Hello fellow train enthusiasts. Is there magazines available that pertain only to O-Scale railroading? I’m not interested in G, HO or N scale trains, and most of the mags I found are a waste of money because 75% of the time, the articles are of other scales. If you know of some, I would appreciate some info, e.g., websites or names of such mags. Thanks, Steve-O.
Steve, I believe Kalmbach’s O scale publication is Classic Toy Trains, but i’m not very familiar with it beyond that, and I do not know if it is exclusively O.
You perhaps need to be just a bit more specific as to whether you are referring to classic O tin-plate trains or true to scale O models. Kalmbach’s Classic Toy Trains is largely a magazine devoted to Lionel-sized toy trains, although some are depicted in a semi-scale manner. On the other hand, there is O Scale Model Railroading, a relatively small magazine which pretty much deals with the true to scale modeling aspects of 1/48 (1/4-inch) scale.
CNJ831
Google: O scale model railroad
An interesting, if rather restrictive attitude. If I followed the same line of reasoning I wouldn’t subscribe to ANY magazines, since not one is written strictly for the scale I model.
Prototype information doesn’t have a scale. Likewise, benchwork and control system articles are equally applicable to everything from Z to G (although some of the DCC articles would be easier to execute in O and larger scales due to the size of the available space in bigger models.)
You might also consider that superdetailing projects in (fill in the blank) scale also apply to O. Only the names of the kit and parts manufacturers may (or may not) change; the methods remain the same.
Finally, there is the inspiration value of the photos of other peoples’ work. Quite frequently, the only way to tell what scale is being modeled is to read the caption.
Approached with an open mind, you will find that 75+% of the ‘all scales’ magazine content is useful. I do, and I model in HOj, 1:80 scale Japanese prototype. When was the last time you saw that in an English-language magazine?
Chuck