Which is the best model railroad magazine?

[Sumpter250]

The best model railroad magazine...........teaches, and provides inspiration.
So! the best model railroad magazine will be the one that currently teaches you what you need at the time.
Because of that, what is the best, will change as your requirements change, as you develop your skills and abilities.
It took me several years after MR ceased to teach and inspire, before I ended my subscription. I continue to check the magazine out at my Local Hobby Shop, but still haven't found the essential things it once provided for me. I will continue looking, there's bound to be something that would be useful, but not enough of it to warrant the cost of subscribing.
It's not that "I know it all", it's just that I want to learn, and I want to build. RTR is not a major part of my hobby, and DCC isn't as impressive to me any longer. If that's all a magazine contains ( along with too high a percentage of advertising, and the "Good ole Boys layouts" ), then I'm not its target audience.
Railroad Model Craftsman, is my only current subscription. I pick up Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette, and the "annuals", as there is usually something in them I can use.

Warning: Shameless plug!....You are reading this in the finest model railroad "magazine" out there,
Big Blue, The-Gauge.

[AF350]

I too will say that RMC and MRH are good sources, did I niss what scale you are in? Some times an idea from another scale can lead to some great project in your scale with just a little bit of math and a lot of imagination.

Try this O scale magazine who put up there "old" sold out issues on-line in pdf format to download for free

<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.oscalemag.com/">www.oscalemag.com/</a><!-- w -->

[FCIN]

RTR is not a major part of my hobby, and DCC isn't as impressive to me any longer. If that's all a magazine contains ( along with too high a percentage of advertising, and the "Good ole Boys layouts" ), then I'm not its target audience.

I started purchasing Model Railroader back in the mid-50's when an issue was about 25 cents. Even though in those days, you didn't have the quality components you have now days - there was always something interesting in it. Have subscribed to it a couple of times over the years, but now will not consider subscribing to it for many of the reasons Sumpter250 mentions. The wife usually picks up a copy of it for me when she sees it at Wally-World (we can't seem to support a book store/magazine shop in this town not to mention a hobby shop) and I rarely find anything inspiring in it these days.

I have to go to the nearest hobby shop (30 miles) to get RMC, which to me seems to have more scratch building, kit-bashing subjects and modest layout plans than does MR. Years ago, RMC was considered pretty second rate - poor quality paper - track plans that couldn't be built as drawn, so on and so on, but the quality these days is really great.

I think MR has far too much advertising and big layout tours/plans and I hate that "Read more on our web site - IF YOU SUBSCRIBE - stuff. IMHO, the content quality of MR has gone down hill over the past few years, especially after Linn Westcott was no longer around.

Maybe it's just me, but I often feel like some of the "Good Old Boys" in MR tend to talk down to us modelers that don't have layouts that in their opinion can't measure up to grace the pages of their magazine. They need to check out some of the work seen on this web site if they want some inspiring content in their mag!!! Regardless, as it's already been mentioned - go with a magazine - or web site that inspires you. This site sure has inspired me!

[torikoos]

Hi all, well reading all your posts and suggestions I've considered everything carefully (including the 'what do I want from a magazine' one) and have decided to subsribe to Railroad Model Craftsman for a year, and take it from there. (I model in HO by the way) :-)

Looking forward to the arrival of the 1st issue :-)

Koos

[hminky]

Model Railroad Hobbyist if you are in the US. Done by model railroaders and free.

Harold

[P5se Camelback]

The best model railroad magazine ........... teaches, and provides inspiration.
So! the best model railroad magazine will be the one that currently teaches you what you need at the time. ... Warning:Shameless plug! ....You are reading this in the finest model railroad "magazine" out there, Big Blue, The-Gauge.

AMEN! ............. and it's .................................. interactive!

[NJ Devils Fan]

My opinion is that the best magazines are the ones here on-line. On-line forums, to me, simply can't be beat. With the ever increasing newsstand cover price of "popular" magazines, it's a wonder you still have money left over to purchase anything else for yourself.

