Got my CTT today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dr. John]

Jan. issue arrived today. Been busy working on the Christmas layout today.

[Anonymous]

Got my Jan. issue today in PA. Thought the "Building the PERFECT Christmas layout" article was very funny..."Rule #1: Go with something small, less than 200 square feet". Holy Christmas, this 8x12 layout is bigger than my year-'round 5x8!!!
"went together fairly quickly...over a couple of months" Duh?
Look, the layout looks great, but are you sure this wasn't a early "April Fool's" joke?
In any event, the story has a happy ending...it's now a permanent layout...which makes me wonder why it was billed as a "perfect Christmas layout" in the first place.

[tmcc man]

Daan, how did you get yours so quickly. I was starting this on the december issue.

[daan]

Got it yesterday. A very nice magazine, and still the best in classic toy trains. I loved the article on the standard gauge from lionel. Beautifull machines!

[M1Tanker]

CTT and the Army Times always get read through cover to cover in our house!

[Bob Keller]

Hi Ru,
As a matter of fact we changed directions several years back - you see virtually no "wall of trains" collection stories or "count the rivets in the 6464 car" commentaries any longer. We feature far more operator-oriented features, track plans, and how-tos than ever before. I guess it all comes down to what your perception of the magazine is.

If we run a story on how to tune up a postwar Flyer engine or a Lionel transfer table, I'd say that is an operator story (since it is to get the engine or the accessory to run) while others would say it is a collector story because it is about "old" stuff.

Similarly, if we run a feature on a collector's layout (not the collection), I'd say operator feature, but if the trains are prewar, some are going to lable it 'prewar collector' and page on past it.

Thanks for the comments.

[Anonymous]

Issues continue to get thinner. Subscription rates are down something like 18% over the past 5 years. The collector market is shrinking and the magazine should really take a look at trends inthe hobby and go with the flow. You are also seeing that magazines that cater tro the operator are growing in popularity. This magazine won't be top of the heap for much longer if they don't change.

[Anonymous]

It seems ironic that model train magazines are thinnest when interest in them is at it's peak.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like a great issue! I'm especially looking forward to the article on the 1945 showroom layout! It has arrived at my house in Langenburg, but since I'm here in Regina right now, I'm not going to be able to look at it until the Nov. 11 long weekend when I'm heading back home. Oh well, I'm quite busy right now anyway.

[winrose46]

I disagree on the reviews being too late. I bought the Chessie Alco S-2 based upon the review and seeing that it was in stock in Laurel.

[Anonymous]

"If all the manufacturers move toward a "build to order" model for their products (which seems to be the case, especially for the higher-end stuff), then what would be the point of submitting a product for review? A review or an ad might help the dealers move the few items they bought for shelf stock, but that's it."
----------------------------------

That's actually a very good point. As it is already, product reviews often enough are of little real value to a perspective consumer because the products are, just as often, long gone from the dealers' shelves even before the review appears. And this situation, especially as it exists for high-end products, is bound to get worse in the future. Furthermore, pre-ordering--the trend of the times--pretty much negates the value of reviews for those products that must be preordered.

I know that folks like to read product reviews, if for no other reason than to validate their choices, but changes in the hobby industry in recent years have rendered many of these reviews somewhat meaningless. It may be time for the various publications to re-evaluate the allocation of at least part of their editorial lineage.

[Anonymous]

I have no idea what Lionel might be thinking, but I have to wonder about something:

If all the manufacturers move toward a "build to order" model for their products (which seems to be the case, especially for the higher-end stuff), then what would be the point of submitting a product for review? A review or an ad might help the dealers move the few items they bought for shelf stock, but that's it.

Those guys spend a ton of money on catalogs every year. Maybe that's all the publicity they think they need.

I'm not saying they are right or wrong, it's just something to think about.

[MTsteamfan]

I had been wondering why there have been no Lionel reviews lately. Thanks Bob for providing the reason.

