83 Tip Challenge

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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Back in June EIS2 started a thread entitled “CTT July 2017, 75 Tips?” where he stated,

"The July, 2017 CTT touts “75 Tips!” on the front cover in very large letters, but there is no page number shown. The index doesnt show 75 Tips either. So where are they?

Earl"

The reply from Bob Keller was, “Carl (the boss) counted every tip in the magazine and there were 75 throughout the issue.”

Earl…as I’m sure many of us…thought it was a joke answer. However Bob and Rene both replied it wasn’t.

KRM, Dave45681 and Hap stated their displeasure for the answer, and I agree with them. I was hoping the practice would stop. However the latest issue states “83 TIPS INSIDE THIS ISSUE”. It’s true there are many magazines out there with covers touting “Top Five”, “Top Ten”, “Top Twenty”, et cetera. However the difference is they actually DO include those lists in order where they can be easily found.

I went through the October issue (Vol. 30 No. 7), but I couldn’t find all 83. I only found 22.

I didn’t count anything in ads nor in reviews. I can’t imagine anything in an ad should have been counted, because it doesn’t make sense to view every single item as a tip.

“You can add that item to your collection/layout/display.”

“SAVE UP TO 43% - BEST DEAL $106.95”

How would item reviews have tips?

“MTH modeled a new Alco”

“It has a draw-bar pull of…”

“The paint work is the best”

Can statements like those be considered tips? I don’t think so.

Anyway…here are the tips I found:

  1. Page 06 - Use 20-gauge bl
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I agree 100% What really frustrates me is Magazine content gets thinner while they keep producing high $$$$ “SPECIAL” issues. If they spread those articles through the year I’d feel much better about renewing my subscription.

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I remember how overjoyed I was when I first read that CTT was coming out. Before that Model Railroader had a couple of three rail layouts a year and O scale magazine was mostly 2 rail scale with a few toy trains articles, that was it! There was no internet yet.

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Overall, I’ve been very satisfied over the years with the content. That’s why I’ve got every issue since the first in 1987. I don’t like this practice of stating there are a number of tips without listing them. It seems a bit dishonest to me, since I was unable to even come close to finding them all. I took on the 83 Tip Challenge, but I failed miserably. I’m hoping CTT members can tell me where the rest of them are. That will restore my faith in the magazine. I’m usually fairly observant and good with details. Perhaps I’m losing my attention to detail in my old age of nearly 58.

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There are certain “outright” tips, sparingly throughout the magazine. The large number apparently comes into play, from all the minutiae contained in the various “Layouts”, within each issue. How can a reader expect to count those items as a TIP. I personally do not have a layout, or intend to have one any time soon. I merely skim over the ‘every detail’ of the posted layouts, but I enjoy the photos, and envy those who have their layouts published. BUT come on now, and point out the “83” tips. Just my $.02!!

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Since nobody else has taken up the challenge, I’d like to officially request from the staff at Classic Toy Trains to list all 83 tips.

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Good evening all,

Fill disclosure. I am not on the CTT staff. I did write the article on the IKEA shelves, but I have no idea how many tips CTT counted from said article. As I re-read it, here is what I think might have been counted.

1 - Using the original box could be the storage unit.

2 - Display cases can be used, but are expensive.

3 - Glass doors are a good option for the bookcases.

4 - Assembly is easy, but wall anchoring is essential and sometimes hard to do.

5 - The Styrofoam shelf liners.

6 - Suggesting shelving sizes for different types of trains.

7 - Shopping at IKEA can give a person ideas on shelving.

I do not know if this is the “official” count or not, and I do not presume to speak for CTT, but this total is an example of what could be behind the thought process. I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

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[(-D]

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I don’t know it counts as 61, but the most important tip related to this hobby, at least in my opinion, is to enjoy it.

I’m pretty confident the excellent editorial staff isn’t going to say “83”, when there are only 22.

Think of all of the layout progress not made by devoting time to trying to make a point not amounting to a hill of beans.

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It all comes down to whether or not you trust the magazine staff. I do.

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[:^)]

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[quote user=“KRM”]

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Perhaps I read too fast, and I’m glossing over many of the tips without recognizing them for what they are.

If the CTT staff identify those tips I’ve been missing, it may help me discern more helpful tips in the future than I have been able to detect in the past.

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So…

Will the CTT staff please list all 83 tips in the issue?

Thanks in advance!

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[(-D]

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I’d like to reiterate.

Will the CTT staff please list the 83 tips?

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I’m disappointed.

The staff has ignored my request. Why?

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They are either embarresed or to busy writing special issues

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If they are embarassed because there aren’t 83 tips, the best thing to do is to come clean and apologize.

If they are busy writing special issues, hopefully they give accurate counts of anything they state on the cover.

I’ve been a loyal reader since 1993, and I even bought all of the back issues. I have every issue from 1987-now.

Thoughout all those years, I’ve trusted the staff.

Now? Hmmmm…

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And the “tips” teases are back… sigh. I thought November’s issue was a good sign that this BS was over, but I guess not.

“75 Tips and Ideas” on December cover. (Looks like a nice issue otherwise - the 30 years of memorabe photos seems like a decent trip down memory lane)