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Garden Railways Magazine Stands strong.

10K views 73 replies 39 participants last post by  Les 
#1 ·
Ya Know after all the years of this magaizine its still nice to see it show up at the door.
Its nice to have a place you can direct folks to.
This isn't a kiss up because I contribute.
Its the fact that even with rock throwers and all the critics we still have a mag we can call ours.
I to have been disoppointed at times untill I get my focus right and additude ajusted.
Some only worry about getting their "moneys worth".

Do you ever get "your" moneys worth on anything??
Not having the mag is hard to imagine.

So I say thanks to all those who TRY and stick their necks out on the line to keep the magazine going..

Get on with making the Hobby grow.
 
#5 ·
I know differently (that this is not directed at me as a contributor to the "other topic") but just so's it's said and out in the open.....A post I made earlier in that "other topic" stated that we were not renewing. Let me reiterate that this decision was made purely on a financial basis. In all honesty it was either MLS or Garden Railways. Since I can actually participate in an easier manner and on a daily basis MLS won out. Uet and in no way do we dislike nor do we have any issue with the magazinec content and articles. Other than maybe too much advertising but that does serve it's purpose, kinda a necessary evil.
As I said in the same post to K, I'll say it again. I always enjoy reading his articles but I will add that the same for the many other contributors efforts as well. In fact, Marty has a very good aritcle that I just skimmed through upon the arrival of our issue today.
Someday, maybe in the not to distant future we can once again pick up the subscription but for now and until we can get some things straightened out, it'll have to be part of the hobby that we are unable to enjoy. At the least we still have trains to run and that will have to work for us for now.

Oh yeah Mr Dimmer! I couldn't agree more with your email. Hehehe You had me ROTFLMAO
 
#6 ·
Posted By cmjdisanto on 08/28/2008 6:38 PM

I know differently (that this is not directed at me as a contributor to the "other topic") but just so's it's said and out in the open.....A post I made earlier in that "other topic" stated that we were not renewing. Let me reiterate that this decision was made purely on a financial basis. In all honesty it was either MLS or Garden Railways. Since I can actually participate in an easier manner and on a daily basis MLS won out...


I can relate to that. I may be looking at a similar decision. Winter is going to be exceedingly expensive up here this year and we here in central and northern AK will (mostly) all be in survival mode for several months running.  I think there is far more hard data available here at MLS than in the mag, but I like the mag just because it is oriented toward us.
 
#7 ·
Well after a nice hot bubble bath and had fun with my battle ships and subs,
the simple fact is NOT to condem a whole magizine or web site because of one or two things.
The toy train folks, HO modelers, collectors all have us GRRers in a little box.
So we need to stick together.
I to have shot my mouth off and said stuff when I should not. but keeping the relationships is important.
Keeping the lines of comunication open etc.
I' sure this thread will not go as long as the (-) ones but . GRRers will go on.
 
#9 ·
Garden Railways magazine is the anchor of the hobby, as far as I'm concerned. Sure we probably get more info here at MLS, and much faster. But GR is still the focal point, and will be for many years to come.
And congratulations to all of the MLS'rs that keep showing up in the magazine! (Marty Cozad, Bruce Chandler, Jerry Barnes, even Kevin Strong makes an occasional appearance)
 
#10 ·
I read it cover to cover several times. I take it into the bar and grill where I usually eat lunch. Lots of people look over my shoulder and ask questions.

How many of you have put out a news letter for a Club? How hard is it to fill one 8.5 x11 page. How about 2 pages.

Look at whats in GR. How much did they have to go through to get whats in there every issue.

I like it becasue I get ideas from other layouts. Then I sit back and think I hope my lookes something like that some day.

Sometimes it's great sometimes it' not that great. I still get it.

PS do you believe that bunnies in Playboy or not to scale?/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/ermm.gif
 
#11 ·
Even with this lap top computer, it is still easier to read GR while having a morning 'meeting'...

