Bergie,
I must thank you all for a good run and great entertainment, nearly five years for me online. Important to me is the promotion of all facets of our shared hobby and business. My first Model Railroader magazine was a birthday gift in 1957 when I was ten. I then began buying the magazine regularly. I would buy it most months 'til 1984 when I began buying it every month and I still have most of the issues. Co workers would ask me “where can I buy that?” I would tell them to go to my favorite hobby shop and get a copy. Most would at least once.
Then at one of our shows a new fellow walked up to me and said that he had bought his copy of Model Railroader at a grocery store and found our about our hobby through MR. I apologised to my friend , the owner of our favorite hobby shop and told him that I was going to begin buying MR from the Smith’s (Kroger back east) store in my neighborhood. The Store did not carry ANY Kalmbach or Carstens publications. I bothered the manager about it. He finally agreed to have one brought in for me each month. After the first month no MR, the manager checked his papers for me and said that they had brought in two and they were sold the first day. The next month I found one, they had brought in four. Four, three new people to the hobby for my train friends all subscribed or bought at FHS. My point is that I now buy at Wal-Mart. MR and my special Kalmbach train books. People, NEW people are drawn by the attractive covers of your magazines and publications. The wonderful web services you have provided over these years have drawn a generation of computer savvy folks to the Worlds Greatest Hobby. So, sadly if I must subscribe to participate in the fullness of this great service, goodbye. Though I will continue to enjoy immensely your publications I will buy them from places that most currently active members of the hobby don’t.
You know, I agree with douginut, I much prefer to buy my copies of MR, Classic Trains, RMC, OST, Diesel Era, and OGRR from my Local Hobby Shop, rather than subscribe.
Why?
I get a chance to look at new product, discuss the latest and greatest, (or not so latest and greatest) plus, even my little bit of business helps keep the lights on!
I am pretty much assured that, my LHS will have my magazines, rather than depend on China Mart, Giant Eagle, (you know where I am Spacemouse) or even Barnes and Noble.
I have missed sevaral issues, simply because the “big box” didn’t care that the issues DID NOT EVEN GET THERE FROM THER DISTRIBUTORS! (sorry for shouting)
My LHS (Adam & Eve’s in Latrobe Pa., Gene’s Trains in Altoona, and MAinline Hobby Supply in Blue Ridge Summit Pa.) makes sure they have enough copies to go around, and I can always depend on them if I happen to need any Kadee 805s (Try to buy THEM at Wal-Mart) or some such other item.
Please re-think this desision, as you may be blocking out many ,many good modelers from this discussion.
Heck, it may even get kinda quiet in here!
You will not have to subscribe to the mag to use the discussions! All you “gain” (if it can be called a gain at all) is some advance news on products and product reviews. Whoopie!!! Why is this a problem? Lets see, your not planning on boycotting the publication, so all you are doing is hurting yourself.
I am really lost here. As I understand the change, forum membership is open regardless of whether or not one subscribes to MR. Subscribers get a few minor perks, like advance product reviews. I do not understand the angst.
In fact, my subscription runs out in December or January. Whether or not I renew is still in front of the jury. I just don’t enjoy the magazine like I did 5 or 6 years ago. The carrot of what they are offering on this site for subscribers will not move that decision either way. It is a non factor.
What am I missing about the coming changes to this site. Translated: Am I crazy, or is everyone else!
Mark,you have described exactly what I understood. The forums continue, you do not have to subscribe to the mag to get the forums. I find the product reviews, particularly the loco reviews completely worthless. All they do is tell folks who have purchased the loco what the performace is, they are of no value in making purchase decisions as the liklihood is that anything that makes it into the pages of the mag, or into the “subscribers only” section of the web site, will have long since sold out on pre-order.
I haven’t subscribed to MR in over 10 years,and I won’t start now.By buying at my LHS I get the chance to check out firsthand what is new in my chosen scales (Yep I said scales[:D])
I can also catch up with old friends in the hobby that I might not see for a long time otherwise.
Doug,
You addressed this message to Bergie… why did you not just email it to him? No offense, but if you really
wanted Bergie to see this and not start a whole other thread about more of the same, then the email
option would have made more sense.
The “perks” on the new site really don’t seem all that interesting and, for what it’s worth, I don’t subscribe
either. And I also buy the magazine monthly off of the rack. If they feel the need to “reward” subscribers, then so be it… it still won’t persuade me to subscribe. Good luck, Dave
Subscribing to the magazine, you save at least $26/year over newstand price plus you don’t have to drive all over the countryside looking to buy a copy every month because it will be delivered right to your door. I think those are at least two reasons why regular readers of any publication subscribe.
And I agree with Simon & Mark that alot of the MR reviews are totally worthless but at least it’s something to read…although I never read 'em anymore. Personally, I’d like to see more photos of each featured layout & I thoroughly enjoy the How-To stuff.
