Back in the early 90’s, I subscribed to ‘Garden Railways’. The 1994 swimsuit issue is still a sought-after collectible. I also use to pick up the latest ‘Outdoor Railroader’ magazine at the local hobby shop until it became ‘Finescale Railroader’. I let my subscription to GR expire in the early 2000’s. I really liked those magazines, not just because of the articles and ideas, but for the nice glossy 8 ½ x 11 color pictures. Those were pre-internet days and the magazine advertisements sucked me into buying many of the latest LGB and USA Trains offerings. Most (if not all) of the train shops advertising limited edition custom run trains back then (Watt’s Train Shop, Depot G, San-Val, New England G Scale, Train Showcase, Track & Trains) are now defunct.
Anyway, regarding Marc Horovitz. I was talking to a fellow train club member recently who told me a funny story of how during a layout open house visit to the Bay Area, Mr. Horovitz was surrounded by a few people who followed him around with their hands up trying to get his attention. Evidently, some club members wanted Marc to visit their layouts and take pictures for the magazine. I guess a few long-time members were a little irritated when they heard about that, but it personified what an important figure he was to the hobby.
Horovitz being ridden out on a rail combined with the reduction in the number of annual issues is definitely a sign of the times. Both for the G-scale train hobby and for the newspaper/magazine industry.