Marty - I liked your article this month. Got me thinking about doing some more lettering for my railroad. Isn't that what a publication is for? Getting us thinking?

I get GR as a gift from my inlaws every year. I recently decided to get more involved with the gardening side of the hobby. Folks on here were a great help, but I was able to see a lot of techniques and got some great ideas from the back issues I have.

All in all, for what it is, I think that GR is a good magazine. I appreciate the folks who take time to write articles for the rest of us.

Mark
 
#12 ·
I breezed through the "other topic".. Just couldn't bring myself to add to the discussion.. mainly because

a) I'm in this hobby to relax, enjoy and make friends.
b) I really enjoy and look forward to the magazine.
c) I view GR as a great reference point from which I can springboard my own ideas.
and
d)... It's a freakin hobby magazine.. relax Chester and unclench (or try a good over the counter laxative)...

I'm with you Marty.. Enjoy and let the hobby grow.
 
G
#16 ·
Posted By Dave F on 08/28/2008 9:21 PM
Oh.. Mark..
My daughter saw your avatar and was wondering if you have a monkey named George around the house???




Yes, Yes , funny , funny i thought it was just me Dave?????dont get mad Mark, your avatar looks like curious goerge!!!!!! no matter what your still a good EGG but your avatar is funny/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif what were you DRINKIN that night?/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif And Marty you are correct, better to have that not to have!!!!!!!:cool:
Nick.....
 
#17 ·
I still look forward to receiving my GR. I can always find something of interest to use on my RR even if it's only in the back of a picture.

Can't imagine having a garden railroad and not getting GR or coming to MLS.
 
#18 ·
I like the mag. They have their ups and downs like all mags. Sports Illustrated covers baseball every year, which i don't really care for, but I still get the subscription. Heck, even playboy has a few "articles" that i don't care for. Garden railway is a nice mag, and a lot of work goes into it.
Terry
 
#19 ·
I used to buy it at my LHS but I have since become a subscriber. GR is a bi-monthly "fix" for me and I can't conceive of a time when it wouldn't be there for me! Marty, you're dead on accurate. Promoting "our" hobby is a helluva lot better than sniping and bickering about one or two things (plus it's a lot more fun! ;))
 
#20 ·
Marty,

I could not agree with you more!!!!! I look forward to the mail at the end of everyother month. Nothing better than a "package in the mail." Even my kids know how much I look forward to it--ususaly the comment goes something like this: "Sorry Papi, no train magazine (GR) in the mail today--maybe tomorow." I feel like a kid waiting for the postman. That alone is "worth the money." I find value to every article, whether or not it directly applies to my interests or not. I still have a subscription to Model Railroader, even though my main interest is large scale, but my inspiration comes from those articles as well.

I don't know if any of you feel like I do, but I see Garden Railroading at the same place HO railroading was in the mid to late seventies--just enough product on the market to get a layout going, but if you wanted something specific to your prototye (or lack of one) you kitbashed or scratch built and got creative. I actually love that part of the hobby, there seems not much challange in HO anymore--got enough money and space you can buy anything!!! I love the creativity found in Large Scale, and I am so glad to have found this part of our hobby. Garden Railways was the portal to all of this for me--it was sitting next to MR at the hobby shop--and I was hooked!!!!!!

The "great model railroaders" in the smaller scales seeemed to "come of age" in the seventies and eighties: Hayden and Farry, Malcom Furlow, Allen McClelland, David Barrow, Tony Koester, Eric Booman and on and on. They all were creative and broke new ground--just like Marty, K, Richard and many others here on MLS and in GR. I do not mean to skip over any other of the fine folks in small scale or large scale--these are just off the top of my head and for illustration. I cannot thank the folks here and at GR enough for re-lighting the fire of model railroading for me--in a larger scale and OUTDOORS.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

Matt
 
#21 ·
A day without magazines is a glum one and I look forward to the postman delivering my GR, MR, Finescale, Gazette, and Scale Rails, not to mention various car, auto racing and photography mags. I keep the current issues in a basket on our kitchen snack bar, to be "devoured" while I'm eating lunch or enjoying a between-meal treat. Unfortunately, and because I save each one, my magazine friends are taking over our den/office. But what a treasure trove of information and enjoyment they provide.
 
