I have to agree with this one. I don’t own all the back issues, so I can’t say for sure, but of the Back issues I’ve read, none of them really compare to the modern issues from when I do have all the issues for a certain year. But, I never have yet seen an issue that I would call the best ever, they are all just normal. Some may be slightly better, but there is nothing to me that sticks out.
Noah
The 25th Anniversary issue (November, 1965) has, in my mind, yet to be topped! Hot on its heels are a pair of entries: October,1961(NewHaven: What Went Wrong) and the classic reply in January ,1962 (New Haven: What Next) in which an author using a pen name, whom I suspect to be John G. Kneiling, uncannily predicted the state of the New Haven in the metro New York area 1978- today!
My favorite(so far…) would be the 50th Anniversary issue, sometime in 1990.
My fav. issue of Trains would be any issue featuring the Milwaukee Road’s Pacific Coast Extension. Something about the images of Little Joes rolling through majestic mountains and forests really strikes a chord for some reason. I think that in a past life I was a MILW Road Employee who ended his life when the PCE was shut down in 1980.
Well, I said the “next” issue would likely be the best mostly because I think the magazine does an excellant job, and I hope/believe that each successive issue will be better than the last.
I thought that the motive power issue with the Grinstein locomotives on the cover was pretty good (oct '02)
The “Fast Freight” issue was superb (nov '01)
The “Helpers” issue was a fav of mine (aug '01)
And I even enjoyed the 'Fastest freight in America" issue on the train everybody said they wanted, but which nobody wants to use. (feb '03)
The issue outlining UP’s plans for the golden state route was another good one.
The stories on rail’s dirty dealings such as whem Gould built around SP in San Francisco and left them high and dry, or how SP manipulated against it’s competitors creatively thru aquiring the cotton belt, or even the crafty angle built into the business plan of the Roscoe, Snyder, & Pacific are things I never tire of reading about. And story’s such as the one exposing Al Perlman’s eccentric side from an inside source keep my attention.
I really enjoy the old “annual motive power survey” issues which TRAINS published starting in the early 1960’s and continuing into the early 1990’s. I collect these and have a pretty good set of them. Although I wi***hey still did this, in the modern era they do much more coverage of contemporary motive power so I guess there’s less demand…
Some of my favorites are DPM’s article on 'Voyaging coast to coast on an iron ocean"
Aug 1971–cost was $234.72 !!
Nov 1966 5th all diesel issue
Dec 1968 7th all diesel issue
I have to tell you this kind of thing is very dangerous for a railfan, every time I pick up one of the back issues it criesout to be read and memories refreshed…no way to keep them in order.
Do I have a favorite? you bet, it is the one I am reading NOW!
Oh, for the days of 50 cents an issue[sigh], wish I had had the chance to buy a life time subscription as Kalmbach gave to new “Model Railroad” readers for $50.00… “Darn” the Luck!!!
Sam
November 1990
Yikes![:O] That one is my favorite too! …And there’s nothing in it about open access, either.[;)]
Mountain Railroading Issue. It was awesome. Worst Issue. The current one, only issue that I haven’t read cover to cover
The July 2003 Chicago issue is my all-time favorite. I just dug it out and reread it a week or so ago.
Bryan
You got me to thinking. Any article by Fred Frailey is worth reading. My favorite of his was a two parter in 1988 on the UP from KC-STL. March 1983 was an all Rock Island issue, March 1984 covered the SF Middle Division in KS & OK. Perhaps my all time favorite story was Jan 1981 which covered in great detail a 24 hour day of the Frisco at Springfield, MO. I also enjoyed commentary by David Morgan.