rrinkerIf everyone out there thought like that, what would you be paying for? A bunch of blank pages? Or about 4 pages, an editorial, a DCC page, a Operations page, and Tony's Trains of Thought? Note that you DO get paid for published contributions, so yeah, if you contribute, you aren't paying as much for the subscription any more. --Randy
Thank you for that answer, Randy!
I thought the argument to be a lttle thin in itself, pun to the thread title intended.
We have been through similar discussions before. Each model railroading magazine worldwide depends on reader response and contributions. Apparently, in this age of "over-communication", people are more and more reluctant to take the time to write a feature. Luckily, a few still are, but then you get the comments of there being too much Pelle Soeborg, Tony Koester, Lance Mindheim, (fill in your name of choice) by the same set of people claiming the lack of content.
Well, I guess you just can´t win `em all!
Old timers (and Steve) correct me if I'm wrong, but The grand old issues were chock full of multipage articles on how to build an 8-phase electro-framistat with self switching Johnson circuits, replete with schematics that would bewilder an MIT grad--- but were probably clear as day to the average reader back then (only reason I'm familiar with these is I have the digital archive). Those articles supported a whole advertiser base for the parts needed to build all that stuff. We no longer need to build this stuff, we buy it off a shelf or with a click. Bang, editorial pages and advertiser pages lost.
But I still look forward to my MR every month. I have a good deal of experience in magazine production (on the design and prepress end) and unless you've experienced it, its much more complicated than you think. Kudos to the MR team, especially the graphic design dept. Keeping things clean and organized in an ad driven editorial world is a difficult task, and they've done an exemplary job at it.
Sir Madogrrinker If everyone out there thought like that, what would you be paying for? A bunch of blank pages? Or about 4 pages, an editorial, a DCC page, a Operations page, and Tony's Trains of Thought? Note that you DO get paid for published contributions, so yeah, if you contribute, you aren't paying as much for the subscription any more. --Randy Thank you for that answer, Randy! I thought the argument to be a lttle thin in itself, pun to the thread title intended.
So which issues contain the articles you two have written?
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
mvlandsw "Who who have thought? Of course a 1' x 12' N Scale ISL requires the same space as a HO 1' X 12' ISL.." What is an "ISL"?
"Who who have thought? Of course a 1' x 12' N Scale ISL requires the same space as a HO 1' X 12' ISL.."
What is an "ISL"?
Industrial Switching Layout ISL for short.
I picked up that moniker at a advanced switching layout seminar around ten years ago that covered several new layout designs covering various sizes of layouts,types of industries,etc..The day long event ended with hands on switching.
Even though 90% of my layouts has been switching layouts I manage to pick up some excellent design and industry ideas.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Well if anything, MR is consistant. Jan 1965 MR 84 pages. Feb 1965 80 pages. Probably for similar reasons that Steven Otte posted earlier.
If you have not gotten your May MR, stop reading this post, it contains some spoilers.
After further reading, I found the Bachmann E7 review useful (if they run a roadname Im interested in without DCC installed, I'll buy one). I might build a modified version of Lou Sassi's Iphone holder. I would make it a little longer so the phone sits in a full cradle and cant be knocked out/add a hinged and latched door on top so if the cats knock it over, I dont end up with phone all over the floor.
V.S. Roseman has a decent article on upgrading streamlined cars, my biggest take away is that the walthers dining cars dont have room for legs, so instead of hacking up full legged people, I should buy the unpainted Preiser figure pack which has half people and full people. No the article does not say this, but its a nice little hidden extra. The half people can go in the diner, the rest can go in other cars that have legroom (Rapido etc). Unpainted figure pack costs $12 at LHS, Painted $37. <- The issue paid for itself.
Diesel handrail replacement by Cody is a piece I will keep in my back pocket for later, and it applies not just to warped handrails, but also broken or missing handrails.
A step-by-step or how to article on how Scott Lamoureux built the Cisco Bridge would be neat.
I want to know how Pelle Soeborg makes his corn fields, they look really nice. The couplers on his trains look amazing too.
