Great Model Railroads 2020

[Doug W]

Like many of you, I have dispaired at the lack of N scale in Kalmbach’s Great Model Railroads magazine over the years. Unfortunately, our scale is not represented at all in this year's edition, despite accounting for around 20% of all model railroaders.

To put this into perspective, here is the mix ouf layouts by scale over the last five years (52 layouts over the 2016-2020 editions):

HO - 33 - 63.5%
N - 6 - 11.5%
On30 - 5 - 9.6%
O - 3 - 5.8%
HOn3 - 3 - 3.8%
S - 2 - 3.8%
F - 1 - 1.9%.

The HO share seems about right in terms of proportion of scale participants. But N's share is about half of what seems reasonable. And does On30 deserve nearly as many articles as N? It's somewhat popular, but very niche.

The HO and O shares jump to 67.3% and 15.4% when the narrow gauge versions of the scales are included in the 'master' scale totals. The narrow gauge share jumps to 13.5% if On30 and HOn3 are combined. So, both O scale and narrow gauge get more attention than N! Why?

I've bought GMR every year since it was published, but I'll stop if this under-representation continues. I'm keen on the idea of an exclusively N scale version of Great Model Railroads, which we discussed here a couple of years ago, but it hasn't happened yet. I don't know if the chances have increased or decreased as a result of NSR ceasing publication, but I'm not holding out much hope.

There is nothing like a hard copy railroad prototype or model book or magazine to unwind with at the end of a long day at work. I like the quality of a properly printed magazine, with good photos and a well-executed track plan graphic (which Kalmbach have always exceled at) and I am prepared to pay for that. I'd prefer to see GMR change, so that I can continue to support it and help it survive and provide a window into the hobby for outsiders. What to do?

I'll assume that the lack of N isn't deliberate. I'm seeing more and more re-hashes of regular Kalmbach (MR and MRP) authors' layouts in GMR - there are two in the 2020 edition: Lou Sassi's On30 SR&RL and Thomas Klimoski's HO GNRR. This is something that rarely if ever happened in the early days of the magazine when all of the layouts seemed fresh. Maybe the publishers are simply running out of ideas and unaware of the breadth and quality of N layouts out there.

Steven Otte, the GMR editor, is calling on people to submit photos of their layouts if they are "interested in being immortalized in these pages" in the editorial. They need to be largely 'finished'. Our own Chris Boughton had his Pennsy "immortalized" in the 2018 edition.  There seem to be lots of other cool layouts floating around the Railwire. Let's put some forward. And other N layouts that might belong to guys who aren't Railwire members. We'll lift the standard of the magazine and gain a few more N scalers if we do.

I'd love to see some suggestions here.

Cheers
Doug
 

[peteski]

I never bought a copy of GMR.
I'm wondering that the problem with N scale being underrepresented is that it simply represents how many layout submissions they receive from N scale modelers?  Or maybe just larger share of N scale layouts are not really worthy being included in GMR?  Or maybe that many N scalers simply just have NTRAK or T-Trak modules (not whole layouts) while still being avid accumulators or collectors of models?

[dem34]

Wasn't it Walthers that stated somewhere that the absolute bulk of N scale layouts are sub 2x4 . I can't exactly back that up off the top of my head. But the publication does seem a lot more orientated to "Grander" layouts as opposed to Great model layouts. Simply put, a basement empire is probably more likely to be published, more people in HO means a larger amount of Basement Empires to pick from. And I imagine there is a skew to the Narrow gauge because its mostly something only experienced modelers seem to tackle, so higher chance to get published due to skill displayed.

[Doug W]

I'm wondering that the problem with N scale being underrepresented is that it simply represents how many layout submissions they receive from N scale modelers?  Or maybe just larger share of N scale layouts are not really worthy being included in GMR?  Or maybe that many N scalers simply just have NTRAK or T-Trak modules (not whole layouts) while still being avid accumulators or collectors of models?

All of these are possible. My post is intended to help address your first question. I've seen plenty of worthy candidates in person and online, so your second question doesn't really hold up. Many N scalers are the things named in your third question, but many aren't.

Cheers
Doug

[Doug W]

Wasn't it Walthers that stated somewhere that the absolute bulk of N scale layouts are sub 2x4 . I can't exactly back that up off the top of my head. But the publication does seem a lot more orientated to "Grander" layouts as opposed to Great model layouts. Simply put, a basement empire is probably more likely to be published, more people in HO means a larger amount of Basement Empires to pick from. And I imagine there is a skew to the Narrow gauge because its mostly something only experienced modelers seem to tackle, so higher chance to get published due to skill displayed.

The Walthers quote probably explains that company's attitude to N more than anything else. I'd love to understand the basis of their comment. I've seen many large N scale layouts in person and online, so I don't think a 'small layout problem' is the issue.

Interestingly, both of the layouts that I named are on the smaller side (room rather than basement), and MRP has included smaller layouts in the past, so I don't think 'great' can be interpreted as being 'basement-sized.

[rodsup9000]

our scale is not represented at all in this year's edition, despite accounting for around 20% of all model railroaders.


The HO share seems about right in terms of proportion of scale participants. But N's share is about half of what seems reasonable. And does On30 deserve nearly as many articles as N? It's somewhat popular, but very niche.

 From where I sit, most of the n scaler's I know doesn't like MR cause of the under representation of n scale. Some of their layouts have been published in at least one of the all "N Scale" publications. With both NSR and N Scale devoted to N scale, I'm guessing that Kalmbach doesn't get enough n scale layout material to get a higher share in GMR.

