For some reason, I’m one of those people that couldn’t find a local outlet for this special magazine. I ordered it instead. With the monthly reviews on here about the current Trains Magazine, I thought I’d add that I loved this magazine. All railfans have things about the hobby/interest that they really are interested in, and some things they are not. This magazine hit my big interest of first generation diesels. I look forward to other special edition magazines by Kalmbach. What did you think of this publication?
I share Murphy Siding’s positive opinion of Trains Magazine. I think the editor and the staff are doing a great job!!!
[:D]
IMHO have read this magazines for over 30 years I would give the modern magazine a lower rating then the magazine that was produced some years back. [:(]
[quote]
Originally posted by Murphy Siding
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[#ditto] from Eolafan
What was the name of that one? I’d like to get ahold of it too. Thanks
I think so too. The photos are good, but you don’t see very many really really good photos, and the editorial is the same stuff you hear everywhere else, even this forum. All in all though it is still very good magazine.
Well, you’ve got me confused, exactly which “publication” are you speaking of?
The ongoing monthly entity that we know as "trains magazine "? The special edition “Diesel Victory”? The current months (March) edition? Or the most recently distributed April ‘dining car’ edition?
[:0] Not quite sure where my head was when I wrote that.[D)] The thread title has been fixed. Thanks for pointing that out.[:I]
[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by Murphy Siding
I thought “Diesel Victory” was great.
[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates
[#ditto] I thought that particular one,was one of the better ones that’s
been published.
That one found a place with the rest of my Railroad books,not in
the magazine stacks.
I liked “Diesel Victory.” The debate will never be settled to everyone’s satisfaction (and let’s not start it here again).
As for Trains, I would have to say that in my case, what used to be new information to me is now old hat - so when the magazine publishes an article, odds are that it’s just a different take on something I read long ago. That’s not a bad thing, but it’s not “fresh,” either. I still like Trains. It gets a cover-to-cover almost as soon as I get it home from the post office each month.
After 30+ years of subscribing to TRAINS, I have to admit that some of the articles are becoming repeats but things are never the same. New looks at place that have been written about before (Route 66 & AT&SF vs. BNSF) always have new information and make great and informative comparisons. I’ve looked at many a cover thinking there won’t be much of interest this month (the April dining car issue being one) but I never fail to read them through before the next issue-often I read it in the first sitting, then have to wait another month for anything!
Having begun to subscribe to TRAINS in 1972, I’ll never find the magazine to be as good as it was then-but coming in second to DPM is all that anyone can ever hope to do. The staff since then has always met the standard. For me, CLASSIC TRAINS is that rarest of gems, a sequal equal to the original. The only time I have ever met with a disappointment was the “Classic Stations” (or was it “Terminals”?) bonus issue. Thin, with very few stations, little text and many, many omissions to my mind. It felt to me more an afterthought than anything. Still, that only drops the battting avarage to .9999 in my personal scorebook.
Some outstanding Trains articles: In Diesel Victory, I appreciated the B&M story first (since I had a tiny part to play in it), the various builders’ stories next, and also the new information, like the Tex-Mex, the CN, the Cleveland EMD plant. In the dining car issue, I learned about cooking using the firebox as a stove. The absolute vasteness of the PRR dining car operation. Some of the early dining car history was new to me. I like near 'hands-on" discriptions of oeprations, like the previous issue’s RI tower story, riding the cab of a CP freight, before that the winter on the D&RGW narrow gauge. I liked the discription of how small steam earns its way today. Could go on…
I thought Diesel Victory was outstanding in its field. [:D] That said I agree with the other comments about TRAINS Magazine, it isn’t what it once was. Time and TRAINS have moved on. Some of us obviously haven’t and CLASSIC TRAINS gives us a better look back than TRAINS does. That’s my hysterical story and I’m sticking to it.
The special issue “Diesel Victory” definately was a good description of the transition era, giving insight to the whys and wherefors of the change over, from all points of view.
As far as the criticism of Trains magazine in general, I think we have to remember that today we have the internet, many more news programs, even a “News Wire” column on this website that brings us news at a much faster pace. By the time it’s published in the magazine, it may be “yesterday’s news” to many, but the speed of reporting in the magazine probably hasn’t changed.
I still think Trains Magazine is GREAT. Diesel Victory was a very valuable addition to my shelves.
[:D]
I enjoyed TRAINS ILLUSTRATED until it went away. I have been a long time purchaser of TRAINS and for sometime a subscriber. Have not read “Diesel Victory”, guess I’ll have to get one.
Sam
“Diesel Victory” was very well done. With my seniority as a reader of TRAINS, there was bound to be some repetition; after all, the past doesn’t change; but I still managed to learn a few new things and the photography was well selected.