I’ve been a subscriber since the '50s so I reckon I’m reasonably happy with MR.
Cam
Oh, no, I wont “boycott” as you say, all I’ll be doing is denying myself the issues in question.
As far as the reviews, when was the last time you saw an O scale (2 rail. not glorified toy trains) review in MR, or RMC for that matter. We are just outnumbered by the HO and N scalers. (Z is another scale that could use a few evangelists too! )
All I’m saying is don’t rush into a “exclusive” club here. That will definatly start a “us vs. them” war.
For the life of me, I will never understand some people. If you buy every issue of MRR or Trains, etc. , or nearly every issue, WHY would you not subscribe and get a better price than the store copy??? Zero financial sense here folks.
And some state they like to get the copy at their LHS so that they can see the new products at the LHS. Do you read the entire copy at the LHS for an hour or three? Then say, gee I like that car, do you have it yet?
On the other hand, doesn’t it make more sense to get the mag at subscriber price, have it delivered right to your door, rain or shine, deep snow and cold or not, and “having the time” to read the mag, check out the items you would like to see, bring the mag if necessary, and go to your LHS prepared?
The perks are not that big a deal folks, maybe this is Kalmbach’s way of boosting mag sales to help defray the rising cost of this web site. Running a server is not cheap.
***,
Good question… Maybe some of us like to have an excuse to visit the
hobby shop, or maybe we are too lazy to fill out the card and send it in. Or
possiblely, some of us may not be real concerned about a couple of dollars a month. Regardless, the folks at Kalmbach make more from the copy if it is sold at full cover price. But that is offset by the security of the subscriptions.
There are no real losers here, so why do they choose to bring to light these
perks for their subscribers? You said it yourself… us people who buy off the
rack are spending more than subscribers. Where’s my reward?[:D] Dave
[/quote] when was the last time you saw an O scale (2 rail…not glorified toy trains) review in MR, or RMC for that matter. We are just outnumbered by the HO and N scalers.
[/quote]
I also model Proto:48…talk about being outnumbered…whew!!!
Cam
If I understand it correctly, the new service will allow subscribers to the magazine to see the reviews ahead of the intended arrival dates of the various editions. The rest of us will have to wait to buy the magazine to see the reviews. It’s that simple.
Apart from the stars going the way of the dodo, nothing much will change on the forum. We will have to re-register, I believe, but then it will be business as usual. Just no reviews if you don’t buy.
I subscribed a year after joining this forum, mostley to support this web site, as I enjoy it more then the mag, second…Hey guys flame me…but this is a hobby isnt it…Relax and enjoy…John
What has buying a magazine got to do with chewing the fat down at the LHS? I’ve been a constant subscriber since 1987 and that has never stopped me from visiting the LHS.
If you’re not subscribing for other reasons, personal, philosophical, political, or finanacial, that’s another story. But to say you don’t subscribe so you’ll have a reason to travel to the hobby shop is lame. It’s not like you weren’t going to go there anyway, is it?
Doug: Thank you for a well written letter on am open forum. I too felt as you did but after reading other’s comments and going back to what changes this would mean I let the exces steam blow off.
For me it’s a trip to the nearest LHS just down the road to an old guy who runs the place. He 's a pensioner and this is life. He doesn’t carry much but he’s handy when it comes to critical spares.
Yes a subscription would save me money and time but as when I go to the LHS, just for the magazine I’m in there chatting for 45 minutes. Yes call me crazy, call me whatever. Call it misgiven loyalties but he has provided me with this service for 12 years and with only forgetting to keep me a copy once, ironicly this past month. Oh well no ones perfect.
I will continue to go this route until the day he closes up shop or dies, I suspect the latter.
And yes I use the line “time to go down to the LHS just to buy a magazine” once a month. Am I lame, no it just keeps me from going weekly with no reason to go.
OK, there will now be some subscriber-only areas. I’m pleased that I’ll be able to check my subscription status, orders and what-not. I suppose things like changing my address will be on-line as well, should I move (horrors!). Other than order status, that would apply only to subscribers anyway.
And so now you either have to subscribe to the magazine or buy a copy to see product reviews. Is that so bad? It only really impacts the folks who don’t support the magazine by purchasing it either through subscription or over the counter ('cause if you DO purchase the magazine - regardless how - you ARE getting the reviews). What pays the salaries of those who do the reviews, anyway? DUH! Magazine sales and the advertising revenue that comes in from having the readership base. We’re all capable of taking this line of reasoning to it’s conclusion.
It’s not like they’re charging a subscription fee for the site, folks!! It’s still free!. Just a very small part will be available only to magazine subscribers.
If this even makes your top ten on the things-to-complain-about list, you should thank heavens for your charmed life.
Personally, I’m PO’d that they’re taking away the starts, right after I got my fourth one!!! NOT!