Large Scale Central

Magazine observations

General Discussion
#1

After Garden Railways’ sad demise last summer-fall, I was really hoping that Kalmbach would do what I thought they promised, and incorporate Large Scale articles into Model Railroader. And, after time, maybe they will. So after the GR fall issue, I began getting monthly MR issues, and received March recently. That was generous of them, because my subscription ended in December I think. Anyway, lots of fun material.

However, after 5 issues, I’ve not seen one large scale article, only one big LGB ad per mag. So while it’s cool to see all the indoor small scale layouts, for me that’s practically a different hobby. You bet, there’s some crossover with techniques and tools and electronics, but not enough for me spend the money on a subscription, at least at this point.

I was given, however, a subscription to the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette for Christmas by my son. I’ve been collecting back issues of that for years, and finally have recent material! I know the older trains aren’t everyone’s thing, but I really like the historical angle. And, in their Nov-Dec issue, they featured a simply amazing 1:20.3 scale stamp mill.

Perhaps the Gazette will pick up more large scale articles going forward. And to that point, they have an ad in their recent (Jan-Feb) issue for a new “Garden Trains Annual,” “116 pages of large scale and outdoor railroading.” Ain’t cheap ($25+shipping), but it’s a decent sized book. Here’s their order page.

While 2020 has been a sad year for large scale companies going out of action (GR, Hartland, MTH, couple others I think?), I’m encouraged to see that White River Productions appears to be doing just fine.

Well, that’s it. Just thoughts. Please feel free to chime in with yours.

[edit] I just bought the Annual, and through Feb 28 they’re pre-selling (you get it when it’s available) it for $22 and free shipping.

#2

I would recommend that those interested in Large Scale articles in MR go ahead and reach out to the editors to see what type of articles they would like to have for Large Scale.

I would suspect that they plan out most issues WAY ahead of time, so 5 issues might not mean anything to them.

Of course, then you need to submit them and wait a LONG time before you see a check OR your article. I did a number of articles for GR; they were pretty easy to write as all I did was go back and cut my words out of a forum post and paste them into a document. Easy! (Don’t believe me - get out an article I wrote for GR and read the forum post about it! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif))

A list of the articles I wrote: http://jbrr.com/articles.html and a list of most of my build logs https://www.largescalecentral.com/articles/150/a-master-index-for-the-j-b-rr

#3

The add in the Gazette states “from the publishers of Railroad Model Craftsman”. Does anyone know if there’s any indication that the Annual contains original articles or are they reprints from their past issues?

I’ll probably order it regardless, if for no other reason than to support their attempts to address the demise of other large scale publications.

I’ve been a Gazette subscriber for many years and really enjoy it. There have been a number of features by Bob Poli and I find his work to be inspirational. And speaking of inspiration there is also the work of Jack Thompson if you’re not familiar with it.

#4

Bruce,

You’re not the only one that does that copy/paste action. I can’t recall how many times I’ve read forum posts on MRH only a few months later to see the same article in the MRH magazine.

#5

Cliff, after I got my notice and saw the first issue I decided that nothing was going to change as far as garden content, so I swapped my subscription to “Trains” and have been enjoying it. I still get notifications on the online GR and have not seen any “new content“ yet, so I am pretty much the only thing of general garden RR interest is the GRNews that Todd Brody is helping with.

#6

I have the Gazette as well, my MR subscription carryover only lasted a total of 3 issues and I knew they would ignore including garden scale stuff so instead of renewing MR I got a subscription to Classic Trains, it’s quarterly so not a lot of issues to make room for and 5he articles are far more interesting than anything in the last few MRs I received. MR is horribly over dedicated to HO with just a tiny smattering of N and maybe O but only if it is fine scale. G is abhorrent just like O three rail, that’s why they got their own rags. So I didn’t expect anything to come from their promise to roll GR into MR, not with the current editorial culture on board. So it’s Classic Trains and the Gazette, at least I can still keep my online access to the GR forum for however many days of existence it may have left.