Model railroad magazines have also become filled with more and more ads. Yes, they do cover some great topics but they cover more pages with ads instead of content. The ever increasing cover price indicates less people are reading and circulation is down. To me, $6 is a lot of money to spend to look at more ads than articles.

I have learned more from this forum as well as Model Railroad Hobbyist on-line forums than I have from a magazine. Besides that, you CANT GET FEEDBACK FROM A MAGAZINE. You can virtually speak with the person or persons about any topic they provided. These forums are more in-depth as well. If you need more information on a topic, you don't have to wait until next months' installment or finding a "back-issue". Just send that person an e-mail and you can have pictures or info sent in minutes.

I cancelled my subscriptions to those overpriced magazines long ago. What I need to know can be found here - online - with money left over to buy a few items for myself.

[ezdays]

Speaking of magazines, I've subscribed to Model Railroader now for over 10 years and each year I ponder whether it's worth the cost. I do like to see what others are doing and there are some helpful tips there along with the ads. Yes, there are times when I'm more interested in the ads than the other content. This year I decided that $43 was a bit more than I was willing to pay, so I let it expire. A few weeks later, I got an email offering me to renew a "12 issue" subscription for only $39, so I clicked on the link and renewed. Well, the first thing to come in the mail was the previous month's issue, followed a few days later by the current issue, and about a week later, the regular issue for that month. In other words, I got a 10 month subscription along with two older (although, not much older) issues. Had I already bought those issues, I'd have been screwed. I don't know if this is the reason for the lower rate, to get rid of older issues, or that they just figured I would be happy to get those other two issues, but if you get the same offer, remember this before you subscribe....

[MasonJar]

I buy the current one(s) if there's something specific I can use. For the most part, back issues are just as good, if not more so. I used to get them from either my local store or local club for $0.25 to $0.50 each, so I could easily get a whole year (or two!) for the price of a current issue. A generous friend gave me 30+ years worth a few years ago - I haven't read them all yet, but now have almost no use for new ones. Soldering is soldering, weathering is weathering, etc, etc, and 30+ years covers it all at least once over.

Andrew

[Bob C]

No guarantees, gents, but I had a similar experience to Don's...phoned customer service. They (without coercion) extended my sub by the requisite 2 months. This was a couple of years ago, and I don't know Kalmbach's policy, but they have also replaced damaged issues for me (no, I don't work for the company or have any monetary connection. MR is not what it once was, but the "New Guys" seem to be making an effort. I agree about the poor handling of the mag/web connection...also hate purchasing material (Special Pub or PDF from the site) I've already paid for in past issues by sub or at higher cost, from the news stand. Heck, I believe Tony Koester (sp) has one of his books on Google for free reading (& download?). Agree, MRH is the best non-scale-specific available. Being a SPF, also love "The Keystone", available free online from the PRRTHS. Bob C.

[ezdays]

No guarantees, gents, but I had a similar experience to Don's...phoned customer service. They (without coercion) extended my sub by the requisite 2 months. This was a couple of years ago, and I don't know Kalmbach's policy, but they have also replaced damaged issues for me (no, I don't work for the company or have any monetary connection. MR is not what it once was, but the "New Guys" seem to be making an effort. I agree about the poor handling of the mag/web connection...also hate purchasing material (Special Pub or PDF from the site) I've already paid for in past issues by sub or at higher cost, from the news stand. Heck, I believe Tony Koester (sp) has one of his books on Google for free reading (& download?). Agree, MRH is the best non-scale-specific available. Being a SPF, also love "The Keystone", available free online from the PRRTHS. Bob C.

No doubt that, would I have called, they would have done the same for me, any reputable company with the satisfaction of their customers in mind, would do that. Well, there is one exception to that, banks, most of which have little concern for their depositors, but don't get me started on that... :evil: The thing is, they weren't up front about it, 12 issues in someone's mind would be 12 new issues, not 2 old and 10 new... Kalmbach isn't the only one that does this, I've gotten a "free trial" issue of something only to find it to be a common issue that has no date, but if I subscribe, that issue counts among the 12 for that year.

[cn nutbar]

Without a doubt---BIG BLUE ---and you can't beat the price