Who here does not subscribe to CTT? I do not. It is to expensive.
I guess that’s relative. I like subscribing to CTT: it is something to look forward to in the mail and I get a lot out of reading it on the train. Come to think of it, I’ve subscribed to MR, Trains and CTT on and off over the years.
Hi Colin, well, I filled out the card where they bill you in 3 monthly payments. Though I haven’t heard or seen them take it out yet, I thought that was a good idea. It’s about 6 dollars each time at a store. Thanks, John
I got a subscription for Christmas, but haven’t seen hide nor hair of it. I normally buy it from a book or hobby store, but was holding off until my subscription showed up. My dad ordered it through one of those magazine discounters, which may explain why. I normally avoid those things like the plague, but, since I wasn’t buying, I couldn’t say much. Looks like a call to Kalmbach may be in order.
Snell50:
You’re making a big mistake in not subscribing to all the publications related to your hobby.
The price of a subscription may save you big bucks and pay great dividends in the added enjoyment you receive from the information in each and every issue.
You enjoy posting here and being a part of their Forum, yet you won’t support them by subscribing?
BillFromWayne
www.modeltrainjournal.com
One of the best $40 per year that I spend in the hobby. TCA at $25 is a great deal too. But then again I’m a 56 year old fellow with a full time job. That amount of money is obviously more to a high school fellow. Just remember to subscribe when you’ve made it to the big time employment wise :).
I can’t imagine not having a subscription to CTT. It is, by far, my favorite magazine. And that ain’t no guff!
Can’t beat the price, just renewed for 3 years, service is great also. Regards Steve
Your think that’s expensive:
I subcribe to four of the Kalmbach Publications:
CTT, MR, GR, & Classic Trains. Ouch! In addition, there is that other magazine. My wife thinks I am absolutely nuts; because, there is also Food & Wine, Wine Spectator, This Old House, & Architectural Digest, etc. No wonder, I don’t have money to buy more trains.
But then again, they’re all great publications. Kalmbach must love me…
Im waiting till the sweepstakes, they are giving out subscriptions. Hope I win!
Yep, you should have gotten them long before now.
Call the cust. serv. dept. at: 1-800-533-6644
To address the original post topic, it all depends on how many issues a year you want.
If you buy all 9 issues each year at the news stand, you’ll pay 49.50/yr. for the cover price of 5.50.
Subscription rate is almost 40 bucks, so you save perhaps 9%. I know 9% isn’t much incentive, but if you’re gonna buy all 9 anyway, why not subscribe?
Additionally, if you subscribe for 2 or more years all at once, you’ll save even more.
I got lucky this time around, I had let mine expire sometime back, and got a special offer in the mail to subscribe for 25 bucks. Yes…25 bucks.
In all honesty, you’re right. CTT IS too expensive. IMO, they should cut the price, or at least give us 12 issues just like most other mags.
snell, aren’t you school age?
I buy my 12 yer old skateboard magazines, jut because he’ll read them! I know he does his assigned reading from school, but extra reading only improves the skill. Use that one with Mom and Dad.
And if it works, read it front to back, like I do.
Good luck,
Tim
Colin,
another thing to consider is buying used issues at train meets. Except for new product announcements, the content is pretty “classic”. They generally go for about $1 each.
I bought a lot of past issues that way. If you’re interested I’ll try to look through the piles for doubles. You’d just have to pay the postage. Drop me a line and let me know.
Tim
I don’t subscribe, but I buy every issue at my local B&N. I prefer to buy most of my magazines at a book store, since it affords me an opporunity to browse around looking for other new and interesting books and magazines.
I cannot imagine anyone who is seriously interested in the O gauge hobby not reading CTT and OGR on a regular basis (and perhaps a few other publications, as well). Every issue offers something worthwhile and useful, in my opinion.
I subscribe to CTT and MR while I buy OGR and O Scale Trains off the rack. Certainly, subscribing or not is a personal choice, but I want to make sure that I get each issue of CTT. To me, it does the best job of addressing my interest in toy trains - classic O gauge and S gauge. The other mags contribute good articles too, but they don’t “push my button” with the same consistency. I like O Scale Trains (and will probably subscribe) because of their column on On30 in each issue. [2c]
I subscribe to CTT, Trains and MR and buy some OGR issues from the stand, as well as RMC.
Trains and MR are my favorites.
I subscribe to both CTT and OGR.
Tim, One of my hobbys is reading, so I don’t need to improve. Occasionly, I buy C.T.T. at B & N, but I don’t really do it alot.
It is so expensive. 9 issues for 40 $ !!!
ESPN magazine is 26 issues for 26$ ! They should at least give us 12 issues.
That is why my uncle does’nt subscribe anymore.
Comparing ESPN to any niche hobby publication like CTT, OGR, or even MR is really unfair. The difference in their circulation numbers is likely an order of magnitude, as is their staff. Think about how many libraries, schools, businesses, hospitals, barber shops, etc. subscribe to ESPN and the like, compared to how many of those subscribe to small hobby publications.
Also keep in mind that in order to publish 12 magazines a year, the material must be present to do so. Most magazines like CTT rely on hobbyist submitting articles rather than professional writers, and upping the number of issues per year likely wouldn’t increase the number of articles being submitted. Ever notice how thin the June/July/August issues are compared with November/January/February? If the number of issues per year were to decrease, you would most likely see all of the issues getting much thinner, especially in the middle of the summer.
I think overall the magazine price/number of issues boils down to do you want a well done magazine 7 or 9 times a year for $5, or a poorly done magazine 12 times a year for $3 each? I’ll take the former, personally.
I don’t subscribe.
This thread got turned around: all the people who do subscribe are responding.