Railway modelling magazines v the internet?

[TravisM]

I’m sorry if this has been asked before but with a lot of railway modelling information and ideas available on the internet, on here, several other Railway forums, video and picture sites, is the days of model railway publications on the wain? 
 

I subscribe to three magazines but I have to be honest, when they arrive, they largely get a glance through and I’ll pick out the snippets of information I need, then it sits on the coffee table and occasionally look through now and again.  I also tend to flick through the pages of advertising without bothering to look as I’ve already checked online.

 

As they take up so much space, I’m seriously thinking of cancelling my subscription’s and just using the internet for reference, but wondered if anyone else feels the same as me?

[Kris]

I ditched magazines years ago. Whilst I still occasionally (once a year or less) purchase a magazine, I don't miss them at all. 

[Phil Parker]

This is a very well-worn topic, even on RMweb. People will always prefer free over paid for, that's why the publication business is changing - hence we've introduced World of Railways Plus. Like other media outlets, it's a subscription service costing the same as a single mag, which gives you access to five different, but complimentary, magazines plus the backnumbers of each. Thanks to the excellent search engine, you can then pull up properly written and edited articles to suit your interests when you need them.

 

There is even a free 30-day trial here.

 

So, no need to clutter up space with old mags, you can access them on any device at any time. Read a model railway magazine on the train using your tablet, an no-one need know what you are looking at

 

In addition, WoR+ supports RMweb and helps us keep it free to use.

[MarkSG]

I still read magazines. I subscribe to one, and buy any of the others occasionally if there's a cover article I particularly find interesting.

 

It's worth bearing in mind that all of the magazines offer something extra to subscribers, such as the digital copies mentioned by Phil or discounted prices on event tickets and special commission products. So the subscription cost can actually be more than offset by the benefits if you do use those facilities.

 

Of course, the rise of the Internet has meant that magazines have needed to evolve too. There are some things that magazines cannot, realistically, do any more, such as being the first to report news stories.  But, on the other hand, a professionally run magazine can do some things better than random commentators on the Internet. Product reviews, for example, are a major strength of the mags.  And layout features still look better in print than on a screen, IMO.

 

Ultimately, though, it's about what you like. I still enjoy the feel of reading things on paper (books as well as magazines), and even though that's no longer my sole source of information I'd be reluctant to lose it.

[TravisM]

I suppose the main thing that I hate, if that’s a too stronger word are the pages and pages of adverts that you have to wade through to get to the article you want to read.  I appreciate that advertising is essential in magazines, but it’s still frustrating.

[dpgibbons]

I subscribe to Readly, which is like a Spotify for magazines. That gets me digital access to Hornby Magazine, BRM and Model Rail, along with Steam Days and numerous other railway mags. Not to mention most of the UK mags that I used to read before I moved to Australia - everything from GQ through to Viz. The annual cost is less than my previous Railway Modeller and Model Rail subscriptions, so it's a no-brainer. 

 

 

[rue_d_etropal]

When e-books started to grow in popularity, it was suggested that the printed book would become less popular, but in fact the reverse has happened. There is room for both, andmaybe e-books have been a convenant entry point or many, and from there they want printed books.

I think ther could be something similar with magazines, but with magazines there is a shelf life, so for shops a problem as out of date magazines don't sell. For newsagents not so much a problem, as most publications are on sale or return, but not so for oher shops such as model shops.

My suggestion for magazines in future as has happening with some books(one well known modeller publishs this way) is to only print on demand. Maybe 'newsagents' in future could print and loosely bind magazines. This would require magazine format to change, and page size to be set at a standard print size, eg A4. Order magazine(online), visit newsagent, supply order code, and get magazine printed.

 

 

Personally I find advertising on internet far more frustrating than in printed magazines.

Adverts in printed magazines are not only what actually pays for the magazine to be published, and provide a doorway into the trading and maufacturing side to the hobby, without which the hobby would not exist, but also provide a very good historical record of the hobby.

I use old magazines as a reference for my 3D design work, but often find old adverts a useful source of inpiration. Those small , often one person companies who for a short time produced some models or bits for modelling, now forgotten about, but maybe still useful, especially as now with 3D printing it is easier to 'manufacture' of a request basis.

What I have noticed more recently with magazines has been a shift to articles on mainly modelling rather than prototype, and I find these modelling artilcles either don't interest or inspire me, or are repeating what can be found in old magazines. There is also a tendency to focus on a narrow band of scales and gauges, and not enogh basic information on actual scales and gauges, resulting in less knowledge about these within newer entrants to the hobby. This can result in models being based on models, and incorporate design faults which are obvious when you look at the real world.

 

Edited July 14, 2021 by rue_d_etropal

[Mike_Walker]

3 hours ago, MarkSG said:

Of course, the rise of the Internet has meant that magazines have needed to evolve too. There are some things that magazines cannot, realistically, do any more, such as being the first to report news stories.  But, on the other hand, a professionally run magazine can do some things better than random commentators on the Internet. Product reviews, for example, are a major strength of the mags.  And layout features still look better in print than on a screen, IMO.

Absolutely.  Take the recent problems with the Hitachi IET fleet as an example.  At the time there was a considerable amount of speculation and "fact" being posted on various internet platforms which were not helpful to anyone seeking the truth.  That came by way of an excellent piece in the June issue of the Railway Magazine by Tony Miles, a respected writer on railway matters.  The piece is concise and explains the exact nature of the problem and how it is likely to be resolved (I say likely as the final repair plan is still being worked on).