I don't understand why Lionel is not sending products to CTT for review. They must be aware that advertising is not required. Why wouldn't they jump at the chance at what is essentially a free ad for one of their great new products? It just doesn't make sense.

[winrose46]

I normally do not get excited about reviews but ctt's MTH alcoS-2 was right on. I just picked up the Chessie version and everything in the article is correct. The sound is great and the detail is unbelieveable. One difference on the Chessie from the reviewed model is that it does not have the watch your step decals on the steps. Additionally, MTH has its mininum curve as O-31; however, my unit did not have any problem with my O-27 loop on my level. It did hickup going over a gargraves switch (It did not have any problem with K-Line 42 switches) at speeds less than 15 smph and I will see if I can reposition the pick up roller.

[Anonymous]

I agree with BillFromWayne. The content is really good, and the upbeat lead off from the editor is appreciated. I let my subscription to another magazine lapse due to what I consider to be less than interesting material that they present and the plethora of ads that they run with the outdated prices and lack of availability. CTT has interesting features and it is written in a real friendly tone.

It was a little on the thin side -- I stand by that comment, but I am happily subscribed through 2007.

[DCmontana]

I thought it was a great issue. The attic layout was a real hit. Being a true nostalgia buff, the 1945 layout was equally impressive. If there were only one manufacturer of three rail O gauge, I would still be buying from them. I have a variety of rolling stock, but my old Lionel 2056 is still my favorite. It is decked out in Milwaukee dress and pulls a nice string of 9500 Milwaukee passenger cars. I can't imagine people taking the legal actions between the produces in a personal way. I don't know those people and their fights, justified or not, are not mine. I don't care who makes a great product, I buy from any manufacturer. As to exposing the hobby, my layout is portible. I am a school administrator and take it to my office just before Christmas. We bring the elementary students to the district office and I let the school district pay me to run the trains for a couple of days. The only compaints I get are from parents that don't know where to by a train set in the remaining few days until Christmas. CTT got me back into the hobby several years ago and I look forward to every issue. As a matter of fact, I cannot recall a bad issue.

[dwiemer]

A Little off topic, but I got my K-Line advertisement last week. In it I noticed the ice cream parlor and hamburger shack. I thought about ordering these and luckily, the wife wanted to go to Sears. I found the same products and more from Lemax for $10.00 cheaper per piece. Also, they have a good deal on lights etc.

[Bob Keller]

If Lionel ships us one, we'll review it.

[PaulEFudd]

That Dash-9 diesel obviously escaped my attention, I stand corrected.

I still hope that CTT (and OGR for that matter) reviews a Lionel scale steamer with RS5.0. As a buyer of both Premier and Lionel scale steamers, I can say unequivocally the chuffing and whistle sounds in the newer RS5.0 steamers are state of the art, and more importantly, they are fun to play with [:)]. When I ran the N&W J No. 611 I thought the real thing was in my basement!

Paul

[Bob Keller]

If there is any "leftover" material from a feature story, it goes on the website for free.

[palallin]

I really enjoyed the '45 layout article. The coverage confirms my initial react to reading about that layout: it is the best of Lionel's showroom layouts. It's much better than the more famous '49 layout. I may be branded as a heretic for that statement, but it's probably the hi-railer in me.

That said, I am getting sick and tired of coming to the end of an article only to be told that I can find more information in this Kalmbach book or that Kalmbach download, for which I have to pay additional money. I suppose I understand the marketing logic, but it's backfiring with me. I strongly resent the teasing nature of it. I pay subscription for CTT to get the whole story, not glorified ads for Kalmbach books and downloads. Either put the whole article in the magazine or make it a chapter in a book, but don't dribble the information out to me just to milk me for cash.

[Bob Keller]

I'd qualify the Canadian Pacific Dash 9/AC 4400 we reviewed in the October issue as being both Lionel and modern.

