Please read this editor’s note about upcoming changes at Trains. I’ll be happy to respond to comments here or via email. Thanks, as always, for your support of the magazine. All of us here at Trains appreciate it.
https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/editors-note-same-trains-magazine-new-ways-to-ride/
My experience with Zinio has been a misery (compared with print copies on hand).
I would expect a reasonable refund or further discount for recent print resubscribers. That, or increased access to ‘online’ content and amenities as a perk of print subscription.
Saying that you will be print and digital rings hollow. You are just forcing people into digital with a skipped print edition. Followed by the slow drip, drip, drip of ever increasing missed editions until you finally go all digital.
I think most subscribers would be more accepting if the publisher just said starting in January, Digital Only.
Certainly all the out-of-the-United-States subscribers who “can’t” be mailed a print copy might be a little more accepting…
For anybody who hasn’t noticed, I live in Australia. I had subscribed to digital and print for Trains Magazine for a couple of years. The digital issue was available around a month ahead of the print issue. When a print issue arrived, I’d check to see if the next digital issue was available. I found that I wasn’t unwrapping the print issues until I wanted something to read while waiting for a train on railfan photography trips.. When the print issues stopped appearing, it wasn’t a great loss. I’ve renewed my subscription. I’d like the print issues as well, but I’ll live without them. I visited the Livonia, Avon and Lakeville last year. I wonder if I am the visitor from Australia mentioned in the June issue…
Peter
I downloaded the Trains app to my iPad and signed in with my email, very simple. Magazine looks good in the app, easy to read. Did the same with MR, which has its own app. Seems like they could have put all their magazines into one app, but not a big deal.
This will likely accelerate my conversion to digital only. While I save printed issues for a while, most end up recycled since I don’t know anyone else that wants them.
Not a big fan because I hate reading stuff on my phone, but such is the onward march of “progress” I guess…
Hi Bill,
I live in the Chicago area, and I am that unusual customer in that I purchase Trains magazine at retail. I am not a subscriber buying the magazine at a discount I have been a monthly reader since 1971 and until September of 2025, would purchase my magazines at a local Chicago area hobby shop. I retain back issues as an archive as to this day, the best archive media is still ink on paper. Ask any research librarian.
Since Chicago area hobby shops either can’t purchae Trains or won’t purchase Trains for retail sale, i have had to buy my copies from the Trains com store or from Barnes and Noble if the magazine is actually on the magazine rack at BN.
This leads me to ask what do i do when September roles around and i want a copy of the September Trains. Will i be able to buy a PDF digital download from the Trains store? If I cant buy a download, how do I acquire an issue?
Looking forward to a reply on how to handle my type of purchase.
Edward Konecki
An amateur radio organization dropped their print edition. Their membership has been dropping ever since.
ARRL has printable PDFs of QST all the way back to 1915… but for members only.
Digital is the way to the graveyard. Out of sight, out of mind.
For sure. 
My point (and Mike’s) was for Firecrown to NOT slowly cease hard copy but to simply and forthrightly state Digital Solely starting xx/xx/202x.
Let me check into that for you, Edward. Today’s a company holiday, so I can’t get an answer for you until Monday at the earliest.
Many academic journals (another small, niche publication) either are moving or have moved to digital only or they have ceased publishing altogether.
“All things must pass”
Woke, while two of your 12 issues will be delivered in a digital-only format, your subscription is fully intact. You’ll receive all 12 issues of content this year. For that reason, we will not be issuing refunds for issues delivered digitally. While this helps us manage rising print and postage costs (they’re up 50% over the past few years), ensuring that the magazine you love remains sustainable, vibrant, and able to reach the next generation of readers, it’s also an opportunity to offer you something new — richer content including interactive features that print simply can’t provide.
We think you may be surprised by what’s possible, and your feedback will help shape where we go from here. We don’t take your loyalty for granted, and we’re grateful for your continued readership as we navigate an evolving media landscape together.
But they discovered they can charge through the nose for the digital access either through a company portal like SpringerLink or some gatekeeping organization set up to be expert at monetization.
We fought that battle and lost in the ’ 90s
The concern I have is what a ‘purely digital’ for-profit magazine will offer that a free forum that is already ad-supported, or a free 'zine like MRH, would not. It will be fun to see what they do.
I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the great things that will be possible.
“We”?