 

This will survive in print as a factual historical record probably long after the various internet reports have vanished into the ether.

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, jools1959 said:

I suppose the main thing that I hate, if that’s a too stronger word are the pages and pages of adverts that you have to wade through to get to the article you want to read.  I appreciate that advertising is essential in magazines, but it’s still frustrating.

 

One of the best parts of them. Not a flippant remark about the state of the magazines articles.

 

I love the adverts, especially when going through old magazines.

 

However if you look at online content then you are bombarded with adverts. Most of which aren't relevant.

 

But I'm firmly in the printed magazine section. I've tried digital magazines and found them unreadable. 

 

 

Jason

[TheQ]

Whilst I've tried E magazines and Books I've returned to paper. I found I didn't want to sit at a PC to read a magazine,  and on a  tablet they were most unsatisfactory, often almost unreadable.

I have cut down the magazines to RM and when I can get it MRJ.

Same with sailing just down to one magazine now..

[Geep7]

I have a paper subscription to a couple of the modelling magazines, plus I usually pick up a paper copy of one of the others (I won't say which is which  ) . It's sometimes nice to actually get away from the PC and electronic gadgets and read something real, especially in the evenings before bed. That said, I have found recently that I am doing much the same, getting my subs copy, having a quick flick through, reading a couple of the articles, then having an odd flick through every so often.

 

I have also recently done a digital subscription to a well known non-British outline magazine, as there is very little usually in it for my specific European modelling interests, but having access to the back issues is a huge bonus, and it also saves the trees, as otherwise it would mostly just end up in the recycle bin, having hardly been read.

[Legend]

I spend far too much time looking at screens . I still like my model railway mag , I am getting more selective , though . I look to see if there is an article(s) of interest  before buying . I tend to , at least, buy Railway Modeler , but found there wasn't much of interest this month , so left it on the shelf . I don't take out subs , preferring to browse to see if anything of interest . If its not a model railway mag it might be Aviation or Ships . 

 

[John M Upton]

I tend to prefer printed magazines for historical articles, photos and the like but prefer online or old books for modelling research.

 

Advertising, the necessary evil is just about tolerable in the printed media, it is usually more informative and more likely to catch my attention too.

 

Online advertising however is intrusive which is why the first thing I install on any new electronic device is an armada of adblockers.

 

Unfortunately for some titles, especially harder to find overseas ones, online reading is pretty much the only way to get them nowadays without excessive delay after publication date and eye wateringly exorbitant International postage costs.

[fezza]

I just don't find most of today's modelling magazine very useful. Most seem to be little more than collections of pictures and adverts. Genuinely in depth articles that go beyond the blinding obvious are very rare. Older magazines were thinner but often had more detail on how things were done.

 

Review sections are the worst. Most are simply cheer-leading articles to sell new products. For genuine reviews the internet is essential.

 

Specialist bookzines, like the recent engineering wagons series, are about the only things I buy now.

[Tartaruga]

21 hours ago, rue_d_etropal said:

Adverts in printed magazines are not only what actually pays for the magazine to be published, and provide a doorway into the trading and maufacturing side to the hobby, without which the hobby would not exist, but also provide a very good historical record of the hobby.

I use old magazines as a reference for my 3D design work, but often find old adverts a useful source of inpiration. Those small , often one person companies who for a short time produced some models or bits for modelling, now forgotten about, but maybe still useful, especially as now with 3D printing it is easier to 'manufacture' of a request basis.

What I have noticed more recently with magazines has been a shift to articles on mainly modelling rather than prototype, and I find these modelling artilcles either don't interest or inspire me, or are repeating what can be found in old magazines. There is also a tendency to focus on a narrow band of scales and gauges, and not enogh basic information on actual scales and gauges, resulting in less knowledge about these within newer entrants to the hobby. This can result in models being based on models, and incorporate design faults which are obvious when you look at the real world.

 

I agree with the above that magazines seem to be formulaic in relation to scales and gauges. It is only from RMWeb and elsewhere on the internet that I have learnt about 3mm, European TT, S scale and British HO. I appreciate that magazines need to make money and the layouts shown are chosen to impress.

Agree also that I prefer looking at the old adverts.

[Pete the Elaner]

20 hours ago, TheQ said:

Whilst I've tried E magazines and Books I've returned to paper. I found I didn't want to sit at a PC to read a magazine,  and on a  tablet they were most unsatisfactory, often almost unreadable.

I have cut down the magazines to RM and when I can get it MRJ.

Same with sailing just down to one magazine now..

 

I agree with this.

Magazines tend to be less opinionated. Those who write in them make more of an effort to give a balanced, subjective view than the average keyboard warrior.

 

So e-magazines v print?

Technically, e-magazines have all the answers. They get rid of any logistics regarding delivery or going out to buy them, take up less space so you can access older articles whenever you want. You can enlarge photos to show that bit of small detail which you really want to see in order to model it correctly.

 

But I enjoy reading a printed magazine much more & I am far more likely to pick up a copy I have read before & re-read an article than I am with something on the computer.

[cypherman]

Hi all,

I subscribe to 3 magazines. I like to be able to take them where ever I go if I want to, And I have never had the battery go flat on a magazine when I was half way through reading them. Plus once I have read them I can pass them on. Not something you can do with electronic media. That does not mean I do not read electronic media. I have over 3000 books in my kindle library. About 50/50 in manuals/history and fiction books. But I still have well over 1000 real paper books as well.

So in reality I like both, But prefer paper copies.

Edited July 16, 2021 by cypherman