I got the new issue of MR in the mail today. I haven't read it cover-to-cover yet, just scanned it, but it looks promising.
The first thing that jumped out at me was the return of the cover slogan "Model Railroading Is Fun!". I am glad to see it return, and I've always supported it. Yes it's corny, but I have always felt that it's quite easy to lose the feeling when you get really immersed in the hobby. Over my decades of being a model railroader, I have not been immune to getting "burned out." It usually requires taking a break from the hobby for periods of time that range from a few days to months. It might seem ridiculous to have to tell people their hobby is fun on the front of a hobby magazine, but I "get it." Good job MR editors for that decision.
Aside from that, I just took a quick scan. I will add more coments later. I really liked the two-page panoramic photo of the Kato Milwaukee Road set on pages 12-13. I have no interest in it, but the photo is quite impressive, showing the train set stretched across MR's project layout.
I really like the return of A Railroad You Can Model. This one is the Otter Tail Valley. Never heard of it, but I love any shortlines. I just wish it was more than 4 pages.
More later...
Bubbytrains
As a subscriber to MRVP I really enjoyed the Tar Branch series. As a subscriber to MR I’m not so sure that I will enjoy 10 pages of repeated material every month.
I’ve been modeling for 30 years and I really don’t need to learn how to tune up a freight car, but I understand that those new to the hobby would. So, I don’t have an issue with those types of articles. Incidentally, not one of my cars goes into operation without being “tuned up”. But, I read the whole article anyway in case there was a new suggestion. Cars that stay on the track put the “fun” in model railroading.
Bubbytrainsthe return of the cover slogan "Model Railroading Is Fun!". I am glad to see it return
Mike
I enjoyed the Railroad You Can Model article on the Otter Tail Valley RR last night, but the biggest surprise came at the end when it was revealed the author is still in high school! Nice to see young modelers involved. He says he plans to build his OTVR layout when he graduates from high school, college, and grad school. Of course we long-time model railroaders know this will never happen--by the time he has done all that, he will have exposure to so many new thngs his modeling interests will have expanded, and he will likely choose a different prototype, and quite possibly a different era (and maybe even a different scale!)
I read the article on freight car tune-ups. I didn't learn anything new but I don't mind articles for beginners; we're all beginners once. I think there should have been mention of wheelsets which may both be in gauge but are shifted on the axle differently. Maybe this problem has gone away mostly, but I used to encounter it alot with BB kits.
Water Level Route Bubbytrains the return of the cover slogan "Model Railroading Is Fun!". I am glad to see it return Me too, but it was more of a "Where's Waldo" item for me. I hadn't noticed it until I read your post. Still had to look for a minute. Hopefully in the future it will be a bit more prominent.
Bubbytrains the return of the cover slogan "Model Railroading Is Fun!". I am glad to see it return
Me too, but it was more of a "Where's Waldo" item for me. I hadn't noticed it until I read your post. Still had to look for a minute. Hopefully in the future it will be a bit more prominent.
I agree, the placement sideways on the left margin of the header wasn't very good. In fact when I saw it, I thought it was so inconspicuous that I wondered how long it had been there without my noticing it. It was only once I read the editorial that I confirmed it really was new.
I did notice Pelle Soeborg's scratch building article where the drawings are dimensioned in both millimeters and inches. That's new. I assume that Pelle did the original work in millimeters and he or someone converted the millimeters into inches using a hand calculator, because most of the millimeter dimensions come out as round numbers, like 100 mm, and the English dimensions come out in 64th of an inch.
My measuring tools (rules, vernier calipers, squares) are in inches or HO feet. To work in millimeters I'd have to buy more tools.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
It is nice to see the scratchbuilding projects and railroads you can model returning to the pages. Taking a scratchbuilding project like the oil recycler and ambroid kit and putting it in term a beginner and understand is how I got to doing a lot of the kitbashing and scratch work i do today. And seeing beginners articles to George Sellios showed how a beginner can get to that level. Just needs time planning and practice. It is really nice to ssee the mix reappearing. A despritely needed direction change
Wolfie
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Quincy47As a subscriber to MRVP I really enjoyed the Tar Branch series. As a subscriber to MR I’m not so sure that I will enjoy 10 pages of repeated material every month.
