August MR

[davekelly]

I'll have to agree with Joe. Having been in this hobby for a very long time, the newbie articles aren't all that important to me, although I do read them because it seems that each one has one, to use Joe's word, a new tidbit that may make the old job a little easier or the results just a little better. I do very much enjoy the layout articles. Even if they are not my scale, or era, or prototype or are way bigger than the space I have, I do enjoy very much seeing what others are doing. It blows me away what some are able to accomplish!!

As to this month's MR. While not the very best, I think it was a very good issue. The modular structure kit article was an excellent beginner/intermediate article. It covered a lot of areas and the photos were excellent. I also think the painting and weathering plaster article was excellent. I have a plaster structure kit that I've been avoiding for about a year - now I'm stoked to start it! Mr. Matthews letter in RPO was definately not an "attaboy" letter and it appears they published the whole thing. Although I disagree with MR's take on the current events, I have to applaud the magazine for publishing a "negative" letter. The steam service article (miniarticle?) was also excellent and very thought provoking. This little ditty is filled with many detailing ideas that can be used in small servicing areas as well as large. (MR how about putting the picture from this on the website so that folks can print off a large high resolution pic? How about a new department called "Modeling from a Picture?"). I do think that trackside photos needs to get rid of the white space - give us more pictures - the heck with the artistic side of having white space.

While I do think that there are many areas in which the magazine can be improved (and I'm sure everyone here has a list that agrees with some of my thinking and disagrees with others) I do think it is a great magazine that I look forward to getting each month.

[BRAKIE]

There is no doubt that MR has a lot of eye candy-all magazines do to a certain point-however there comes a time in the hobby where the eye candy will no longer satisfy your need for knowledge of the prototype.
As far as the down turn in MR it s fixable.The question is will the powers that be take the action needed? One can only hope so.

[selector]

We, on this forum, have a dynamic of which we take advantage...otherwise we wouldn't be here!...and that is to use each other for reinforcement, feedback, encouragement, and advice. So, depsite our diversity, we share an enthusiasm for the craft that perhaps the majority of readers (AKA all those who do not fequent this forum) do not share, at least in quite the same way. Even here, our members are divided about the efficacy of the magazine, but MR seems to be doing okay outside of our little ether world. As Dave points out, it is a visual medium, so the eye-candy is what will draw people to the magzine and, hopefull thereafter, to the hobby. It has to pay for itself, and our subscriptions fall well short of that goal. So advertising really counts, and for many, those ads are immensely exciting and appealing. That leaves little room for the eye candy AND the how-to's that we find tiresome after the fourth time in six years.

Maybe we need to accept that this forum is our best how-to resource, and live with the evolving look of the magazine. When they stop selling so many, they might come looking to us for feedback, but the results of the foregoing discussion suggests that they will not be able to settle the issue.

Just thinking.

[Anonymous]

Being 30 years old, I'm just at the age of being "set in my ways" in many things in life, yet young enough to appreciate new things, change, etc.

So I'm trying hard to not be a... "Back in my day...." kind of person. Whenever I do that with regards to music, education - anything, my wife gives me a hard time and tells me I'm getting old.

Something to remember is their books that can be purchased individually contain all the how-to information a beginner would need. What's interesting is that info used to come from MR issues a lot of the times, right? With paintshop, etc. being "dead", I would think those types of books may be on the chopping block in the future.

Funny - I could recall many articles of 2nd generation diesel detailing projects. About zeor for 3rd generation diesels. (I hope I have the generation terminology correct).

You know what I mean - lots of 70's-80's diesel projects, few 90's-2000's that I can recall.

I think Bob Smaus' weathering article was a nice step in that direction.

I could imagine competing with video games, etc. is difficult for MR. Those games these days look as fun as heck - I just won't play any of them because I could see the time waste factor being a drain on my life.

[Anonymous]

I thought the August issue was great (just got it today).

That layout room is quite the layout room!

I'd love to know the overall cost associated with such a layout.

There are many ways to enjoy this hobby, that's for sure. I love seeing such extravagant layouts for inspiration. Although in my case I'm sure I'll never build anything so ambitious (too many other things going on!).

I like the idea of a G scael indoor project railroad. Very interesting!

This issue seemed to have a good mix of modeling techniques and eye candy.

Two thumbs up!

(Of course, I may be biased because they whipped out a picture of the CM & SF that's what, over 10 years old or so? - I loved that layout).

[rrinker]

My only complaint with the August issue is the two articles the desperately cry out for pictures DON'T HAVE ANY! Wayne Roderick's lift bridge could certainly use a picture or two of the finished product - I believe he has some on his web site. And the foldaway layout that can't POSSIBLY be only 4' wide needs some pictures too, not just the nice illustrations
Perhaps no photos were submitted with the articles? But that seems strange given the submission requirements. Or were they simply left out to save space?

--Randy.

[JohnT14808]

Randy...you can find the pictures for the fold out layout next to the Coming Events section!!

heheheh......

[trainboyH16-44]

Not gonna get my MR until after the september one arrives in august. On vacation. Having fun. Went to rochelle, Ill. Complete travel log coming soon.
The space under my benchwork is actually quite clean, because we keep all the stuff in another room. (Which I will expand into quite soon, as our layout cannot handle even half my fleet) Maybe I shouldn't have bought that loco in rochelle.
Have great summers,
Matthew Hicks