State of N-Scale Magazines?

[Mr. G]

It's like a custom car magazine doing a pictorial about a guy's six month old stock Corvette.

I look at it more like a guy that bought 31 stock Corvettes for each day of the month and built a garage to put them all in.  I think that would be pretty interesting to most folks, even if it's not their cup of tea.

That may be a more apt comparison, but I don't know if most people would care for a lavish pictorial and detailed write-up describing it.  It's worth a post in a forum at best; "Hey guys, I bought 31 Corvettes.  LOL"

[AlkemScaleModels]

Doug Said-

"Regarding inspiration, I found this point really interesting.  I remember back in the olden days when I would read MR as a youngster that I was intimidated, not inspired.  They were always building models that I could not purchase locally, that were kits that--if I could find them locally--I was assured were not meant for beginners like me by the various shops in the area."

-----------------------------

Talking about not having supplies, I have to tell one on myself...

My first Model Railroader was in 1972, and I was 12 years old. I read about Logan Holtgrew (sp?) scratchbuilding with "styrene". Having never seen styrene 'cause I lived in the sticks, I thought styrofoam must be the same thing. I cut up a styrofoam egg carton lid and tried to build a house out of it. It almost worked until the solvent glue MR said to use (I used model airplane glue) melted it into a pile of goo.


-Phil Brooks

I love that story. It reminds of my early days. My dad had a bunch of tools, if you wanted to fix a boiler or tune a car. He didn't have much in the way of modeling tools. I remember using a Stanley Utility knife for everything. I was so envious of the guys that had X-acto knives!

[SAH]

I dunno guys I kinda liked the ultra snobbish magazine of the Hundmann days. I enjoyed seeing advanced techniques used, that's the only way to learn (think Model Railroad Craftsman). When I started looking at it in 1993 the covers amazed me captivated me to look inside see how someone pushed the envelope. Now when I look at it, it feels like MR, somewhat juvenile, the envelope is still in the box on the shelf at Office Depot.

As for NSR it's like the basic magazine (like MR is to model railroading in general) and they showcase layouts and new products which makes it great. I know I stated that MR is juvenile but it is 100% N scale which makes it enticing.

Both magazines used to complement each other pretty well. Now I am getting two magazines, same overall content and I still want more (advanced, articles).

What kind of advanced articles are you interested in?  Am curious about this matter.

When N Scale was resurrected a couple of years back I encouraged Pam to make it a mag for the advanced N scale modeler.  She printed my gazillion word, grind-it-out, step-by-step scratchbuilt depot article immediately, but I think it had more to do with a lack of material to get going on than wishing to fill a hole in the N scale press.  I've also had a freight car detailing article (similar to the Hundmann N scale days) ignored by the N scale press.  No comment, acknowledgement, rejection . . . no nothin'.  Given what I see in the mags now I understand why.  So, when I get an envelope pusher, skill expander type project going again, I'll post it here.

I no longer subscribe to either N scale mag.  RMC is by far the best hobby read for my interests.  Classic Trains is great.  And of course, historical society mags.  Railwire is the only forum I check.  Don't have time to bother with others.

Steve

[sizemore]

What kind of advanced articles are you interested in?  Am curious about this matter.

When N Scale was resurrected a couple of years back I encouraged Pam to make it a mag for the advanced N scale modeler.  She printed my gazillion word, grind-it-out, step-by-step scratchbuilt depot article immediately, but I think it had more to do with a lack of material to get going on than wishing to fill a hole in the N scale press.  I've also had a freight car detailing article (similar to the Hundmann N scale days) ignored by the N scale press.  No comment, acknowledgement, rejection . . . no nothin'.  Given what I see in the mags now I understand why.  So, when I get an envelope pusher, skill expander type project going again, I'll post it here.

Steve

By advanced I mean anything beyond glue and plastic or matte medium and groundfoam. I'm tired of reading basics tired of Uni-Crack. You want basics go read Model Railroader. I liked reading the scratchbuilding articles that were a billion plus words and pictures, multi-parters. I enjoyed reading about scenery techniques that were more than just diluted white glue, remember the N&W articles Hundmann was writing himself? Those were great! The build outs done by the Mod-U-Track guys would be perfect article fodder.