Ditto.
Kinda makes me feel like I'm paying for the same content twice.
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.
Overall, I think it's a pretty good issue. Tips like the Freight car tune-up article, plus the ground cover article and the flagstop signal are always welcome. Pele always does good work, although his subject matter is invariably a bit too modern for me. But I recognize that I'm not the only reader. The WSS will be new to those who haven't followed it on video, and it makes a good complement to the Otter Tail Valley.
I was particularly happy to see the two-page Paul Dolkos photo on Pp. 78-79. I have often wondered how long it would take before Kalmbach would show Brian Wolfe's wonderful WM layout.
Tom
dstarr I did notice Pelle Soeborg's scratch building article where the drawings are dimensioned in both millimeters and inches. That's new. I assume that Pelle did the original work in millimeters and he or someone converted the millimeters into inches using a hand calculator, because most of the millimeter dimensions come out as round numbers, like 100 mm, and the English dimensions come out in 64th of an inch. My measuring tools (rules, vernier calipers, squares) are in inches or HO feet. To work in millimeters I'd have to buy more tools.
Pelle supplied all the dimensions in his article in millimeters. We debated whether to keep them in metric, convert them, or include both. We decided to include both, since although not all modelers have metric rulers handy, those who do would find it easier to measure off 60mm than 2-23/64".
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
carl425 Quincy47 As a subscriber to MRVP I really enjoyed the Tar Branch series. As a subscriber to MR I’m not so sure that I will enjoy 10 pages of repeated material every month. Ditto. Kinda makes me feel like I'm paying for the same content twice.
Quincy47 As a subscriber to MRVP I really enjoyed the Tar Branch series. As a subscriber to MR I’m not so sure that I will enjoy 10 pages of repeated material every month.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
I won't see my issue for a couple of weeks.
.
Reading this thread makes the wait worse.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
ACY Tom I was particularly happy to see the two-page Paul Dolkos photo on Pp. 78-79. I have often wondered how long it would take before Kalmbach would show Brian Wolfe's wonderful WM layout. Tom
That's a great trackside photo. I'm glad MR gave it the full two page spread. I would love to see a feature on his layout.
Haven't read the issue yet, but as the OP said, the Otter Tail Valley Railroad article is very intriguing. Always enjoying reading about shortlines, especially those in Minnesota (my "home" state). That is the only part of the magazine I've even remotely looked at so far. Hoping the rest is good.
I finished the issue last night. I enjoyed the article about the T&P layout and the efforts (and what must have been a lot of money) it took to save it and give it a new home. Pretty amazing (and rare) to have a layout be given an endowment! Apparently it was featured in May 2002 MR, but I don't remember it.
The WSS was a Well done layout, but my enthusiasm was a bit low because I have lost interest in switching-style layouts over the years, since I built my own about 15 years ago. I also didn't care for the plugs for MRVP and the other places the layout is featured. I understand it makes sense for MR and Kalmbach to do it, and if I was them I'd do the same thing. But it doesn't mean I have to like it. Just a personal feeling, the whole society we live in is always trying to "sell" or "push" something.
Pelle is a truly great modeler, but for some reason he turns me off lately. A bit of that is burn-out from overexposure, but another reason is his modeling just seems a bit "sterile" to me. Almost TOO faithful to the prototype. Doesn't make much sense, I know, but maybe it's his ultra-modern era? Seems to lack personality, somehow. The article was way too long for my tastes, about two dozen photos, when the articles on layouts always have too few. The T&P has only five!
I always enjoy what Jim Kelly has to share in N scale.
The Weeds and Junk article was enjoyable. It didn't break any new ground (except maybe the tarps) but I love to see these kind of short, detailing and scenery articles.
Product reviews and announcements were solid as always. I'm a bit of a bottom-feeder, but I always enjoy reading about the newest products.
