Large Scale Central

Garden Railways Magazine

General Discussion
#41

Ross Mansell said:

I ditched GR some time ago…still think NGSL Gazette a great magazine read even though its not LS !!(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-kiss.gif)

Haven’t ditched GR yet, but I agree, NGSLG is in a different league. And they do quite a bit in Large Scale, thankfully.

I’ve been taking the last 5 years to accumulate back issues and reading them, and am almost caught up – to 2016. The collection is one of my prized possessions! Soon I’ll be subscribing, and finally be in sync with ads from companies that still exist, haha!

#42

I bought GR, from a local newsagent, from 2005, when I built my garden railroad, until 2013. I decided that as my preferred models (Aristo) were no longer being made, plus some of their outlets were closing down. Besides I had more than enough stock there was no interest in new products ( I might have been tempted of course ) (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)which were either more expensive, did not fit into my railroad picture or a different scale.

Much of the article information I already knew, had read it here or on MLS, or seen it done elsewhere. Some things had shown me what to do, others what not to. So whilst I am indebted to GR for the formative years of my garden railroading. after 2013 I no longer bought it. What I do buy, which tells you far more about operations than building, is of course Classic Trains and their special issues.

#43

I started my subscription around 2000 or so. I’ve always been one for supporting the hobby financially WHEN IT HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT.

Unfortunately, all I have seen is the magazine shrink and have less and less of what I am interested in. Some companies know how to handle a changing/shrinking market. I do not believe the GR staff is one of those.

Of course, in the “heyday” with new models coming out all the time, and new products, it was EASY for GR to capture interest. Now there are fewer products coming on the market, and of course the negative impact of having reviews that really did not tell the “whole” truth made the magazine more and more worthless. Also, the online supplier came of age, and the big multi-page ads we all looked for were outdated by the time we got the magazine.

OK, so now all the Kool Aiders will mark me as a negative nanny. Well, there’s a lot the magazine could do. How about thinking and analyzing the market? OK, so the used market is in full swing. How about articles with tips on what things to look for when buying used equipment.

There is a wealth of knowledge out there that could be put in print. “Check skates for wear or collapsed springs”, look for cracked traction tires. Be sure to ask about lights, broken gears. There’s enough there for 12 months of articles.

If GR would follow the market that has changed, the magazine could be chock full of tips for established hobbyists and newcomers as well. And as a bonus, they don’t have to worry about Aristo pulling advertising if they say that the wheels slip on most Aristo steamers, and how to fix it.

So, the money is not important to me (cost of subscription), it’s the principle and the poor response to a changing market. I’ll keep my $$ for people that earn it.

Greg

#44

Wonder how Garden Rail does it, ton of pictures minimal adds and 1/2 the price and a bunch of articles

#45

Garden Railways is going downhill, I’m sure most would agree. I’m not positive I’m right but here is my theory. Since Marc has gone there is no one running the magazine who really knows anything about the hobby.

Greg, I like your idea for articles. Producing a magazine in this hobby has it’s difficulties, this is from me, a person involved with Steam in the Garden. One other way to make a magazine more for the hobby is for more people to send in articles. When you do a project write a short bit about it and submit it. You don’t have to be a Pulitzer prize winning writer, the Editor will gussy it up.

#46

A couple weeks ago I sent a gardening tip to Nancy. She asked me to send it to Kent Johnson, the editor. I did but never received any response. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)

#47

I have seen some articles from several forum members… All good by the way…

#48

Dan Pantages said:

Garden Railways is going downhill, I’m sure most would agree. I’m not positive I’m right but here is my theory. Since Marc has gone there is no one running the magazine who really knows anything about the hobby.

Greg, I like your idea for articles. Producing a magazine in this hobby has it’s difficulties, this is from me, a person involved with Steam in the Garden. One other way to make a magazine more for the hobby is for more people to send in articles. When you do a project write a short bit about it and submit it. You don’t have to be a Pulitzer prize winning writer, the Editor will gussy it up.

Or they will tell you, politely, to go (censored), I mean, go away…

Greg, tips on buying used is a good idea. But even with looking for things in the pictures, and descriptions in online adds, some sellers don’t have a clue what they have, nor what I am asking. Its like posts here in the forum, someone asks a specific question and gets 5 posts of unrelated “advice”. Some online sellers of used product also give answers to questions I didn’t ask, and don’t answer the question I did ask. So buyer beware. But there are good deals (and overpriced items) out there.

#49

Don’t hold back David, have you ever sent an article into a magazine? If you’re not willing to try then it’s like not voting in an election and then complaining about the people who got in.

#50

Dan Pantages said:

Don’t hold back David, have you ever sent an article into a magazine? If you’re not willing to try then it’s like not voting in an election and then complaining about the people who got in.

AMEN …

If you have not contributed then please do not complain about the magazine !

#51

Todd Brody said:

A couple weeks ago I sent a gardening tip to Nancy. She asked me to send it to Kent Johnson, the editor. I did but never received any response. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)

Patience is a virtue ?

#52

Dan Pantages said:

Don’t hold back David, have you ever sent an article into a magazine? If you’re not willing to try then it’s like not voting in an election and then complaining about the people who got in.

I may still have the rejection letter from GR, I don’t know. Don’t assume that I haven’t tried, I did.

#53

David, that’s good. Why not try Steam in the Garden. Steamers model, we pull rolling stock and use most of the same stuff Sparkies use.

#54

Well, the article was on kit-bashing a sparkie.

#55

Greg I like your ideas about buying used articles and since people that actually get articles written up in GR read this I hope someone , or you, writes it up and sends it in. You could add information to sellers too, and a article on best packaging of items to ship would be a winner, the internet is full of pictures of bad packaging of items. I am lucky so far, worst thing for me has been a broken step or 2

#56

Well I have send in 25 1 page projects to GRW and 2 have been published which netted me $150.00 + I send in a very lengthy one on my saw mill and had to send the pictures on a zip file. When Kent first started I got a couple of replies back but lately have heard nothing and never have gotten back a rejection letter, Bill

#57

25 papers Bill? Wow, impressive! Bummer that only 2 got used.

#58

Cliff Jennings said:

25 papers Bill? Wow, impressive! Bummer that only 2 got used.

yea but I didn’t say they were any good, LOL, funny the ones that I thought would never get used, did and visa versa

#59

Bill Barnwell said:

Well I have send in 25 1 page projects to GRW and 2 have been published which netted me $150.00 + I send in a very lengthy one on my saw mill and had to send the pictures on a zip file. When Kent first started I got a couple of replies back but lately have heard nothing and never have gotten back a rejection letter, Bill

So no rejection letter is the consensus ?

#60

a sample group of 2 is pretty small for such a big word “consensus”… (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)