#7

Cliff,

Thanks. I am giving MR a year to see what happens. I value a hard copy of something, as it is the only routine, tangible connection to the hobby I have. I would agree it remains small scale oriented, but at least a couple articles have been scale agnostic. The prototype references are useful enough to me at this stage of my participation in the hobby to at least serve as a point of orientation. If MR does not pick up some more large scale stuff, I will shift to Trains. I heard via some FaceBook forum or whatever rumblings that White River Productions may pick up where GR left off, but perhaps that was a reference to the annual.

Todd’s GRNews is wonderful (Yes, I print it out. Holding the paper is important to me!). Seeing the advertisers starting to trickle over is especially good news, as it adds to the project’s momentum, helps those providers, and clues folks like me to what’s out there beyond LGB and PIKO! They do a really good job picking articles of general interest from the myriad of clubs out there, so it really has carried something for everyone. Oh, and you can’t beat the price!

Eric

#8

Saturday I came home from our model RR club with several years worth of MR scattered between 1973 and 1999 from a couple collections which a couple people had several years ago donated to club for us to build a library but the new city administration doesn’t want so large a collection of paper in the city building our club uses.

There were large scale articles in MR as recently as the April 1995 issue, page 112, I have here, for one example of the several I have noticed.

And it is even promoted with a photo in a little yellow box at top right corner of cover.

"The Cranis Garden Ry.

By Herb Chaudiere

An outdoor railroad featuring handlaid track and broad curves"

I’ll just wait and see what happens; what else can I do, I’m not in the business, there is only one of me, and my health is a mess.

–> Also in the collection, 2 copies of the February 1980 issue, the first issue of MR I ever bought.

My MR from that date to 1990s were lost in 1990s when apartment above mine burned and water did that “always flows downhill” shtick it does.

Also of interest to me is that apparently a percentage of active modelers were in to electric traction in 1970s - even “Student Fare” column had articles on dealing with trolley wire!

#9

Cliff Jennings said:

After Garden Railways’ sad demise last summer-fall, I was really hoping that Kalmbach would do what I thought they promised, and incorporate Large Scale articles into Model Railroader. And, after time, maybe they will. So after the GR fall issue, I began getting monthly MR issues, and received March recently. That was generous of them, because my subscription ended in December I think. Anyway, lots of fun material.

However, after 5 issues, I’ve not seen one large scale article, only one big LGB ad per mag. So while it’s cool to see all the indoor small scale layouts, for me that’s practically a different hobby. You bet, there’s some crossover with techniques and tools and electronics, but not enough for me spend the money on a subscription, at least at this point.

I was given, however, a subscription to the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette for Christmas by my son. I’ve been collecting back issues of that for years, and finally have recent material! I know the older trains aren’t everyone’s thing, but I really like the historical angle. And, in their Nov-Dec issue, they featured a simply amazing 1:20.3 scale stamp mill.

Perhaps the Gazette will pick up more large scale articles going forward. And to that point, they have an ad in their recent (Jan-Feb) issue for a new “Garden Trains Annual,” “116 pages of large scale and outdoor railroading.” Ain’t cheap ($25+shipping), but it’s a decent sized book. Here’s their order page.

While 2020 has been a sad year for large scale companies going out of action (GR, Hartland, MTH, couple others I think?), I’m encouraged to see that White River Productions appears to be doing just fine.

Well, that’s it. Just thoughts. Please feel free to chime in with yours.

[edit] I just bought the Annual, and through Feb 28 they’re pre-selling (you get it when it’s available) it for $22 and free shipping.

Just re-read this thread as recommended by the experts and there is still plenty of FREE material here on LSC if you search. Besides some of it is better than magazine because the the real experts/ INSPIRATIONS have posted not too mention it has been standing for 10yrs plus?

https://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/16185/cvrr-utility-17?page=1

Only my opinion and a lot of great guys posted in this thread …

Thank You LSC for your commitment to the hobby !

Yes I’m getting old and crotchity (not a proper word in the dicktionary)

#10

I think one real problem is that many of today’s articles assume that you know how to do something when many folks just don’t. I seem to remember the old magazine articles actually taught one how to perform a task; boring for the experienced modeler but enthralling for the novice. Now it seems as if the articles are aimed at the expert and the novice doesn’t stand a chance.

