So O…lord, would a new layout built to “model builder” standards maybe even with b&w photos be interesting enough to find its way into your pages???
ogage - my world consists of the product departments of the magazine. Feature stories above my pay grade. Send your ideas and images to Neil at editor@classictoytrains.com
CTT covers more O gauge than Lionel. S Gaugian is a good mag to subscribe to if you’re into S gauge. It seems half is dedicated to Flyer hi rail and toy.
For some reason S gauge isn’t as popular and plentiful as O gauge. Maybe because O gauge was first, or O gauge is larger. I don’t know.
While it is true that there aren’t many Standard gauge articles in CTT anymore, there are some - at least a few every year (including in the upcoming January issue, from what I understand). I think that CTT does a pretty good job balancing the content of the mag with the interests of its readers. O gauge hi-rail just happens to be the most popular aspect of the hobby right now. I’m sure that if Standard gauge (my personal favorite) or S gauge were the most popular interest among the readers, Neil Besougloff and company would shift the content of the magazine to reflect that.
Just my [2c]
Regards,
Clint
The thing that gets me is that the majority of the GIZ on this forum like the articles in CTT. But because one or two people don’t like whats in it , they complain that “oh your magazine should change its name”, why do we caiter to them? This magazine was created to give the hobbiest ideas and make reviews on the latest merchadise out there in the industry. This is and is done VERY GOOD by the people in chargefor the past 18 years. And with each and every year it gets better. So why do we caiter to these few?
Just my two cents?
laz57
Laz–
No matter how good things are there ALWAYS a few people that have to impose their interpretations and views on the rest of us, they are sad and unhappy people who are only looking for attention. I only hope that the powers at CTT file those folks in the out basket, they are not worth the time of day. I can’t imagine dealing with the deadlines that go with running a fine publication like CTT, in every issue I can find something of great value to me. One only has to open his/her eyes to see what a wonderful resource we have in a toy train magazine.
Jon
Good morning all,
I think S is the sleeping giant in toy trains. There is a potential waiting in that size that I find hard to believe no manufacturer has not exploited. With all the 1/64 cars and buildings that are available in the general marketplace, I find it odd no train maker has moved into a ready-made selling arena. If and when that event happens, I am sure CTT will be ready to report on those stories. I would encourage all those fans of S to submit articles to CTT as that is one way to get more items in the magazine.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
JON,
I agree with you 100%.
The neat thing about this magazine is that you might not need the information they are writing about till sometime down the road. Then all you have to do is go into your archive collection look it up and you have the article at hand to aid you on what your looking for. I have done this countless times.
YUZ GIZ at CTT are the best a BIG THANK YOU!!!
laz57
Geez I seem to have contributed to waking a few of you up! Golly Don’t read to much into my words, I have been a subscriber since 90 or 91 and still have all those issues (reference don’t ya know) to peruse. I pertty much find something interesting in each and every issue, at the same time, there are things in each issue I end up ignoring… many people do that…Its just due to my own personal interest in the train content. Amusingly since I can’t focus, I have train stuff from most all eras and scales, but I do have fun and that is all that really matters…
PS, I still think CTT are anti Lionel (I also think Lionel is fairly stupid right now)
If S Gauge had the selection of engines, cars, accessories, track, control options, whimsical products and a multitude of dealers with good prices, I believe I would be building my layout in S. It is a great scale, but too limited for mainstream.
Guess it depends on what you consider a “Classic Toy Train.”
I think CTT has done all right with thier “American Flyer” articles myself.
S guage just isn’t as popular as 3 rail 0. So, less coverage. Those who write stuff for publication will generally look towards “S Guage Magazine.” I would love to see some early HO stuff myself.
There are really quite a few ready-to-run, Flyer compatible locomotives out there.
American Models currently offers:
Alco FA A-B, PA-1 A-B-A, RS-3
Baldwin S-12, GG-1
EMD FP-7 A-B, E-8, GP-9/18, GP35, F40, SD60
Fairbanks-Morse Train Master
GE U25B
Recent steam has included a Pennsy streamlined K4, a streamlined J3 Hudson, a USRA Pacific, and coming soon, a 4-8-4
S-Helper offers SW-1, SW7/9, an F3 and coming soon is a 2-8-0.
While I’ve often said that “Flyer guys” are stuck in 1965, and that there is a lack of modern motive power, you can’t say there isn’t a great variety of Flyer-compatible diesel power available.
I’m a bit surprised a “S person” would expect to find ANYTHING in a magazine with “toy” in the title. Gilbert advertised them as “scale length” and referred to 3-rail track as “toy-like”. Maybe you should be mad they are in CTT at all.
A good site to for what’s available these days in S is http://www.trainweb.org/crocon/sscale.html Most products are either offered in both scale and hi rail versions or have the parts included to make the conversion from hi rail to scale. S scale has come into its own and has enough to support either hirail or scale. It doesn’t have the range of steam locomotives that O has, but it is improving every year.
Enjoy
Paul
Well guys,
This has been fun reading, I think… I am a devoted S gauge operator and collector. I also respect the other gauges and what they have to offer. My best friend is an O gauge guy. I also like G scale. The bottom line is I like diversity and different opinions and mainly I just appreciate a lot of interest in model railroading.
I started out with Flyer but now only buy the occasional piece. More often I buy S Helper and American Models stuff, which is really terrific. S is a lot more than what it used to be, just like O is a lot more than the older models of Lionel, not that they were bad.
I also subscribe to CTT, S Gaugian and The Dispatch. The latter two are both S gauge magazines that are quite good. I also just started reading the Garden Railroading magazine that I find fun to read.
So S gaugers have a lot more choice now than they used to and we can also find really good things in CTT as well. Yes, I do find good things in non-S gauge articles in CTT! [:D]
Why am I saying all of this? Mainly because I want the O gaugers to know that S gaugers are a good group and we do like to enjoy trains of all sorts. S gauge is a great scale to run, just like O gauge is. When I go to train shows I enjoy all the different scales of trains, not just S gauge (although I admit to the soft spot for S). There are too many problems facing our hobby for us to get into an internal squabble about whose gauge is better and whose magazine is best. I say, the more the merrier!
Tom
Darn it! I just finished my last issue of Classic Toy Trains & didn’t see nothing in there on garden railroads. Ouch guys stop throwing stuff,just kiddin. Easter
Garden Railways what’s that, just kidding?
laz57
Here are the figures that Kalmbach publishes.
HO-78%
N-28%
O (3rail) 11%
G-11%
S-3%
z-6%
Are those figures for the hobby as a whole? They don’t reflect CTT’s readership.
Gotta be for the hobby as a whole, assuming it’s a fairly recent survey (past five years or so). Actually, the numbers look like they are probably fairly representative since that’s how I imagine most would assume the hobby lines up.
I can remember when Z was down below one percent, but that scale has seen tremendous growth in recent years (both in terms of suppliers and enthusiasts) and Z got another shot in the arm when Micro-Trains released a GP-35 a couple of months ago. I also understand that Z took “Best in Show” at the recent Trainfest in Milwaukee, which says a lot for how that scale is coming along.