I will be able to finally subscribe to at least one magazine this month and have been looking at all the online extras here on the MR site. I was a subscriber a few years back but if I remember correctly many of the extras also cost extra for access.
Is it still the case of paying for the extra content?
Has MR moved away from the overly repetative reputation? I have picked up a few here and there but not enough to come to a conclusion.
Are the product reviews more form a modelers percpective rather than set up as an advertisement for the manufacturer. I get this feal sometimes as there is very little negative, but then again most manufacturers are getting very good at what they do.
I am an N-scaler and am looking at N-scale specific magazines as an alternative, but all that online extra stuff looks appealing.
I’ve been a subscriber since 2006. I am not sure what extras your are talking about that cost extra to access. The track plan database is sometimes helpful.
There are two categories of product reviews. There is the staff reviews that you see in each issue of MR. There are also reader reviews. This is where subscribers submit there own reviews about certain products that MR staff doesn’t publish. I published one about the Walthers Amtrak Passenger Coach.
There are also videos for subscribers to see. The videos contain products reviewed in MR. There is also the weekly Cody’s Office done by Cody Grivno. I look forward to watching those every week.
I enjoy the benefits that come with a subscription, especially Cody’s Office. Its very well done. The reviews are also useful, although, also modeling in n-scale, I think the scale-specific magazines are also valuable for this kind of information.
there is no doubt of MR being an excellent magazine, including the bonus of those online benefits you get as a subscriber. I am a subscriber, and I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my monthly copy.
However, if you are into N scale, you may want to have more N scale specific articles. MR does have some coverage on N scale, but the mainstay is HO scale.
It’s a good magazine, I’ve subscribed since 2004, and have back issues going back to the mid 90s. The magazine is very good, although I’m starting to get more into scale/insterest specific magazines( Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazzet, Tall Timber Shortlines, Colorado Narrow Gauge Quartly, ect.)
The online content is good, but I wouldn’t base my subscription choice off of it.
As for the Product Reviews, frankly I can’t think of a trouthful one MR has published, if you want a good, truthful, product review that is from the prespective of a modeler, get yourself a subscription to, Model Railroad News, there’s no comparsion.
Considering that MR is $42 a year now (when I started subscribing it was $32…), I’d go with N scale Magazine, or N Scale Railroading, I prefer the previous one, but that’s just me.
one extra you might have overlooked is that they will sell your name and address to other outfits who might then pass it on to some others who will try to scam you with phony renewal offers.
Yeah, and you might unexpectedly receive a MicroMark catalog in the mail or something of that ilk. If you fear such, make ALL your purchases anonymously with cash. And if you connect with the Internet, you’ll end up with “enlargement” advertisements and such, so shut down your connection. And if you return home, someone might follow you there, so never leave home. If you have an entry to your home, someone might dare to knock on it, so go homeless. Oh, the horror!
One advantage I’ve found, being in Australia, is that the subscription means that I get the magazines two months before they appear on the shelves of the few newsagents that carry them. However, as a regular purchaser of the special issues (MRP, GMR, How to build realistic x), I wouldn’t mind having these included in the subscription. Maybe two levels - one with the specials and one without?
As a subscriber you’ll still pay extra for Information Station stuff, although when I renewed my subscription online I got access to one for free. As others have said, I too look forward to Cody’s office each week (it includes reviews,letters and handy hints with a touch of good humour) and also being in Oz getting the magazine much earlier than the shops get it is nice. I agree that the product reviews are never very critical of the product, They usually mention that there is a coupler, separately applied details and lettered for different road names (same for just about every product reviewed) so that’s disappointing, but the videos are usually good and for sound equipped locos give you an idea of what they will be like.
I have subscribed to MR for 38 years, so obviously I like it. Personally, I think it’s the best model railroading magazine of those available, but RMC is a close second. Not being in N scale I don’t know how good those scale specific magazines are. The online extra that I use the most is the track plan database, which has about 10 years worth of trackplans.
I don’t think the magazine is overly repetiitive, but that depends on what you like to do. For example, if you don’t like scenery then every scenery article seems repetitive. OTOH if you do like scenery then you get a lot of new stuff. The magazine has to have content for the new modeler, the intermediate modeler, and the advanced modeler. That last group is tough because they are usually pretty set in their ways of doing things, have been reading MR a long long time, and tend to favor certain parts of the hobby so that coming up with new stuff for them is hard. Providing for the first group while not boring the older crowd is also tough since each crop of beginners need the same type of information. It’s a balancing act and IMHO MR does it very well.
John I agree with Paul about the magazine, they cover many different areas of the hobby in every issue. It always seemed to me that they want a new reader or someone new to model railroading to be able to pick up an issue and get a wide range of information from just one month. Just my interpretation. I think they do a pretty good job of keeping up with new developments in the hobby too.
I agree with the opinions on the product reviews, you’d be better off checking elsewhere for those. It seems every review ends with “…overall this is a solid product and will be a god addition…” Other than flaws in minor details it is rare to read too many negative points on a product and I may be wrong but I don’t ever remember reading a recommendation to not buy an item.
I also like the layout database on the site, and these forums.
I would say if you can browse here and get information you need without logging in than go with your scale specific subscription. But if you keep coming here and logging in then maybe you should go with Model Railroader as your choice. Do any of the specialty mags have web sites? If they don’t that may be something to consider. Me, I got a subscription when I got my first job in high school, kept it through four years in the Marine Corps and have it now after buying my first home. I look forward to it every month and really enjoy it here looking through these forums.
If you only get one magazine then I hate to see a person get a scale specific mag. The drawback being that you’re not getting in on all the ideas. So many plans and ideas can be applied to all scales.
The one advantage that I can see in a scale specific mag is that there will be more ads in that mag. BILL