Sorry to hear of your computer woes.

I know from first hand experience how much equipment a lightning strike can fry! I hope you are back up and running soon.

Hey folks

 I'm having an issue with a computer here at the house (a result of the lightning storm we had last week).  I've been waiting for parts, and they should be here finally today or tomorrow.  What this means for the site is that if you've sent me a check for membership, or to set up advertising, getting that done will be delayed until I can get online with that computer.

Sorry for the delay.

I wouldn't bet on MR as the new go-to Garden Railway resource. 

1. I've heard from a good friend (a former GR editor) that the regular columnists will not stay on into MR.  

2. My friend has had some "behind the scenes" looks at the inner workings of Kalmbach. From what he described, they're not great at publishing magazines. After Marc left, they would edit his writing so much that it didn't seem as though he had wrote it. They would add and subtract information in his column without asking or letting him know ahead of time. He wasn't even notified that GR would be shut down. He found out just like the rest of us. He contacted the GR staff, and they mentioned that Kalmbach had given them no warning and simply announced on the spot that the Fall issue was the last issue of GR.

3. Someone on Facebook mentioned that it took them 10 years to publish an article he had submitted to them. By that time, he had gotten out of the hobby completely.

4. I've been reading MR for the past 17-ish years (I literally grew up reading it. Yes, I'm a Gen-Z. It introduced me to model railroading) For the past 6-ish years, I have found the quality of the magazine to be lacking from what it was 10 years ago. Hardly any of the articles interest me anymore, and there seems to be more "fluff" these days. (IMHO)

The fact that Kalmbach decided to shut down GR cold turkey without telling the GR staff ahead of time is reason enough for me to think that Kalmbach is run by a bunch of bean counters that don't value their products.

-

Cliff Jennings said:

Bruce Chandler said:

Ric Golding said:

Bruce said - " No idea how helpful MR is today, but, hopefully it can still be a good resource."

.

I have subscribed to Model Railroader since I was about 12 and still enjoy the magazine.  There is always an article, layout or column that makes it worthwhile.  Railroad Model Craftsmen has never held my interest as much, but a friend gets it and if there is an item he thinks I'll be interested in, he points it my way.   I was loaned an issue recently and since RMC was taken over by White River Publications, the quality of the print and photos is really good.  Just my thoughts, your results may vary.

Probably the coolest thing ever was the Model Railroader 75-year Collection on CD/DVD.   It was fun just going back and looking at old issues - not to mention some of those issues that inspired me to build some of my large scale structures.   

 

When I was a teenager (1970's) I subscribed to MR, but not since. And Bruce, when I saw one of your warehouse models, the words "Perkin's Produce" immediately came to mind. Odd how strange little things stick in one's mind. And that was, and still is, a great model! Now living its second life on Jerry B's beautiful layout. Just an example of how even that long ago issue of MR, where you got the plans Bruce, still lives on in its impact.

Cliff,

You got it!   I DID build the original in HO.

One of my FIRST scratch builds.   Loved it.   So, when I got to large scale, it seemed only natural to do it in 1:20!

I learned a LOT from Model Railroader magazine.

 I lost interest in GR a while ago (as I already posted) but found Model Railroader has some interesting topics particularly the threads about prototype practices.   The most valuable magazine from the Kalmbach stable, to me, is Classic Trains.  It tells me what I never knew about America and its railroads.

Ric Golding said:

Bruce said - " No idea how helpful MR is today, but, hopefully it can still be a good resource."

.

I have subscribed to Model Railroader since I was about 12 and still enjoy the magazine.  There is always an article, layout or column that makes it worthwhile.  Railroad Model Craftsmen has never held my interest as much, but a friend gets it and if there is an item he thinks I'll be interested in, he points it my way.   I was loaned an issue recently and since RMC was taken over by White River Publications, the quality of the print and photos is really good.  Just my thoughts, your results may vary.

...............................................

Like you, Ric G.  i got into Ho in 1949 and still have most of my Model R.R. Maz and some Model Craftsman.  I learned a lot in the hobby by them over the years. I and some buds many years back came up with Constance lighting for Equip.  for the ho hobby by playing around with Diodes with Sig. Core Electronics early 1950's and put it in MR. Maz.

By working in the Ho stuff and still doing, I put a lot of that to use in to Garden R.R. when i started in 1998. Now i have a lot of animation on both layouts and learned a lot in trial and error with both hobby's. 