The fact is that we have not received anything from Lionel for review in over a year. Lionel products we've shot have largely either been from clubs (custom-run cars) or personal staff purchases.

I suspect you know that you don't have to buy an ad to get a review in CTT, you just have to loan us the product to test. You'll note that K-Line doesn't advertise either and they get plenty of coverage.

Thanks for your comments, Paul.

[PaulEFudd]

I liked the "lost 1945" Lionel layout article, that layout looked awesome for its day. The multi-level Christmas layout was nice but short of coverage (pictures) IMO.

I was disappointed in the issue as a whole, very thin for a Fall issue and it didn't flow as well as others. And, why hasn't CTT reviewed a modern Lionel engine lately? Is it because Lionel hasn't advertised in it? A review of a modern steamer with Railsounds 5.0 would be appreciated. Railsounds 5.0 is the best feature to come down the toy-train pike in a while! If that ain't toy train news I don't know what is?!

Paul

[tmcc man]

CB FAN, I hope you do get yours soon so you can diccuss it with us.

[CB_Fan]

Gee, you are the lucky guys! I still haven't received my November issue. Called CTT last Monday and learned my ZIP code was one of many on the embargo list because of hurricane damage, even though there was very little damage in our area. I think CTT is bulk-mailed to an area where there was damage before being separated out for mailing of individual copies. I was assured that the mailing would be made last Tuesday, Oct. 18, so maybe I'll get both the November and December issues next week.

[Anonymous]

JEEES now I can't wait to get home and see if it showed up!

Dennis

[Anonymous]

I thought it to be a very good well-rounded issue. Beginning with Neil Besougloff's "Editor's Desk" feature, right through, and including "Collectible Classics."

I think what sets CTT apart from its competition is that it's Editor, Neil Besougloff, always starts each issue off with an upbeat postive tone in his Editorials.

Unlike the competition's Publisher and Editor who have, until recently, used their features to push products.

Recently the question has been raised as to why CTT issues appear on the "thin" side. Well their page count is a bit off, but I'm sure that's a result of two separarate and distinct reasons:

1. Advertisers feeling that their ads in two similiar publications may be redundant, have cut back on advertising.

2. CTT makes better use of their professional print publishing skills. Resulting more attractive pages, which are easier to read and have less empty white space on them. Thus they can get more features into each issue with less total pages.

But a slightly lower page count really doesn't matter much to me, as I'm interested in the quality and superior content CTT provides me. Not the quantity of pages in each issue.

BillFromWayne
www.modeltrainjournal.com

[daan]

I got my CTT on saturday. I thought I had a claustrofobic trainroom, but the attic used for the attic-layout is even less high them I have.. At least I can stand right up in my attic..
But the layout and ideas in this attic are great.. Somehow I thought that the houses in America are always huge and have plenty of room for a big train layout in a big room, but luckily with that article I'm put back on my feet with that idea.
0 gauge is big and needs lots of space. I'm not the only one struggling with the room to get the best out of it and knowing that is a real comfort.

The best in the CTT I think are the articles about homelayouts and the postwar Lionels. I also enjoyed te black GG1 article (not that I'll ever own one).
Together with this forum, the magazine is a huge booster to my pleasure with the 0 gauge trains!!

[Buckeye Riveter]

Mine arrived today. No ads from Lionel or K-Line. Williams remembered to put their name on the ad this time.

Attic layout; too hot in the summer in Ohio.

Forgot to mention, great article on snow. I sure wished I had read it about 15 years ago when I destroyed the motor in my Lionel engine after it sucked in plastic snow.

The article on hiding the bases was also good especially if you have a plywood top. By using the foam in my layout, cut the hole down into the foam for the accessory to hide the base.

[thor CNJ]

I used to subscribe to several magazines. Not any more. Most of them didn't make the cut.

I insist on keeping my CTT subscription current. This magazine is worth getting. I enjoy it. Nice articles, and it is presented well. Good page layouts and typesetting make for comfortable reading.