Which large scale magazine do you believe to be the best?
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5,578 Posts
Steam in the Garden
The title should give the clue as to why I subscribe.
The title should give the clue as to why I subscribe.
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1,805 Posts
There really aren't many choices when it comes to magazines devoted to Large Scale. Garden Railways is the "mainstream" magazine for the hobby. Then there are a few specialized "niche" magazines like Steam In The Garden, and foreign mags.
If you're interested in scratch-building, kitbashing, and prototype information, I highly recommend the Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette. It's not a "Large Scale magazine" but it does feature some LS stuff. More importantly, a lot of the material is useful in any scale. Just seeing such fine modeling, in any scale, is very inspiring, IMHO.
If you're interested in scratch-building, kitbashing, and prototype information, I highly recommend the Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette. It's not a "Large Scale magazine" but it does feature some LS stuff. More importantly, a lot of the material is useful in any scale. Just seeing such fine modeling, in any scale, is very inspiring, IMHO.
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4,483 Posts
Ahhh... considering you can count the major publications on less than one hand...it really depends on what era and gauge you intend to model
Garden Railways is the most accessable and perhaps the best place for a newbie to start. Magazine covers narrow gauge and standard gauge, old and modern, diesel and steam, live steam and electric.
Garden Rail is very good but thinner than GR, very similar to GR but its exclusivly British/European based, heavy emphisis in past on LGB but does cover other brands, modern layouts as well as older steam based layouts
Steam in the Garden is great IF your doing live steam, if your interested in big modern railroading, is not much use.
Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette is a finescale dedicated magazine with heavy emphisis on narrow gauge, again great for what it covers but again if your into big modern railroading, its not much use.
Narrow Gauge Down Under, a Aussie based magazine very similar to the Gazette, but thinner, dedicated to narrow gauge in the land of Kiwis and Walkabouts.
Timber Times, niche magazine dedicated to modeling logging lines, similar to the gazette.
As for me I get 2 magazine subscriptions, GR and the Gazette. I do buy the occasional TT, NGDU, and Garden Rail when I can find them
Garden Railways is the most accessable and perhaps the best place for a newbie to start. Magazine covers narrow gauge and standard gauge, old and modern, diesel and steam, live steam and electric.
Garden Rail is very good but thinner than GR, very similar to GR but its exclusivly British/European based, heavy emphisis in past on LGB but does cover other brands, modern layouts as well as older steam based layouts
Steam in the Garden is great IF your doing live steam, if your interested in big modern railroading, is not much use.
Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette is a finescale dedicated magazine with heavy emphisis on narrow gauge, again great for what it covers but again if your into big modern railroading, its not much use.
Narrow Gauge Down Under, a Aussie based magazine very similar to the Gazette, but thinner, dedicated to narrow gauge in the land of Kiwis and Walkabouts.
Timber Times, niche magazine dedicated to modeling logging lines, similar to the gazette.
As for me I get 2 magazine subscriptions, GR and the Gazette. I do buy the occasional TT, NGDU, and Garden Rail when I can find them
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287 Posts
None at the moment. Did read Garden Railways for about three years then just lost interest in it. Mostly rely on internet sources (such as this!) for any needed information.
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Technically, at the moment I subscibe to none. Soon's the Eagle Flies, howsumever, Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette will get my subscription. It has everything I want except Peter Jones. (GR). I've been buying the occasional back issue of NGSL off evilbay when they have an issue of which I don't have a complete set.
I hafta add, "What Vic said" about GR. Hard to beat, for a newbie I'd recommend it until you decide what area of RRing you want to settle into, modern, steam era, Narrow Gauge, whatever. They're weak on 'how to' articles, and heavy on greenery info, was my reason for not re-upping.
Your best bet for specific questions is this board.
I'm thinking of subscribing to Timber Times more as a supporter of a niche than anything else. The foreign ones don't do for me because I'm not that knowledgeable about American RRing.
I really, really wish there was a light rail magazine. I've been mulling starting a blog for that subject, but I don't want the hassle that comes with the spam and idiots. OTOH, I'd PAY to belong to a website devoted to LR. I speculate that LR is caught in a 'Catch 22': a lot of newbies (like me) are interested in it but have nothing to contribute, and those who are doing it either don't want to be bothered, or don't know there's a potential following out there.