We still using here..... the old ways in Ho with now in the Garden R.R. with Block and using three Aristo's R/C's to oper. a A, B or C area blocks. 

Our 200 plus videos if seen sometime, you can see how large we got into both scales that grew by accident year after year.

Sure hate to see Garden R.R. go but,  hope will have something that will laps over into the Model Railroad Maz as i still keep getting them & Bob McC. can still keep this site going.   

Being an old guy here we just have to much DC trains and not interested in any DCC or Batt. to start spending money for any change overs now.

In our group we have a lot of Batt. guys that run here,  so we now have a Sig Sys. for them to watch in block areas. If they miss a Sig. that we also block D/C trains with,  they may end up in 3 foot of water when our Swing Bridge is open for Tug operations. It happen to one of my NW-2 when not watching and spent Hr's drying it out with sound equip.

 

I have the plans from MR ...

You were a teenager in the seventies?  I was a toddler AND Shawn was a zygote but I still don't do Facebook!

This post has been edited by: Rooster ( for proper punctuation and spelin)

Bruce Chandler said:

Ric Golding said:

Bruce said - " No idea how helpful MR is today, but, hopefully it can still be a good resource."

.

I have subscribed to Model Railroader since I was about 12 and still enjoy the magazine.  There is always an article, layout or column that makes it worthwhile.  Railroad Model Craftsmen has never held my interest as much, but a friend gets it and if there is an item he thinks I'll be interested in, he points it my way.   I was loaned an issue recently and since RMC was taken over by White River Publications, the quality of the print and photos is really good.  Just my thoughts, your results may vary.

Probably the coolest thing ever was the Model Railroader 75-year Collection on CD/DVD.   It was fun just going back and looking at old issues - not to mention some of those issues that inspired me to build some of my large scale structures.   

When I was a teenager (1970's) I subscribed to MR, but not since. And Bruce, when I saw one of your warehouse models, the words "Perkin's Produce" immediately came to mind. Odd how strange little things stick in one's mind. And that was, and still is, a great model! Now living its second life on Jerry B's beautiful layout. Just an example of how even that long ago issue of MR, where you got the plans Bruce, still lives on in its impact.

Ric Golding said:

Bruce said - " No idea how helpful MR is today, but, hopefully it can still be a good resource."

.

I have subscribed to Model Railroader since I was about 12 and still enjoy the magazine.  There is always an article, layout or column that makes it worthwhile.  Railroad Model Craftsmen has never held my interest as much, but a friend gets it and if there is an item he thinks I'll be interested in, he points it my way.   I was loaned an issue recently and since RMC was taken over by White River Publications, the quality of the print and photos is really good.  Just my thoughts, your results may vary.

Probably the coolest thing ever was the Model Railroader 75-year Collection on CD/DVD.   It was fun just going back and looking at old issues - not to mention some of those issues that inspired me to build some of my large scale structures.   

Bruce said - " No idea how helpful MR is today, but, hopefully it can still be a good resource."

.

I have subscribed to Model Railroader since I was about 12 and still enjoy the magazine.  There is always an article, layout or column that makes it worthwhile.  Railroad Model Craftsmen has never held my interest as much, but a friend gets it and if there is an item he thinks I'll be interested in, he points it my way.   I was loaned an issue recently and since RMC was taken over by White River Publications, the quality of the print and photos is really good.  Just my thoughts, your results may vary.

Dave Meashey said:

All;

Got my final issue of Garden Railways in yesterday's mail.  Nothing proclaimed that is was the last issue, and the subscription expiration on the label stated Winter 2021.  I suppose that I will get Model Railroader with a watered-down large scale section until 01/2021.

Hate to see it go, but this does not come as a surprise.  You get rid of the "soul" of the magazine (Mark) and the dung will hit the fan.

Regards, David Meashey

Well, the end of an era, and I don't see much in the way of magazines in our future.   I subscribed to Model Railroader (as well as Railroad Model Craftsmen) back in the day.   I sure did learn a LOT from them.   No idea how helpful MR is today, but, hopefully it can still be a good resource.

All;

Got my final issue of Garden Railways in yesterday's mail.  Nothing proclaimed that is was the last issue, and the subscription expiration on the label stated Winter 2021.  I suppose that I will get Model Railroader with a watered-down large scale section until 01/2021.