#22 ·
I couldn't disagree more! The last two cover articles, for example, were all about appearance with no reason given for the layout being built other than that. Last month we had the most absurd layout of all time, which the author praised for the "wow" of multiple running trains in a layout with no operational interest whatsover. That's the kind of wow I'd expect in Classic Toy Trains rather than GR.


This month we get a pictorial of a desert layout with no operational interest at all, just a double tracked dogbone. Look closely and you'll see a desert RR with Pennsy signals! The author tells us where he bought the signals, but doesn't explain why he selected Pennsy signals instead of the kinds of signals actually found in deserts.


Frankly I am tired of layouts being held up as good examples when they have no apparent purpose other than running trains in circles. RRs with a purpose are the rationale for most model railroads. Running trains in circles is no more model railroading than annual Christmas Tree "layouts".



I read GR for the product reviews and the advertising. The rest of the content is largely useless.

Mark
 
#23 ·
Posted By MarkLewis on 08/29/2008 2:59 PM
I couldn't disagree more! The last two cover articles, for example, were all about appearance with no reason given for the layout being built other than that. Last month we had the most absurd layout of all time, which the author praised for the "wow" of multiple running trains in a layout with no operational interest whatsover. That's the kind of wow I'd expect in Classic Toy Trains rather than GR.


This month we get a pictorial of a desert layout with no operational interest at all, just a double tracked dogbone. Look closely and you'll see a desert RR with Pennsy signals! The author tells us where he bought the signals, but doesn't explain why he selected Pennsy signals instead of the kinds of signals actually found in deserts.


Frankly I am tired of layouts being held up as good examples when they have no apparent purpose other than running trains in circles. RRs with a purpose are the rationale for most model railroads. Running trains in circles is no more model railroading than annual Christmas Tree "layouts".


I read GR for the product reviews and the advertising. The rest of the content is largely useless.

Mark



There are plenty of examples of trains in the real world that also just run around in circles all day. There are also plenty of tourist railroads that do nothing but go back-and-forth or round and round all day and earn a living doing it. Many have more ridership than than rural areas on "real" routes. These are also the railroads that will generate future interest in railroading as a hobby for the youth.

Ever been to Dizzyland of Nott's Feiry Barn and seen the kids faces when they get off the train? Ever go through the shops at Nott's Feiry Barn and see actual narrow gauge engines and cars in restoration?

Compare that with the annoiance at the school from the NW-2 that switches hazardous chemical tankers for mainline pickup and tell me what is going to sustain the hobby.
 
#24 ·
There are plenty of examples of trains in the real world that also just run around in circles all day. There are also plenty of tourist railroads that do nothing but go back-and-forth or round and round all day and earn a living doing it. Many have more ridership than than rural areas on "real" routes. These are also the railroads that will generate future interest in railroading as a hobby for the youth.


If the hobby is reduced to running trains in circles, it will be far different hobby from model railroading.


Mark
 
#25 ·
So much for positive notes on this one, also the last word Strong was not a pun.
I also want to point out that I understand the "need" for operation and a purpose for the RR.
But in REAL LIFE most visitors here just want to see the trains run around. Many folks use the word that I hate most, cute.. But Cute sales. look at the bug like things Arsito sales. I'd use them for paintball practice.
Even whimsical is not found on my RR ,BUT when I took the photo of the snow monster in the plow car I got the greatest responce ever EVER from e-mails on that photo.
What can we say, ????
 
#26 ·
I agree with you Marty. I to look forward to each issue. Even the featured layouts that I wouldn't put on my A list on a layout tour, quite often have some unique feature I would like to incorporate in my layout. Maybe if the rivet counters had supported Uncle Russ, we would still have 2 competing magazines covering the hobby.
 
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