Magazine choice

[caellis]

While I subscribe to most of the MRR magazines, my favorite is Model Railroad News.

I am more interested in good in-depth reviews and MRN certainly fills that need.

They just recently went to the magazine size format due to postal regulation changes.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I voted for "other." I model the Santa Fe, no BNSF, I'm not interrested in anything done much after the merger. I used to subscribe to MR & RMC, but found their coverageto be too general. Now I belong to the Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society. My only subscription is to the "Warbonnet." I look at the various magazines each month, but probably buy one or at most 2 issues a year. I realise that the national magazines must provide coverage to suit every modeler's interest, but I really don't care to spend money on an issue that doesn't contain anything I can use. The magazine does not have to contain Santa Fe content to interest me; but when I model the Southwest, articles on doing fall scenery in New England, as an example, are pretty much useless to me.

 

[santafewillie]

I only subscribe to MRR but I pick up MRC occasionally when I see an article of interest. MRR is hit or miss but it is mostly hit for me. I agree with caellis about Model Railroad News...I appreciate the fact that it is mostly reviews now that I have bought nearly everything my LHS has to offer. I can have him order kits or products that fit my niche. I voted other.

 

[davidstrains]

I have been a subscriber to Model Railroader Magazine since 1976 and I have all of the magazines from 1978 on. I like the articles and building projects.

 

[myltlpny]

I buy MRR and MRC whenever I get the chance, but not at the same time. I've never subscribed to either magazine. I find that they both have interesting articles, just not at the same time. One month MRR is more interesting, the next month it's MRC. Having said that, I prefer MRC overall.

 

[b28_82]

I picked other because both are good. I subscribe to Model Railroader and pick up RMC when an article interest's me, as Gary said. I tend to think that RMC is geared more to the more intermediate to expertish modeler and MR is for beginners but they have wonderful articles that everyone can learn from.
Jake

 

[nolatron]

I subscribe to MRR and also pickup the two N-Scale magazines at the LHS.

 

[Glen Haasdyk]

Model Railroader may inspire you, with it's excellent full-colour layouts, to be a better modeller. However, I think that Railroad Model Craftsman will better teach you how to be that better modeller. Just my opinion, though.

I couldn't agree with you more there Wayne. I'm My club's librarian and have MR going back to the mid-sixies and RMC going back to the mid seventies. RMC reminds me of what MR used to be like, geared towards the modeller. While MR has sliped into something of a beginners book and articles that are thinly concealed advertising for the products list in it.

The Jerome and southwestern was re-printed into a book called building a model railroad with personality. I still think this was one of the best project layouts that MR ever did.

 

[sumpter250]

My earliest issues of Model Railroader, and Railroad model craftsman, are from 1958. Over the span of years from then to now, I have seen RMC improve, and today, it still appeals to me, as an all around good magazine. Model Railroader, on the other hand, used to have some of the best construction articles, and now is more concerned with RTR, DCC, and will only review products whose manufacturers advertize in the magazine. I have dropped my MR subscription. I'll still check it out at the local hobby shop, but will only buy it if there's an article that's useful to me. NG&SL gazette, and when I can find it Timber Times, Classic Trains, Railfan and Railroad, the "annuals" from the publisher of Finescale Railroader, and any others that have items of interest, I'll buy for a particular article.

 

[chooch.42]

I picked MRR,have a sub.but check out RMC for interesting bits. As others, find MRR to be generally more for the "Can you top this?" segment, DCC, high end/RTR rolling stock/structures/Layouts even. RMC still has room for the kit basher/scratch builder/less-than-$$$$$$/full-time hobbiest, though a little too specialized for my skills/interests (15 pages in 5 or 6 consecutive issues on reefers).The Keystone Modeler (PRRTHS) is on-line now (AMAZING rivet counting !) and my 20+ years of relatively armchair activity haven't exposed me to much else published. Maybe I'll soon get a life,after 33 years on the 12"/foot stuff,and join in the FUN. Bob C.

 

[chooch.42]

By the way, when I first showed up here, "THE GAUGE" magazine was a neat surprise!...has it been lost in the upgrade ?

 

[N Gauger]

It's still here - just in a folder until we get it settled in

Index of /magazine

 

[MadHatter]

I have to agree. Lately MR has been printing old articles in new clothes. Before I came to the Gauge I actually thought that all Americans have a HUGE basment, with tons of trains rolling up and down and that are all digital. Pity about them printing plans that are not even complete though- THAT SUCKS.

If you're a new comer, by all means go for MR, because of them advertising and showing off all thew new spiffy products it will introduce you to what's out there and it wouldn't hurt you that they have repeated something from seven or so years ago.

MRC is quite an enjoyable mag and I have yet to see something similar that they publish to MR.

 

[Bill Stone]

I've subscribed to MRR, RMC, and NGSLG (Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette) for years. In my opinion RMC has slowly improved over the years and MRR has been on a steady decline since about the time Linn Westcott retired as editor. I guess i'd rate them now as follows:

For overall content of interest to me I'd say that RMC and NGSLG are tied for first (even tho' I don't model narrow gauge.)

MRR comes in last with a couple of exceptions: Excellent photography, and their annual publications, "Great Model Railroads" and "Model Railroad Planning" are both quite good.

Bill S

 

[Jim Krause]

I selected RMC on the survey but actually I get both. Since I'm into railroad logging and history,, I also read most of the specialty publications like Timber Times, Tall Timber Short Lines, Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette and the two annuals put out by Fine Scale Modeler. No wonder I can't afford to by rolling stock.:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

 

[Herc Driver]

I've been disappointed with MR most of the time. I hate to say I buy them for the pictures - but many times I do. Like so many other magazines, the cover lists all these interesting projects or topics, but the articles are short and not filled with much information. I guess like others, I too feel like many of the how-to articles are rewritten from past issues. I pick up more information from closely looking at the layout pictures and getting good ideas from what other featured modelers do. I understand MR tries to appeal to the broadest range of skill levels and interest, but I feel it tries to do so much that it doesn't do anything well enough to warrent my subscription. Lastly, MR really focuses on HO almost excluding other scales. When I can, I get Nscale Railroading or N-Scale magazines instead of MR.

 

[TrainNut]

Well thanks everybody for the input. Some very interesting and worthwhile comments. I was pretty much decided on MR to begin with but in the end with all the feedback, I could not make up my mind and ended up ordering both.

 

[MadHatter]

Well TrainNut, when you've received them for a few months, let's hear what you think if the mags.