Today I recieved the May issue of MRR in the mail, and found the cover photo quite interiesting. The article is called "Tune up your layout, Simple projects, great results", with a sub title of "Paul Dolkos shares the techniques he uses to keep his layout operating well".
Well, I don't know if I would trust the article or not--The cover photo has a metal NMRA gauge laying right on the tracks, with the engine light lit up!
It's one of the more interiesting things I have seen in MRR for a while, and might be a bit mis-leading to the article!
Phil
cwclark wrote: Terry Thompson's fascination with cars and the Indy 500 (is that really train related?)
But I agree--this month's edition is a perfect example of why I'm leaning toward dumping my subscription and applying the money to another publication. No real substance.
By the way, a while back, I told MR's editors that I felt there was a lack of useful how-to material in the magazine nowadays. The editor who responded took it upon himself to explain why I was wrong. I almost canceled on the spot--note to the staff: you can't argue your customers into believing your product is good.
I must be like Kreskin. I saw this coming as soon as I saw the preview of the next months issue last month.
Or could it be, its what I have come to expect??
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
The Jim Six article was good... But I wish he talked more about the weathering and less about the details.
Overall, though, the word that comes to mind for this issue is... flacid.
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
Dave,It takes a lot for me to give any magazine a C... I retain its a C issue.
The magazine was not too bad.
I did purchase an informations station "Realistic Freight Operations" from Frank Ellison and found it to be a pretty good read. The little diagrams was very helpful. Something you dont see much these days.
This current issue of MR was not all that bad. Andy wrote a nice brief on yard. And I learned a little bit about the whisker couplers that are replacing the old #5's I will want to try out a few to see if they are indeed the next generation of Kaydee.
I give the magazine 3 anvils out of 5. I like em all but there are occasionally those issues that may not be as "Filling" as others.
Cheers.
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
I liked the 'tuning up' article. Even though it may seem a little redundant to those of us who have been in the hobby for a long time, it probably may seem a boon to those who have just entered it. And that's a GOOD thing.
One thing I thought a little strange--the author saying that nickel plating on older steam locomotives (I assume brass) wearing down to the brass and pitting, meant putting his older steamers on the shelves. You don't need to, fellahs, just get some good bronze track-sliders to fit between the drivers and you're right back in business. Tomar makes them, I use them, and I've got locos from 1964 gliding along the rails just as well as they did the day I bought them.
Other than that, the article was pretty spot-on, at least IMO. I would have liked to have seen a little more history on the Walther's passenger cars, though, even if the article might seem like a 'plug' for the company (I'm still running a couple of those old wood/steel/cast cars on my layout, and they're just fine, thank you).
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
IMHO, the best thing in the magazine is the cartoon on page 98.
Maybe Joe-Daddy can use it to launch a poll on operating schemes!
As for the rest of the content - a lot of, "Been there, done that." Of course, I've only been reading MR since 1949...
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
twhite wrote: I liked the 'tuning up' article. Even though it may seem a little redundant to those of us who have been in the hobby for a long time, it probably may seem a boon to those who have just entered it. And that's a GOOD thing. One thing I thought a little strange--the author saying that nickel plating on older steam locomotives (I assume brass) wearing down to the brass and pitting, meant putting his older steamers on the shelves. You don't need to, fellahs, just get some good bronze track-sliders to fit between the drivers and you're right back in business. Tomar makes them, I use them, and I've got locos from 1964 gliding along the rails just as well as they did the day I bought them. Other than that, the article was pretty spot-on, at least IMO. I would have liked to have seen a little more history on the Walther's passenger cars, though, even if the article might seem like a 'plug' for the company (I'm still running a couple of those old wood/steel/cast cars on my layout, and they're just fine, thank you). Tom
Tom,
I was WONDERING about that comment he made...seems you could fix that. Thanks for the info. I also REALLY liked this article, especially since I just bought a trackcleaner (almost have enought track to clean now!!!)
Brian
simon1966 wrote:Gee, you guys really know how to build the anticipation and excitement for the rest of us that didn't get it yet! I guess I won't be hanging about by the mailbox tomorrow now.
I was kind of thinking the same thing.
I'm thinking of stopping my subscription and just buying my issues at the store (after screening of course), since by the time I get my issue in the mail, a lot of info has already been discussed here on the forum.
I think my mailman is a slow reader.
TONY
"If we never take the time, how can we ever have the time." - Merovingian (Matrix Reloaded)
quote "note to the staff: you can't argue your customers into believing your product is good."
Why not, all the DCCers keep trying it on us DCers.