I sent my $$ in to this website expressly to support it. I don't even know how to use most of the features it offers for 1st class members. I'd like to hope if you haven't joined, you will. It's worth it.
Les
I hafta add, "What Vic said" about GR. Hard to beat, for a newbie I'd recommend it until you decide what area of RRing you want to settle into, modern, steam era, Narrow Gauge, whatever. They're weak on 'how to' articles, and heavy on greenery info, was my reason for not re-upping.
Your best bet for specific questions is this board.
I'm thinking of subscribing to Timber Times more as a supporter of a niche than anything else. The foreign ones don't do for me because I'm not that knowledgeable about American RRing.
I really, really wish there was a light rail magazine. I've been mulling starting a blog for that subject, but I don't want the hassle that comes with the spam and idiots. OTOH, I'd PAY to belong to a website devoted to LR. I speculate that LR is caught in a 'Catch 22': a lot of newbies (like me) are interested in it but have nothing to contribute, and those who are doing it either don't want to be bothered, or don't know there's a potential following out there.
I sent my $$ in to this website expressly to support it. I don't even know how to use most of the features it offers for 1st class members. I'd like to hope if you haven't joined, you will. It's worth it.
Les
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2,364 Posts
Currently I subscribe to:
Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette- Good for drawings and plans on buildings or rolling stock.
Steam in the Garden all steam releated - many older copies have plans for locomotives or parts.
Live Steam- great for machining information and plans on steam engines along with many articles on building or scratchbuilding.
Narrow Gauge Downunder- all Au based articles, subscribed for David Fletchers Baldwin article. Also drawings on many buildings
G1MRA- mostly based on european modeling but work can be based on anything. Articles on machining and building various items.
Modelers Annuals- (used to be Finescale) Great for modeling in any scale and many ideas, plans, drawings
Used to get garden Railways but there was never anything that I was ever interested in for the price.
I model and am interested in Colorado narrow gauge, logging, machining and building.
Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette- Good for drawings and plans on buildings or rolling stock.
Steam in the Garden all steam releated - many older copies have plans for locomotives or parts.
Live Steam- great for machining information and plans on steam engines along with many articles on building or scratchbuilding.
Narrow Gauge Downunder- all Au based articles, subscribed for David Fletchers Baldwin article. Also drawings on many buildings
G1MRA- mostly based on european modeling but work can be based on anything. Articles on machining and building various items.
Modelers Annuals- (used to be Finescale) Great for modeling in any scale and many ideas, plans, drawings
Used to get garden Railways but there was never anything that I was ever interested in for the price.
I model and am interested in Colorado narrow gauge, logging, machining and building.
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2,814 Posts
I dropped GR because there was too much chaff (ads) and not enough wheat (how-to articles), but some people actually buy it FOR the ads. They DO have a lot of layout pictorials, and do review many new products (caveat here, it has been implied that some reviews have been...edited, to keep from offending some advertisers). Back issues are grand for re-reading in the throne room
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744 Posts
I subscribe to:
-Garden Railroad. I still like the articles and to see what others are doing.
-Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette. As stated above, not all large scale but I model Narrow gauge and most of the articles and projects can be upscaled. Great Mag in my opinion.
-Model Railroader. I read it sometimes the stuff applies. Back when I was into "small scales" I think someone must have bought me a lifetime subscription or somethin' cause they just keep showing up. If I had to pay for them I wouldn't get it.
-Playboy. Hef should run for president, or at least get into large scale trains.....
The others stated in the above posts I buy off the shelf when they have something of interest to me.
-Garden Railroad. I still like the articles and to see what others are doing.
-Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette. As stated above, not all large scale but I model Narrow gauge and most of the articles and projects can be upscaled. Great Mag in my opinion.
-Model Railroader. I read it sometimes the stuff applies. Back when I was into "small scales" I think someone must have bought me a lifetime subscription or somethin' cause they just keep showing up. If I had to pay for them I wouldn't get it.
-Playboy. Hef should run for president, or at least get into large scale trains.....
The others stated in the above posts I buy off the shelf when they have something of interest to me.
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