I was reading the newswire for today, and it looks like that us non-subscribers will no longer be able to read the newswire.
I have one question!
WHY!
Why must we pay $30 a year to read the newswire that was until this announcement, free. The one good source for up-to-the-minute news will have to be paid for. I suppose that we will also have to subscribe in order to use the forums before long.
I can understand if it was for the registered Trains.com members only, but why make it for subscribers ONLY? I think that is not fair, not only to us who don’t subscribe, but to the subscribers too.
I am a loyal Trains reader and I recently purchased a collection of over 500 issues dating to as far back as 1946, but I think that making the newswire an item were only Subrscribers can access is going a bit too far?
I agree. I don’t think that a subscription should be required to read the news wire (although I have one, which i really enjoy). I mean, it is a great source of railroad news, but come on, it can’t take that much work to actually host that content online. Keep it free. I wonder how many people might leave if the forums required a subscription as well? I understand that the magazine and company need to make money, but many of the topics on the forum aren’t directly related to the magazine articles. In general, the forum serves to improve the overall knowledge pool about railroads, which in general, serves the greater good, making people less ignorant about trains and railroading.
Well since it presumably costs something to run the site – like salaries – then presumably either we subscribers, or the Kalmbach shareholders, are paying for it. What would you be willing to pay just for access, no subscription? Maybe Kalmbach should consider a magazine-less subscription rate, so to speak
Dave Nelson
Please note that there is no plan to make our forums subscription based.
After July 12 you’ll need to register into our new site’s system, which, by the way, will tie all your subscription accounts (and product orders) with our company into one easy-to-access account. By going through that process, you’ll be able to see how many issues are left on your subscription, what special issues you have on order, and what you’ve purchased from us in the past.
MOST IMPORTANT… by sending all forum members through this new registration process, it should cut down on trolls and spammers. The new registration requires your name and address (so our subscriber system can recognize your magazine account with our company and tie it together with your forum account.
Yes, you can keep your current screen name (currently username, “screen name” after July 12). After July 12 you’ll go through our new registration process and at the end of it you’ll be asked if you want to participate in our reader forums. You can then unlock your screen name, which will be locked for you and only you. Shortly after July 12 we will send you an e-mail with directions on what to do. NOTE: Now would be a good time to check your Trains.com profile to make sure your e-mail address is current.
No, you don’t have to display your first and last name in the forum. Only admin users will be able to see that.
Please keep in mind that we have a paid contributor that puts together the News Wire five days a week. The stories are checked with railroad officials to assure that the news is accurate. There is a significant cost associated with providing the News Wire.
I am not a subscriber to Trains Magazine and will probably just disappear. However, I have no problem with the concept of a user pay website and woudl consider paying a fee for access to just the website. Have you consider an website only subscription similar to what other magazines use such as the Economist.
I been a Subscriber to Trains Maz for 16 Plus Years and I just love to read each month issue, the Best Maz Ever[:D] Why don’t you People Subscriber to Trains Maz For? Cost Only 30 or 35 Dollars a year, It Priceless.
Its just not my cup of tea. I peruse it at the library but overall I only find 1 out 5 articles really interest me. In general I prefer the more business oriented magazines like Railway Age and International Railway Gazette.
I think any business has to be run on a business-like basis. I too read lots of magazines regularly in a library, but I subscribe to Classic Trains and Trains, not only because I think both magazines are great, but also because I am well aware of the huge contributions over the years that Kalmbach and its people have made both to the industry and to railfanning.
Still, if jf Kalmbach could come up with a email-only subscription fee, that would be a good middleground comromise.
One important perspective to bear in mind is that Newswire is not the only source of railroad news on the internet. I use it along with other sites.There have been many occasions where other sites have posted stories that have appeared in Newswire, the following day. I see that others do this as well as many topics related to news stories appear on the forum prior to their being posted on Newswire. Personally. for me, it’s not much of a loss. I have read Trains since 1960 and have subscribed off and on or more often than not I have purchased it at the newstand. I think a short sighted decision to ignore and alienate the over the counter purchaser of Trains. They are also not the only railroad related magazine. So, it’s their loss-not mine.
I agree with those that think that an online subscription rate for those who would like access to the Newswire but prefer to buy Trains sporadically at the newstand would be a good idea.
If you’re subscriber or if you have purchased a special issue or a book from us, you are already in the database. Re-registering will allow you to access your information so you can keep an eye on your account.
Again, our News Wire correspondent confirms story details with officials from the specific railroads involved. Amtrak hit a dump truck? He doesn’t just run a story about it, he confirms the details of the incident with Amtrak officials.
In other words, he’s doesn’t just pull a story from the Galesburg Register Mail concerning the BNSF. Takes the details from that story and gets the background information from BNSF. Can your “other places” claim they do the same?
Most likely your name, social security number, driver’s licence number, and all sorts of your data are already stored in a plethora of databases; what’s the big deal about one more?
To those that are complaining: remember, Kalmbach is a business, and as such, their main interest in making a profit.
I am completely satisfied with the content of Trains Magazine, so I subscribe. If you are not that “in” to railroading, and the magazine does please you enough to warrant your subscription, then not being able to access the News Wire should not be that great of a loss to you.