Reading Model Railroader

[robengland]

I subscribed last year (returning to the hobby) and I acquired almost every back issue to the 1950s (and working on those missing ones). I also have a number of RMC from the 70s and 80s, and a pile of old bound British mags I haven't even got to yet.

I read the old mags and photocopy a large amount of reference material. Priceless knowledge. I think I can say i am quite knowledgeable now after a year but not yet experienced.

MR is still the one for me. It provides the dreams, the inspiration. You could crudely describe it as model ralroading porn (sorry). It shows me what i might dream of but will probably never attain. To reach the moon you have to shoot for the stars. Along the way it also has a number of neat ideas and cool products. I usually read each new issue in a coupole of hours, so it is pretty lightweight these days, but as I say it fires me up for my own more humble efforts.

RMC is definitely the more practical modeller's mag. As a result I find it a bit too dry for me: I'm more into railroading than modelling, more into the doing than the building, with the exeception of cool technology which i can tinker with forever. In Koester's day it was less so: more generally interesting and heavy on the prototype.

[Anonymous]

I subscribe off and on. When not subscribing, I look over most of the issues in my LHS and decide whether or not to buy. I believe MR is the best of the model railroad magazines (RMC second, the rest worthless in my view), but - as with all other magazines on all other topics - month-to-month quality is variable. In general, though, I'm concerned about the direction the magazine is taking. In its efforts to be "all things to all modellers" it is increasingly turning out issues that are of no use and little interest to me individually. To be fair, one of my problems is that I am a Neanderthal who does not use DCC. The increasing percentage of the magazine devoted to DCC is a fair reflection of the interests of most readers, but of no interest whatever to me.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by twhite

--#@^&-ing TAB key! How come this is the only forum that submits a reply if you accidentally hit the thing, anyway?

Tom:

Did you know that you can edit your own posts? When you view them there is the option to edit, change, add or I think even delete. Something to file away for any future oopsies! [:D]

Bob Boudreau

[twhite]

--#@^&-ing TAB key! How come this is the only forum that submits a reply if you accidentally hit the thing, anyway? As I was saying, that story on big steam in the Alleghenies may not have knocked out readers like it did me, but I happen to LIKE C&O (it's kind of the Rio Grande of the East Coast) and like their steam locos a lot. And the guy who built it happens--like me--to be a Californian. And the article on lightweight passenger car trucks just MIGHT come in handy if I decide someday to actually run a (gasp) diesel-powered streamliner. So--yes, I read MR. And I look forward to each month's issue. Even if it doesn't have something that I can use right away, there's always the ads that keep me posted on what's new and what I should start saving for.
Tom

[twhite]

Said it once, I'll say it again. If every issue of MR (which I have subscribed to since the Civil War) had information that I will use RIGHT NOW, I wouldn't need any other magazine at all. Fortunately, as I work on my layout, I run across ideas or problems that have been addressed in past issues, and after I dig those issues out--idea formulated or problem solved. This months cover story may have not meant much to some guys--big steam in the Alleghenies--but I happen to LIKE

[Jetrock]

In some ways I marvel at the difference in today's variety--but then I look longingly at the Walthers, Suydam and Paul Moore trolley/interurban brass for $40 apiece!!

[rayhippard]

This is a great discussion starter. I've modeled in HO for 50 years and I like to share
my humble knowledge to anyone it could help. I have read and or subscriebed to MR
and other train mags also for 50 years. I agree that you need to read and research
if you want to become good on any subject. Trust me !!! For persons who started in
this hobby within the last 10-15 years, look at the ads and articles in MR from the 1950's
and 1960's and you'll see how great we have it today with all the produts to choose
from in many different scales and road names. Visit your LOCAL HOBBY SHOP and
talk to the owner and employees and the customers in the store. Buy something from
them as you will get help and comerraderi and be able to share this GREAT HOBBY
face to face with other modlers. This is one of the other best ways to enjoy our hobby.
Don,t be bashfull ! They won,t bite !!! Have a GREAT NORTHERN DAY. Ray

[Anonymous]

I read it when I can - getting hold of copies over here can be a bit tricky as there's only a few places that have it - amazingly one of my local newsagents stocks it, or the alternative is buying from a specialist transport bookshop in Cardiff (Ian Allan).

[Anonymous]

I've subscribed for close to 15 years now and read every issue cover to cover. Even if something doesn't directly apply to me, i still look for anything that I might be able to translate into something more applicable. I REALLY like the photography (I admit - I'm a bit of an "mmmmm - pictures...." kind of guy).

Though i do agree that it's too bad about paint shop. I also enjoyed that department.

[Anonymous]

I have subscribed to MR since 1988. I wish I had kept the issues I had when a kid and again in the early 70s. I also think MR and RMC augment each other. I will admitt there are issues I find less interesting than others. I have found this in all the magazines printed on this subject. However, I think this happens with me less with MR then any other magazine. I look forward to it every month. I look forward to buying RMC at the news stand almost every month and really look forward to my Bi-monthly receipt of Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gaz.

On here, I research responses I give, when making a point or backing one of my opinions. I do research posts I make, when I need to and if I don't know an answer to a question I wish I did, I have confidence in you-alls ability to help out. Also, I tend to stay away from getting involved in answering posts on how much money I spend and how many/much Locos/rolling stock I have, etc., etc. There is a lot of questions on here by people whom I figure are young and think it better for the young'uns to answer these questions, themselves. At the same time I think it's great that they have this forum to use for this purpose. However, I like subjects on this forum with some meat or controversy!