As I said, I really liked the WM trackside photo, but I also like the large PRR photo. Nice to see that the featured locomotives are "only" Proto 1000 models! You don't have to have the latest/greatest superdetailed engines to have a nice layout and magazine-worthy photo!
Speaking of "Where's Waldo"...anybody else catch the error in the Kato Olympian Hiawatha ad the OP referred to?
There's a seperate thread on it somewhere. Tricked by modernization!
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Bubbytrains Pelle is a truly great modeler, but for some reason he turns me off lately. A bit of that is burn-out from overexposure, but another reason is his modeling just seems a bit "sterile" to me. Almost TOO faithful to the prototype. Doesn't make much sense, I know, but maybe it's his ultra-modern era? Seems to lack personality, somehow. The article was way too long for my tastes, about two dozen photos, when the articles on layouts always have too few. The T&P has only five!
I'm not a modern RR fan, so I find his articles only semi-interesting. I also notice that MR staffers tend to under weather their rolling stock and structures. Their layout has always had that "sterile" look to me. Even their project layouts like the Beer Line look too "clean".
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
wjstix Speaking of "Where's Waldo"...anybody else catch the error in the Kato Olympian Hiawatha ad the OP referred to?
Hmmmmm...still can't find it....
Steven Otte dstarr I did notice Pelle Soeborg's scratch building article where the drawings are dimensioned in both millimeters and inches. That's new. I assume that Pelle did the original work in millimeters and he or someone converted the millimeters into inches using a hand calculator, because most of the millimeter dimensions come out as round numbers, like 100 mm, and the English dimensions come out in 64th of an inch. My measuring tools (rules, vernier calipers, squares) are in inches or HO feet. To work in millimeters I'd have to buy more tools. Pelle supplied all the dimensions in his article in millimeters. We debated whether to keep them in metric, convert them, or include both. We decided to include both, since although not all modelers have metric rulers handy, those who do would find it easier to measure off 60mm than 2-23/64".
1/32 is almost 3" in HO scale - that's like a mile!
rrinker 1/32 is almost 3" in HO scale - that's like a mile! --Randy
selector rrinker 1/32 is almost 3" in HO scale - that's like a mile! --Randy The distance between the pilot beam and and the cow catcher poin....oh, never mind, these modern diesel guys don't know the difference.
The distance between the pilot beam and and the cow catcher poin....oh, never mind, these modern diesel guys don't know the difference.
I understand selector, but then again I'm old school. And sorry for this but I cannot resist from your last comment.
For the record I got my January Model Railroader a little over a week ago but I am right next door to Wisconsin.
Holiday cheer Track Fiddler
Edit Maybe the modern-day diesel guys will understand That Distance now.
wjstix wjstix Speaking of "Where's Waldo"...anybody else catch the error in the Kato Olympian Hiawatha ad the OP referred to? Hint: It's not about the model, it's in the text re the history of the train.
There is an anachronism with the model as well. It shows in the pre-production photos, and also in the shot in MR of it on the one project layout on pages 12-13. The Kato ad does not show enough of the model to see if it carries through there.
I must be blind, I still don't see it. You are referring to MR's photo on pages 12-13, not the KATO inside back cover ad, right? ( Not that I can find anythng wrong with the ad either.)
That's because we are probbaly so used to seeing them - emergency escape windows.
They are by law on the surviving cars that are used in private service, but wouldn't have been on the as-built cars. The one extra thick silver window frame. This was pointed out here, or on a different forum, I forget where.
The thread you're thinking of is titled "Kato Olympian Hiawatha Set"....
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/266517.aspx
Eric White points out there that the aluminum windows are correct for the models.
However, that's not what I was referring to. There's a rather glaring error in the text re the history of the train. I spotted right away, maybe a case of 'hiding in plain sight?'
It might be hard to spot because you could say it's "half right".
OK, on the inside of the back cover, "the Milwaukee Road (now part of the Union Pacific)"
I'm thinkin that should read "Part of the Canadian Pacific".
Mike.
My You Tube
mbinsewi OK, on the inside of the back cover, "the Milwaukee Road (now part of the Union Pacific)" I'm thinkin that should read "Part of the Canadian Pacific". Mike.