#11

I don’t subscribe to any magazines anymore, it’s just another thing in the past that is slowly going away. I do remember when going to the mailbox and getting the new issue, it was a great feeling and I would read it from cover to cover.

trainman

#12

John Lenheiser said:

I don’t subscribe to any magazines anymore, it’s just another thing in the past that is slowly going away. I do remember when going to the mailbox and getting the new issue, it was a great feeling and I would read it from cover to cover.

trainman

How true. Yep, way back when got LOTS of magazines, but no longer. Technology has pretty much made them obsolete.

#13

Bruce Chandler said:

I think one real problem is that many of today’s articles assume that you know how to do something when many folks just don’t. I seem to remember the old magazine articles actually taught one how to perform a task; boring for the experienced modeler but enthralling for the novice. Now it seems as if the articles are aimed at the expert and the novice doesn’t stand a chance.

So true. When I started I had no idea on how to do a lot of the things involved. I think maybe because a lot of the G scale guys moved up from HO or N, and had a skill set for a lot of the things needed to build G scale. I only briefly had a HO set , and am really still learning the basic skills a lot of guys already have, and it shows. one of the great things about LSC is the ability to ask questions and see pictures of build progress. That is one thing I think all the Facebook groups really lack is any kind of progress pictures and why I hope LSC stays around so I can get more skills especially electrical stuff so I can work on locos and do battery conversions

#14

Pete Lassen said:

Bruce Chandler said:

I think one real problem is that many of today’s articles assume that you know how to do something when many folks just don’t. I seem to remember the old magazine articles actually taught one how to perform a task; boring for the experienced modeler but enthralling for the novice. Now it seems as if the articles are aimed at the expert and the novice doesn’t stand a chance.

So true. When I started I had no idea on how to do a lot of the things involved. I think maybe because a lot of the G scale guys moved up from HO or N, and had a skill set for a lot of the things needed to build G scale. I only briefly had a HO set , and am really still learning the basic skills a lot of guys already have, and it shows. one of the great things about LSC is the ability to ask questions and see pictures of build progress. That is one thing I think all the Facebook groups really lack is any kind of progress pictures and why I hope LSC stays around so I can get more skills especially electrical stuff so I can work on locos and do battery conversions

To me, the forums are really great for learning modeling. When I wrote articles for GR, I would sometimes get some feedback or a question from a reader forwarded by the editor. It was typically LONG after the project was done. In a forum post I get immediate feedback AND a questioner gets an answer in a quick and much more timely fashion. The drawback is that the questioner is now publicly exposed as not knowing how to do something - and thus many are reluctant to ask questions. Of course one CAN ask via a private message, but even so I think a lot of folks are reluctant.

#15

Bruce Chandler said:

John Lenheiser said:

I don’t subscribe to any magazines anymore, it’s just another thing in the past that is slowly going away. I do remember when going to the mailbox and getting the new issue, it was a great feeling and I would read it from cover to cover.

trainman

How true. Yep, way back when got LOTS of magazines, but no longer. Technology has pretty much made them obsolete.

Technically obsolete, sure. I totally agree.

But I still like the thing in my hands though, and it’s always fun getting it in the mail. Like a little surprise for the day. And honestly, I have a lot more attention difficulty with computer reading than with paper. With both though, I’m always drawn to big pretty pictures. With MR or Gazette in my hands, the photos are still amazing to me…

#16

Cliff Jennings said:

Bruce Chandler said:

John Lenheiser said:

I don’t subscribe to any magazines anymore, it’s just another thing in the past that is slowly going away. I do remember when going to the mailbox and getting the new issue, it was a great feeling and I would read it from cover to cover.

trainman

How true. Yep, way back when got LOTS of magazines, but no longer. Technology has pretty much made them obsolete.

Technically obsolete, sure. I totally agree.

But I still like the thing in my hands though, and it’s always fun getting it in the mail. Like a little surprise for the day. And honestly, I have a lot more attention difficulty with computer reading than with paper. With both though, I’m always drawn to big pretty pictures. With MR or Gazette in my hands, the photos are still amazing to me…

Probably a thing of the past. I’m not sure today’s younger folks would ever appreciate a magazine, since it’s NOT on their phone. (To tell you the truth I really liked the digital copies I got for a time - but they charged WAY TOO MUCH!)