[orsonroy]

I buy it monthly from my LHS. Of course, until the recent change in leadership, you couldn't really call it READING MR, since there wasn't a whole lot to read in it! (in the 1990s anyway). Thankfully that's changing, and the mag is heading back towards project-styled articles.

[JPowell]

I'm a subscriber..and I look very much foreward to each and every issue as I'll never know what info is in the next issue that I can use while building my layout. So, in a scense, yeah I read just about the whole mag each month.
JP

[Anonymous]

I like reading about new products. That's primarily the reason I get the magazine. I found out about my latest locomotive purchase in MR.


m

[douginut]

There is always something good in MR.
I have them nearly complete back into the sixties.
and YES i read EVERY PAGE and EVERY ADVERT.
I am a fast reader and have long since wrung out each number
before the new one appears at the magazine rack at Wal Mart.

Besiides, Tracks Ahead is only on for an hour each week at odd hours on PBS.

Doug, in Utah

[Anonymous]

I quit being a subscriber a number of years ago. I do maintain my subscription to Mainline Modeler as that magazine fulfills my needs regarding prototype modeling information and building correct models.

MR has become a magazine of isn't this layout great with little modeling information and their product reviews are a joke.

I think I let my subscription lapse about the time Paint Shop left the magazine, that was one of the only true modeling part of the magazine.

Rick

[IRONROOSTER]

I have subscribe for over 30 years. It is my favorite magazine. I also get RMC, S Gaugian, NASG Dispatch, Scale Rails, CTT, A few others I buy off the newstand as the mood strikes. MR has always focused more on the layout and RMC more on the model building. To me they are complimentary. While I don't always find everything of interest, I frequently come back later (sometimes years kater) and read articles because I have developed an interest.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

Been a subscriber for quite a few years, although sometimes not much in it and other times just great, it does put me in the mood to model if I have been away from it for a couple weeks,

[Anonymous]

Reading MR and other mags has always been a big part of my hobby. While these days I don't find all that much of interest to my personal modeling, it is nice to read about what others are doing and what items are available.

I mentioned something about a new product several years ago to a friend and he wasn't aware of it - said he doesn't bother with the magazines. If you are in this hobby, how are you going to keep knowledgeable about it?

I do find more material of interest to me in the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette. Lots of fantastic model building - that's what I am interested in, and not model accumulation. Great photography too.

Railroad Model Craftsman seems to be the current general magazine that features model construction articles. The ongoing freight car articles feature really great model building and photos. While none of the cars modeled have been of interest to me, reading about techniques and methods used in their construction is of interest.

You can only improve your modeling by reading such material. [:D]

Bob Boudreau

[CNJ831]

I've been a subscriber for many years and have bound volumes of all the issues back to 1940. But I'll have to agree with Brunton that nowadays I find myself sometimes skimming through the latest issues since content value seems highly variable. Give me the issues from the 1950's-1970's any day.

CNJ831

[Anonymous]

I guess this applies to most magazines. Not every issue is a "winner" to all of us. I have not subscribed to any model magazines for a long time, just those that are about the real thing; but I have been closely following all kinds of forums here in Germany and over on your side of the pond. Anyway, my observation is that no one takes the trouble to read anything anymore. It's just go on the net and ask. Most of us old geezers will volunteer and say: It was in that there magazine, go look for it at the library. What they want is something different: Instant satisfaction at the click of a mouse. So what we do is dig deep in our memory and give them a short rundown how to solve the problem, if they have that much patience to start with.
Nobody is to blame for this, it is just a sign of our time.
@Al: Have fun with al those back issues. Working thru a stack of older magazines is really time well spent. So much to discover.
Regards
Martin

[Pruitt]

I've been a subscriber for years.

They seem to go through ups and downs. To me, Thompson is doing a pretty good job of keeping the magazine interesting and useful. Still, there will be three or four issues that I flip through and set aside, then a few that I spend days going through.

That's probably just due to the nature of the hobby - it's so diverse that providing any sort of comprehensive coverage, even just in a high-level overview, is nearly impossible. MR does a halfway decent job on this daunting task, I think.

[Anonymous]

I get the MR magazine. I really do like it. Though this months was whack to me. No good shtuff in it IMO. Next months issue looks real good. See I like to see the pictures in the magazine for ideas on my layout and they are great. I like the Work info they have like "8 Simple steps of model railroading" Where it talks about dul coting stuff and help me unshine alot of my ***.
In fact I just won the bids for 99' 01' and 03' Complete series of MR and I cant wait till they come in. I love to read the articles on modern units. All that steam can go away. Diesel all day baby!

[ericsp]

I have a subscription, but I only read what looks interesting and/or informative.

[Jetrock]

I don't buy it every month but I have a fairly thick shelf of MR as well as various Kalmbach books, in addition to various other railroad resources. But then, I suppose I'm one of the ones doing the research more often than not...

[Bob Hayes]

Not being a huge fan of polls, I just want to know how many of you actually read Model Railroader? After all, this is their forum. Or do you just find it easier to get on line and ask a question, and let those of us who have most of the back issues from the last 60 years and have been in the hobby a while do the research?
Bob Hayes