Ogaugeoverlord ...about 30 percent classified themselves as beginners. This is a good thing.
...about 30 percent classified themselves as beginners.
This is a good thing.
That is also the reason why I have kept this forum updated with my blog activity on building my Flyer RR, despite some who may object from time-to-time. No one objects to the Pre-War Flyer updates from Northwoods Flyer and neither do I. There are new visitors to this forum every day and that is a good thing for us all...
Regards,
Timboy, The American Flyer Die-Hard Nerd
Ogaugeoverlord It shows that there is a turnover in who makes up the hobby - replacements for the guys/gals who move on to baseball cards, vintage cars, or model kits, or who pass on to the great hobby shop in the sky.
It shows that there is a turnover in who makes up the hobby - replacements for the guys/gals who move on to baseball cards, vintage cars, or model kits, or who pass on to the great hobby shop in the sky.
Where they operate only in S gauge, or so I have been told.
Rich, 2 not 3
Alton Junction
When I got back into the hobby with my son about 5 years ago, I had lots of questions on various things, such as post war Lionel (which I remember, American Flyer, and then I saw all of the other stuff. Hown about more focus on the different segments at the same time? Do a few pages on beginner things, then moderate, advanced, etc. Put a caveat in the issues that should some article subjects seem too familiar then it might be time to step up and focus on the next section.
As far as product reviews go, what about a "Classics Revisited section where new items from 5, 10, 15, and 20 years previous are located and reviewed again.For instance the K-line Bog Boy, how well do these really run now? What makes a good consist for them? I had to figure this out the hard way and now I am collecting plug door plastic truck box cars to build a long consist just for this engine because they look right next to the smaller scale Big Boy. You could then site service histories based upon repair shop input, parts availability, and whether the performance still meets a basic standard. This would allow readers that like the new old stuff to really know what to look for dpending on what they want. Do you want a good runner, then try this one. Shelf queen, then this, etc. Bring back a grading in the reviews. It is okay to have an opinion, but please have one. I am really bored with some of the newer articles on the engines made of unobtainium that the masses might not buy, but worse there is no real definition of is it really this good or a future lemon?
Just my .02
Founding member of the All Aboard Fastrackers! See us at: www.allaboardfastrackers.com
Actually I'm pretty pleased with the mag the way it is.
I was unhappy a few years ago when all the layout visit articles seemed to be written by a formula in which you plugged in the data and spit out an article that seemed just like the one the issue before except that the photos and the name of the owner were different. Now the articles seem to be better written and more interesting.
The quality of the photos remain excellent.
I find the issues pretty "vanilla" now, I don't hate anything but I don't love anything either.
I would like a little more technical stuff about what the virtues of a particular layout are (i.e. you can run three trains independently, or you can really do a lot of switching or something like that ) and I would appreciate more information about new materials in the construction articles (i.e. when we built this beginner out layout, we used this new material and its advantages are ) but these are not major complaints and I realize that not everyone would find them interesting.
Critical is that the quality of the writing remain excellent and keep from getting so technical that it becomes unintesting to read,.
Little Tommy
For several years I ran a 1-column "Log-term review" of a locomotive in each section.
The key limitation was that they had to be locomotives we still had possession of. Since most of the review samples we receive go back, this limited the pool of candidates considerably. The section never surveyed well and we rarely had any comments from readers about it. When we hit the point where I was hitting the same loco a third time (original and repeat LTR) we pulled the plug and nobody seemed to even notice.
Bob Keller
I liked the Long-Term Reviews. I also like that things change over time. Every reader will see every issue through their own particular perspective. I've been in the hobby a decade and still consider myself a beginner. I seem to get something out of every issue - I especially like the advertising. I think perusing the ads to see what's being offered by whom for how much is very interesting. At least it informs my buying. A
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
What I've personally noticed more was the decline in the mag over the past say... 6 months as oppose to the last few years. I love all the issues from 2009 and some from 2010 and all before. but somewhere along the line the magizine IMO, started lacking bit. of course there were some great stories, but the issues as a whole didnt seem to be as solid. Still a great magizine to me though
Now in terms of what I want to see? I',m not gonna play it selfish and say only what I myself want to see. because saying thats just stupid considering many read this magizine. but what should be included in my opinion is a nice balance. It shouldent just focus on postwar classics or just on the newest technology. it should include both. theres more then one article in CTT. I like it when the magizine has an article on the newest most detailed high rail layout and then one on the history or operation of postwar classics in another. I think it works out this way for everyone. nobody gets everything they want, but there is something for everyone.
One very minor thing I'd like to say I wish was still in the mag was the pros and cons of the product during the review. I know it says it in the actual article but it was great seeing very clear cut good and bad things about what was being reviewed. speaking of reviews I too liked the long term reviews. I always thought those were cool.
"No childhood should be without a train!"