The overpass article is directly useful, as a highway bridge crosses my prototype in a similar manner.
While you may not have found this month's MR useful or interesting, others may have. Not every article every month can be tailored to your specific interests. If it were, you would be the only customer.
Despite my disagreement with "the future of model railroading" article last month, I found the rest of the April issue to be interesting.
BMMECNYCWell if anything, MR is consistant. Jan 1965 MR 84 pages. Feb 1965 80 pages. Probably for similar reasons that Steven Otte posted earlier.
Sorry, I was using the word "thin" as a metaphor for the trend toward less interesting content.
BMMECNYCIf you have not gotten your May MR, stop reading this post, it contains some spoilers.
The fact that you are concerned that your relatively brief post could "spoil" the issue kinda makes my point.
I don't count pages, I'm interested in what's in the issue, and I thought the May issue was interesting, as I do most issues.
I took the cab ride around Pelle's layout, and it's a nice ride. I really like the way his backdrop blends everything together. In the video, it's amazing how it looks, and catch that abandon barn at the beginning. I would like to see an article on that.
Mike.
My You Tube
carl425The fact that you are concerned that your relatively brief post could "spoil" the issue kinda makes my point.
Not really. I dont feel that you have a point. Not everyone gets the print edition the same time as you/not everyone has digital archives access. I put that in there in case someone has not received the magazine. My post was relatively brief because:
1. I did not wish to re-type the entire magazine into the forums, which is probably a violation of forum policy or copyright.
2. In previous posts about magazine articles, forum several forum members complained that the months issue was spoiled for them by people posting the content on the forums. Not wanting a repeat, I am allowing people less fortunate in mail service than you and I to receive May's MR (some magazines do not arrive until the 2nd week of the month).
carl425Sorry, I was using the word "thin" as a metaphor for the trend toward less interesting content.
What, specifically would you find more interesting? You have not said anything about what would interest you to back up your statement. You just have a blanket statement that "MR has less interesting content", and a single example of what you did not find interesting.
On that point, have you stopped for a moment to consider that MR applies to a broad base of skill levels? Would someone not familiar with model railroading that picks up a issue at the newstand understand scene composition well enough to know that an HO model of a scene must be vastly compressed compared to an N scale version of the same scene to fit in the same space?
BMMECNYCWhat, specifically would you find more interesting?
I would find this to be an interesting thing to know. Just out of curiosity, did you provide feedback in the comments on the 4th birthday video what you would like to see on MRVP? I think that the video was intended (this is another assumption) a "vehicle" for a centralized place for customer comments on what they would like to see on MRVP, plus a interesting backround story about all the new people brought in since MRVP was started.
BMMECNYChave you stopped for a moment to consider that MR applies to a broad base of skill levels?
Traditionally, mgazines tend to be aimed at participants in the activity that they support. Introductory material is provided in books. Would you expect Motor Trend to publish an article explaining that a red light means stop?
Once again in your rush to defend you have not bothered to try and understand the point of the post. I look forward to the magazine and enjoy it. Every month I flip (actually click) through it page by page and read the articles that interest me. The trend over the last year or so has been that it takes me less and less time to get through each issue.
I enjoyed each of the articles you mentioned, I'd just like to see more. I'm not looking for "more interesting" articles as much as I'm looking for more "interesting articles".
According to a post from Steve a while back, they have an extensive backlog of articles ready for publication. They don't need suggestions from me, just print them!
I do not find the sentimental "memorable MR moments" to be interesting and would prefer they put that effort into something else. I offered progress on the Canadian Canyons and Ask MRVP as alternatives.
And BTW...
BMMECNYCI want to know how Pelle Soeborg makes his corn fields, they look really nice.
I can't believe you include an example of information they LEFT OUT as an evidence of how great the issue was.
And if you really are interested, I think it was Cody that did an article explaining the corn field a few months ago. I would think that if you paid enough attention to the articles to justify your enthusiastic defense of the magazine you would know that.
All right, this thread seems to have degenerated into an argument overnight. Time to lock it. Move along, everyone.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com