T

[diezmon]

What kind of advanced articles are you interested in?  Am curious about this matter.

When N Scale was resurrected a couple of years back I encouraged Pam to make it a mag for the advanced N scale modeler.  She printed my gazillion word, grind-it-out, step-by-step scratchbuilt depot article immediately, but I think it had more to do with a lack of material to get going on than wishing to fill a hole in the N scale press.  I've also had a freight car detailing article (similar to the Hundmann N scale days) ignored by the N scale press.  No comment, acknowledgement, rejection . . . no nothin'.  Given what I see in the mags now I understand why.  So, when I get an envelope pusher, skill expander type project going again, I'll post it here.

Steve

By advanced I mean anything beyond glue and plastic or matte medium and groundfoam. I'm tired of reading basics tired of Uni-Crack. You want basics go read Model Railroader. I liked reading the scratchbuilding articles that were a billion plus words and pictures, multi-parters. I enjoyed reading about scenery techniques that were more than just diluted white glue, remember the N&W articles Hundmann was writing himself? Those were great! The build outs done by the Mod-U-Track guys would be perfect article fodder.

T

See, this is the thing about a post like this..It's one of those classic, "we'll agree to disagree" kind of things I didn't care for the endless Hundmann articles on "scratchbuilding with styrene"...  Everyone has their own favorite types of articles, which is why most of us don't read just ONE mag.   

I'm making my own attempt at helping out by working on some of my own articles... I consider them advanced.. but some might not.   The more overall submissions they get, the better the magazines will be to everyone, in my opinion. 

[sizemore]

What kind of advanced articles are you interested in?  Am curious about this matter.

When N Scale was resurrected a couple of years back I encouraged Pam to make it a mag for the advanced N scale modeler.  She printed my gazillion word, grind-it-out, step-by-step scratchbuilt depot article immediately, but I think it had more to do with a lack of material to get going on than wishing to fill a hole in the N scale press.  I've also had a freight car detailing article (similar to the Hundmann N scale days) ignored by the N scale press.  No comment, acknowledgement, rejection . . . no nothin'.  Given what I see in the mags now I understand why.  So, when I get an envelope pusher, skill expander type project going again, I'll post it here.

Steve

By advanced I mean anything beyond glue and plastic or matte medium and groundfoam. I'm tired of reading basics tired of Uni-Crack. You want basics go read Model Railroader. I liked reading the scratchbuilding articles that were a billion plus words and pictures, multi-parters. I enjoyed reading about scenery techniques that were more than just diluted white glue, remember the N&W articles Hundmann was writing himself? Those were great! The build outs done by the Mod-U-Track guys would be perfect article fodder.

T

See, this is the thing about a post like this..It's one of those classic, "we'll agree to disagree" kind of things I didn't care for the endless Hundmann articles on "scratchbuilding with styrene"...  Everyone has their own favorite types of articles, which is why most of us don't read just ONE mag.   

I'm making my own attempt at helping out by working on some of my own articles... I consider them advanced.. but some might not.   The more overall submissions they get, the better the magazines will be to everyone, in my opinion. 

But thats my point they're on the same level as MR just "matte medium and groundfoam or glue and plastic" basics. There are no more beyond the basic's articles in either mag. Layout writeups like the Danneman series are great they just hit beyond basic and I eat it up, but his stuff is so far in between it kills me. And this is more encompassig, this goes beyond just articles -its a feel for a magazine. Again like comparing RMC to MR. RMC caters to the scratchbuilder if you will, while MR caters to the FNG's and basic modelers and halfway decent editorials.

Anyway beating a dead horse.

[SAH]

I liked reading the scratchbuilding articles that were a billion plus words and pictures, multi-parters. I enjoyed reading about scenery techniques that were more than just diluted white glue, remember the N&W articles Hundmann was writing himself? Those were great! The build outs done by the Mod-U-Track guys would be perfect article fodder.

I liked them too.  I think we're in a very small minority though.  From now going forward those types of "articles" will be offered in forums, in the format Lashedup and others have been doing here.  A good way to go I think.  Questions can be asked and responded to almost in real time.  Way more efficient than a magazine article.  The last layout feature I really enjoyed was the two part M&StL set in RMC a few months back.  Way more than a pretty layout photo shoot though!