For the longest time,it seemed that MR was biased in picking the layouts that it pubished in its pages, by picking only eastern lines. It’s nice to see more western layouts in its pages.
You haven’t been reading MR very long, have you?? If I see one more Santa Fe, Denver Rio Grande, SP Tehachapi loop layout, or even the fictional Utah Belt, I’m going to toss my lunch.
Jeff
I’ve been reading MR for about 10 Years now. In fact I still hve my first issue that my dad bought me when I was 6 years old.
I know a few guys that have Model railroaders from back in the 50’s and every issue untill current.
I still have issues from the 50’s, nearly all of the 60’s issues, and most of the 70’s through 1975 when I left the hobby for 26 years. I got rid of the layout, but not the magazines.
[%-)] In your profile, you state you were born in May 1991, making you 14½ years old.
If you’ve been reading MR for 10 years, then you would have had your first issue at age 4, not age 6.
2005 - 1991 = 14
10 + 6 = 16
[%-)] 14 ? 16 ? How old are you ? [%-)]
Unless, of course, the rules of mathematics have changed since I was in primary school (some 25 or so years ago). [swg]
I’ve been reading it since I was five aand if I left it out, I’ve been reading MR for about ten years.
Hey, Timothy! Lighten up a bit. Redneck is a model railroader, not a mathematician! LOL Besides, haven’t you heard of New Math? ROFL
I’ve subscribe to Model Railroader off and on for over 30 years, even during the time I had no layout and all the trains were packed away in boxes. Managed to save most of the old issues going back to the late 60’s. I’ve bought many of the issues that I was missing, so I have a fairly complete collection going back to the mid 70’s, spotty before that.
Jeff, since I model UP and Santa Fe, I don’t mind seeing feature articles on them. Even though I grew up in the East, I just love those two railroads, maybe because I never saw them when I was growing up. I get a lot of enjoyment out of the other railroads featured in MR and other magazines. It’s fun and interesting to see what others do with their layouts, regardless of which railroad they model.
Darrell, quiet…for now
My collection only goes back to the '60’s. [:(]
But its been a fantastic reference, made even easier to use with the online and searchable magazine index thru the Trains website.
Thats strange, in all the M.Rs Ive read and enjoyed, Ive never yet seen an article on The W.A.G.R. of Western Australia. But Ill keep reading as I just know it`ll
happen sooner or later. ;-}
regards,
As MR collections go, mine starts with the January 1940 issue (also have a reprint copy of volume #1 - 1934). As to regional bias, Redneck, MR has always been bias toward the mid and far west, certainly not the east - now or in the past. In fact, the only time I can recall that MR featured any number of eastern layouts or themes was back around the early 1990’s.
CNJ831
I have MRs going back to the 80s. I recall a bias toward western roads. And the trend toward eastern roads is relatively recent.
Nick
That’s fine, Darrell, I’m not knocking what anyone enjoys… I like the Santa Fe and UP too, and they are going have to pry my SP Cab Forward from my cold dead hands. Personally though, I’d like to see more midwestern layouts. I agree, If I could actually get a complete look at the layout (rather rare from what I’ve seen) rather than the typical railfan fare, it’s interesting to see what other people do…
Jeff
Most model railroad magazines have an eastern bias, I have been reading them since 1958. The editors and staff are mostly easterners and midwesterners. Since I model central California I have had to develop my own scenery techniques in my attempt to duplicate the region. There are very few articles in older magazines about California scenery.
Just a thought
Harold
In reviewing some of my MR collection - my parents started me on a subscription when I was 8 in 1962 - I’ve seen considerable numbers of articles on Northeast/New England, Appalachian coal country, Midwest/Great Lakes, Pacific Northwest, Colorado, Eastern Oregon/Washington/Idaho/Montana, California/Nevada. The region that seems to have the least amount of coverage - I don’t model it so I’m relatively unbiased - is the South/Southeast.
I include modeling articles as well as prototype articles because there’s often a lot of prototype info in the modeling articles.
yours in reading
Fred Wright
Anyone remember way back when when it seemed that there was a Colorado narrow gauge layout about 6 times a year?
I think the bias is all in the mind of the reader. Psychologically, a person pays more attention to what is unfamiliar. If you are aware of, and know, your eastern roads, and see articles about unfamiliar western roads, the western roads become what is called more “salient.” You spend more time dealing with them, but reluctanctly, because it was what was offered in that particular edition.
If you don’t believe me, go back through this thread and read each post keeping my premise in mind. [;)]
Simple solution to this. Just review the past couple of decades of MRR and then we can have an accurate count of what layouts are represented.
My collection went back untill 1993. A cast iron water pipe broke from freezing duing the winter. It lead to an outside faucet. Water came down and took out my collection from 94 untill late 2003.
Steel,
Ouch!