BTW, I let my MR subscription run out in 2006 and never renewed it cause of the lack of good N scale articles. I have about 90% of all the issues from '36 to '06 

 Just in the KC area, there have 6 n scale layouts published (that I can remember). I'm guessing that about 10 or 12 HO layouts have been published over the years also. I only recall one n scale layout from the KC area ever published in MR and that was Pat Lanna's 25 years ago

[Chris333]

I have every issue of GMR, never buy it for N scale.

[Rasputen]

A friend of mine had his N Scale basement empire in a GMR issue, I think it was 2018.  He did all of the photography, all of the artwork for the layout diagram, and all of the initial copy by himself.  I don't think Kalmbach will send anyone around anymore to take photos or make a layout diagram for you.  So if no one has submitted a complete story of a decent N layout with high quality photos and artwork, they wont publish one.  It's a little sad, because I am sure there are some beautiful layouts around, but they don't seem to want to go collect the story themselves.

[Drgwspup]

Doug can you clarify your comments that NSR is ceasing publication?  LHS usually carries it but the last edition on their shelves is Sept/Oct.  Yet NSR's website shows the cover of the Jan/Feb issue.

Thanks!

[nkalanaga]

I have the Nov/Dec NSR, so I know that one was published.

[peteski]

Doug can you clarify your comments that NSR is ceasing publication?  LHS usually carries it but the last edition on their shelves is Sept/Oct.  Yet NSR's website shows the cover of the Jan/Feb issue.

Thanks!

See active discussion in the Products Discussion section:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=48431.0

[OldEastRR]

Sixty years in existence and yet N scale doesn't get respect from the Old Guard -- it's pretty sickening.

[mark dance]

I'll assume that the lack of N isn't deliberate. I'm seeing more and more re-hashes of regular Kalmbach (MR and MRP) authors' layouts in GMR - there are two in the 2020 edition: Lou Sassi's On30 SR&RL and Thomas Klimoski's HO GNRR. This is something that rarely if ever happened in the early days of the magazine when all of the layouts seemed fresh. Maybe the publishers are simply running out of ideas and unaware of the breadth and quality of N layouts out there.

Steven Otte, the GMR editor, is calling on people to submit photos of their layouts if they are "interested in being immortalized in these pages" in the editorial. They need to be largely 'finished'. Our own Chris Boughton had his Pennsy "immortalized" in the 2018 edition.  There seem to be lots of other cool layouts floating around the Railwire. Let's put some forward. And other N layouts that might belong to guys who aren't Railwire members. We'll lift the standard of the magazine and gain a few more N scalers if we do.

Cheers
Doug
 

I am a reasonably frequent Kalmbach contributor and my perspective - from having emailed and spoken live with various MR editors and the editors of their annual MRP and GMR mags - is that there is absolutely *no* conspiracy against N scale; there is simply a lack of quality submissions.  In fact, once a reliable N scale author steps up, they will frequently be solicited for more articles to try and correct under-representation of the scale. (right Bernie ? @AlkemScaleModels )

One thing I have found however is that the various Kalmbach products have a pretty narrow view of what their articles can cover so as to reduce conflict between them:

- GMR will *only* publish layouts that are substantively complete and have a very high photo quality

- MRP will *not* publish articles with much construction info...that is the realm of MR

- All their mags seem to limit page count at 8 pages and article inclusion is heavily dependent on what else will be run in the mag, i.e. "we already have a narrow gauge article"

My opinion is if the "N scale community" want to see Kalmbach feature more of its work it is solely up to you to provide the material.  (Yes I wrote "you". I don't principally include myself in this community as I identify first as a generic MR/MR operator and find it restrictive to be labelled by scale.  I have also wondered if the N-scale specific publications haven't reinforced a bit of an insular mindset in the community and siphoned off articles that could have gone to the "Mainstream Mags" (MR, RMC, MRH)?)

anyway, my $0.02

md

[draskouasshat]

@mark dance i whole heartedly agree!
Although n-scale is still looked down on by certain manufacturers and some publications, part of the problem is us modelers. Some might not like what im about to say but it has to be said. We have too many junk, toy train looking layouts. How many times do you open up an issue of NSR or NSM and mutter to yourself about some of the "featured" layouts?
Horrible ballast that should be used to form up a river bank instead of between the ties, toothpick bridges glued together by a kindergarten class, and SD90MACs pulling heavyweight passenger cars through a western scene with horse drawn carriages in the street.
That's the major problem with N in my opinion. That's why we don't get alot of coverage. We need more quality layouts and modeling like many in here. We should push each other to do better and publish more, me included. We need to turn back into the old Railwire and be less forgiving and accepting of things. Constructive criticism isn't mean. Hell, otto @Cajonpassfan has given me plenty over the years lol.

Drasko

[Doug W]

A friend of mine had his N Scale basement empire in a GMR issue, I think it was 2018.  He did all of the photography, all of the artwork for the layout diagram, and all of the initial copy by himself.  I don't think Kalmbach will send anyone around anymore to take photos or make a layout diagram for you.  So if no one has submitted a complete story of a decent N layout with high quality photos and artwork, they wont publish one.  It's a little sad, because I am sure there are some beautiful layouts around, but they don't seem to want to go collect the story themselves.

That must be Ken Chick. Great layout!

It is a pity that this is all left to the author. It must limit the pool of authors and therefore layouts.