Hate to see it go, but this does not come as a surprise.  You get rid of the "soul" of the magazine (Mark) and the dung will hit the fan.

Regards, David Meashey

I do not do FB.

There are some people out there that I do not want to find me.

Bruce Chandler said:

Shawn Viggiano said:

Pete Lassen said:

the big problem with Facebook is that once you look at a post , unless you comment on it or save it , after a day or 2 it is almost impossible to find it again. this forum is great in that aspect as since the forums are categorized and listed as they were posted , you can go back a month or a year and find a helpful post. I think they both have a space that they can live in, but I too would like to see more activity on the Facebook page. Right now the last post was March 13th, then before that the last post was Sept 28, 2019. 3 posts in 2019. I guess I can see why it doesn't attract much traffic to the page, less than 100 likes and comments in one whole year.  anyway I like both for different reasons and both can work side by side to gain members to this hobby.

 

Not true. You can search for what you are looking for. Just go to,that train page, hit search, type what you want and it shows.   Actually it's easier to search on FB then here.  I just did a search on FB for something that I saw over a year ago and found it fast. When people say FB posts are lost its false.  You can still find what you want. 

I'm probably just not good at FB.   I do like the ease of use part, but it seems that if I ever hit "refresh" I always seem to get a totally new screen.   Then, I try to get back to a story I thought might have been interesting I can never remember the key words.   (Another penalty for getting old, I guess.)

This is definitely a generational thing.  I like how easy I can post stuff from my phone, but I absolutely hate FB on my phone or tablet. I am always doing unintended touch motions and exactly as you say, the page refreshes in totally random order.  I still much prefer the full size keyboard and monitor of the PC.

What does this mean?  The ideal software would work well on both platforms.

Shawn Viggiano said:

Pete Lassen said:

the big problem with Facebook is that once you look at a post , unless you comment on it or save it , after a day or 2 it is almost impossible to find it again. this forum is great in that aspect as since the forums are categorized and listed as they were posted , you can go back a month or a year and find a helpful post. I think they both have a space that they can live in, but I too would like to see more activity on the Facebook page. Right now the last post was March 13th, then before that the last post was Sept 28, 2019. 3 posts in 2019. I guess I can see why it doesn't attract much traffic to the page, less than 100 likes and comments in one whole year.  anyway I like both for different reasons and both can work side by side to gain members to this hobby.

 

Not true. You can search for what you are looking for. Just go to,that train page, hit search, type what you want and it shows.   Actually it's easier to search on FB then here.  I just did a search on FB for something that I saw over a year ago and found it fast. When people say FB posts are lost its false.  You can still find what you want. 

I'm probably just not good at FB.   I do like the ease of use part, but it seems that if I ever hit "refresh" I always seem to get a totally new screen.   Then, I try to get back to a story I thought might have been interesting I can never remember the key words.   (Another penalty for getting old, I guess.)

Pete Lassen said:

the big problem with Facebook is that once you look at a post , unless you comment on it or save it , after a day or 2 it is almost impossible to find it again. this forum is great in that aspect as since the forums are categorized and listed as they were posted , you can go back a month or a year and find a helpful post. I think they both have a space that they can live in, but I too would like to see more activity on the Facebook page. Right now the last post was March 13th, then before that the last post was Sept 28, 2019. 3 posts in 2019. I guess I can see why it doesn't attract much traffic to the page, less than 100 likes and comments in one whole year.  anyway I like both for different reasons and both can work side by side to gain members to this hobby.

Not true. You can search for what you are looking for. Just go to,that train page, hit search, type what you want and it shows.   Actually it's easier to search on FB then here.  I just did a search on FB for something that I saw over a year ago and found it fast. When people say FB posts are lost its false.  You can still find what you want. 

the big problem with Facebook is that once you look at a post , unless you comment on it or save it , after a day or 2 it is almost impossible to find it again. this forum is great in that aspect as since the forums are categorized and listed as they were posted , you can go back a month or a year and find a helpful post. I think they both have a space that they can live in, but I too would like to see more activity on the Facebook page. Right now the last post was March 13th, then before that the last post was Sept 28, 2019. 3 posts in 2019. I guess I can see why it doesn't attract much traffic to the page, less than 100 likes and comments in one whole year.  anyway I like both for different reasons and both can work side by side to gain members to this hobby.

Shawn Viggiano said:

Since LSC has a FB page we should promote that and provide links to here for articles and builds.  

LSC has a FB page???