locomotive become airborne. I don't think anyone would like their new Challenger or SD70 returned in kit form ...

[magicman710]

Personally, I detest any multimedia publication of any print presentation of the same material. I have never liked online catalogs; I prefer to have an actual thing I can feel in my hands and see the vibrant colors myself, instead of staring at a screen like everything else is pretty much done these days. So, while I do understand how it may be more convenient for some to have online publications of the magazine, I personally would rather have the print version and think it would be unfair if CTT would take the approach of the "other" magazine and offer a 40% discount on possible future online publications.

I am glad CTT has no plans on converting to a online magazine system.

[Anonymous]

Bob,
You could start a 'mail your favorite item to Piere for review'.

[Bob Keller]

I 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.

[wallyworld]

rtraincollector

WalleyWorld I had just emailed BK this morning about the possible of having a on line subscription available also as another mag offers at about a 40% discount over the paper version.

He stated they have discussed it but for now basically its not going to happen. I wish they would reconsider as I would probably subscribed to it as I really getting tired of all the mags piling up in the corner.

I would bet they might even pick up on the number of subscriptions and the savings in print could be very large I bet and I may be wrong but I thought you had to basically enter it on a computer first and wouldn't be that hard to have it available via the net with subscription

 

 

I would think this would be not only the future of publications,  the multimedia possibilities are seemingly endless, ie, the wonderful BTB.. I gave up on saving issues too, unless I literally cut out and compiled a folder of those articles that are of personal interest and I refuse to pay a second fee for an article I had mistakenly discarded.in order to download it...this is of no advantage to me personally. I hope they do reconsider as well..they already run ads on line, I get a load of them in every CTT newsletter!  Whats the difference between a pop up and a cardboard insert?  I learned about Trainz on line and have been very happy with their prices and service..so whats the hang up? I have no idea...

[rtraincollector]

WalleyWorld I had just emailed BK this morning about the possible of having a on line subscription available also as another mag offers at about a 40% discount over the paper version.

He stated they have discussed it but for now basically its not going to happen. I wish they would reconsider as I would probably subscribed to it as I really getting tired of all the mags piling up in the corner.

I would bet they might even pick up on the number of subscriptions and the savings in print could be very large I bet and I may be wrong but I thought you had to basically enter it on a computer first and wouldn't be that hard to have it available via the net with subscription

[wallyworld]

 I generally enjoy each issue of Classic Toy Trains, however, like any publication, it has strengths and weaknesses. One common denominator between issues are the large format photo spreads, which, seems to increasingly resemble a sort of hobbyist Look or Life magazine where graphics, and photojournalism appear to disproportionately displace text in the form of more information, whether it be new product information, history or the more technical issues of keeping our trains running.I counted nearly eight full pages that were either exclusively or largely devoted to photographs, and only two product reviews while the flood of new products are confined to be covered by the large advertising space, where, unless you know what to look for, my friends have commented, you have no idea largely what you are purchasing. Word of mouth seems to be the litmus test.

The large majority of posts in this forum are troubleshooting issues, compared to a nameless "other." I would pay the full subscription price if I could view a weekly Bob's Train Box on line, which leads to another subject, which is the extra value of the subscription versus the newsstand..I personally feel that more on line information updated more frequently would be a plus. I think the strength of the magazine is the variety, although I think tinplate has gotten a short shrift in favor of post war Lionel, which seems to be a obsessively perennial subject..I have Marx and Hafner Trains I collect in addition to MTH, K-Line and Lionel etc yet I have yet to see any historical background, of anything beyond the exception that is a full coverage of Marx layouts instead of gargantuan museum "hi-rail" type layouts Am I the only one who is somewhat frustrated by this "hi-rail" exclusivity?

The forum posts on Prewar American Flyer here on the forum (with photos ) have been fascinating, and in some respects far outweigh the coverage of the print magazine. I am no Flyer collector, but these posts have been a revelation, as any new knowledge is.

Is there anyone else here on the forum who has these similar thoughts?.