This is an admirably candid admission. I would have thought that with this era's enhanced secondary market liquidity (Ebay) and reasonably tight spreads between recently released desirable and nominally used products that the magazine's budget would allow for sourcing items the same way your readers are procuring their equipment: over the counter! In fact I would think that a locomotive that was fully tested & broken in by the CTT team would fetch close to list on the secondary market, well covering what a savvy purchasing department might pay to acquire an item destined for evaluation & publication.
... can we also assume that the building kits, prefab bench work & packaged layout materials used in your construction projects are also supplied gratis (ie. March 2011, pg 46-53 "Build CTT's Readers' Choice RR)?
I enjoy most of the articles, but, I'm not all that hard to please. What I do find myself saving are the Tips and Techniques columns that have a novel solution to a common problem. I also hang on to the articles I can use for future reference, like tables and/r charts of when locos were produced, what items were in various sets, etc. I also enjoy the articles that take one certain car - like a AF crane car - and list the years it was produced, the paint variations, and current value. In short, I enjoy the mag for entertainment, but I value it as a reference. When I no longer find value in it, i'll drop the subscription.
Speaking from the prospective of a raw beginner (trying to put together Fastrack on a ping pong table), rather than one of the many gifted long term modelers on this forum, I hope CTT continues to remember the beginners in its circulation pool.
At least for me, I would like to see better use of the on-line “subscriber content.” For instance, CTT no doubt takes many more article photos than are published in the magazine layout. Publishing a selection of additional photos in an on-line subscriber-only section adds subscriber value and would allow for additional visuals, including close-ups, for the articles.
Photos are sometimes added on-line, but it should be routine for the major articles. For instance, in the current project layout, publishing the full scale track plan on-line was nice for those who are going to exactly duplicate the layout, but I would like to see additional photos on many of the details in the current project layout. (Those who have “been there-done that” can just skip looking at those photos on-line.)
Jeff
I like the CTT approach. I think there is an appropriate mix of classic and modern product.
I would like to see more restoration projects and in MUCH greater detail. The articles I have seen on restoration have been pretty pedestrian, not amounting to much more than cleaning and lubrication. I would like to see a series of articles taking a junker train from trash quality to museum quality. I would like to see emphasis on painting techniques. I would also like to see a video of the restoration project on the CTT website.
Kalmbach did have a nice how-to series on various model railroad techniques in their Dream-Plan-Build DVD series, but again I don't recall seeing any detailed restoration projects in the series.
Earl
Use a different type of paper for the cover. I look at my CTTs over and over. The front cover always seems to come loose at the staples with very minimal use. Most of my CTTs are now held together with tape.
Just an idea
Hey Everybody!
I can't believe everyone has overlooked the obvious! What is the ONE thing I would like to see at CTT? FREE! A FREE subscription magazine devoted to Classic Toy Trains! Why pay for a subscription? Advertising revenue should offset printing costs. Liberate the press! Make this magazine free to the people!
Okay. Here is a counter-argument from CTT. If we don't charge you for your subscription, then you will not respect us. Fine. I get that. So charge us a nominal fee of $5 per year. I promise I will respect you to the bitter end. Really. CTT who?
Timboy, An Advocator of a Free Press
Timboy Hey Everybody! I can't believe everyone has overlooked the obvious! What is the ONE thing I would like to see at CTT? FREE! A FREE subscription magazine devoted to Classic Toy Trains! Why pay for a subscription? Advertising revenue should offset printing costs.
I can't believe everyone has overlooked the obvious! What is the ONE thing I would like to see at CTT? FREE! A FREE subscription magazine devoted to Classic Toy Trains! Why pay for a subscription? Advertising revenue should offset printing costs.
You may or may not be serious, but two events that occurred in my household over the weekend cause me to ask the same question.
My wife and I rented a movie, and we had to sit through 5 minutes of commercials and plugs for new movies before we could reach the menu or start the movie. If we already paid to rent the movie, why can't we immediately start watching it?
Second, we got our monthly bill from Comcast for the "privilege" of watching TV which has more paid advertising than program content. Why do we have to pay to watch TV when advertisers already pay to hawk their products. What ever happened to free TV by installing an antenna on the roof?
Back to Timboy's question. Why can't CTT magazine be free? If it were, the readership might well double, or triple, or quadruple. Anyone interested enough to pick up the magazine and read through it must be interested in classic toy trains. Anyone interested in classic toy trains may be interested in buying and operating classic toy trains. So, ultimately, advertisers benefit, the magazine benefits, the readers benefit. The loss of subscription revenue could be made up by charging vendors more to advertise. The vendors can pass the added cost on to the buyers. It is a win-win-win.
Rich
P.S. Don't bore me by reciting Marketing 101 issues. I understand those arguments. Subscription revenue has to pale by comparison to the revenue generated from advertising.
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