Changing times at CTT

[E7]

. I can empathize with those feelings as I look around at this mess .

I resemble that remark

Rich the messy

[webenda]

WAUKESHA — Kalmbach Media will lay off 67 employees by July 1.

Firecrown plans to hire all 67 employees.

Response from Kalmbach staff has been a "mixed bag."

Firecrown Media in Chattanooga is an 11 hour, 703 mile drive south from Kalmbach in Waukesha.

https://www.gmtoday.com/the_freeman/bus ... 88ec6.html

[Neil]

For an interview with the new owner of Kalmbach's train related business, see below. Includes David Popp from the senior Kalmbach leaders.

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/interview ... s-13374006

[up148]

The changing of the "guard" and loss of an icon is always painful. I've read Kalmbach magazines for the better part of 7 decades. Lot's of great memories associated with Kalmbach.

[v8vega]

I don't remember how I got interested in model railroading as a boy but chances are it was through Model Railroading magazine.

[webenda]

For an interview with the new owner of Kalmbach's train related business, see below. Includes David Popp from the senior Kalmbach leaders.

Thank you Neil.

I paraphrase what I thought I heard Craig Fuller explain about the future of Kalmbach's train magazines.

What it (magazines we buy) looked like when we bought it was a cheap magazine, cheap paper, you know just really something real thin and we went to something that looks like... more like a pie. Oh yeah baby, we want something that people can put on their coffee table that the most discerning spouse (cuz I have one I'm sure you guys uh have one as well) yep they want something beautiful they don't want something that looks like a brochure or something that looks like junk and you want something that will stay uh that they can be proud that's being displayed and that's what we want to move model railroad and frankly all of the railroad titles to something that has long-term staying power and it will take us (to huge profits.)

That is what White River Productions did to O Scale Trains (OST.) Ost is now an annual coffee table magazine that costs $34.95 each.

[healey36]

Sounds delusional to me.

[up148]

I have to agree with Healey36. A $35 monthly or even quarterly magazine is nuts. And, these train magazines will never be coffee table type reading material. They make hardback books for that and even those are not appropriate for the coffee table in my house.....my wife would have fought me all the way. This guy is delusional in his thinking......the world has changed and moved on from model railroading.

In the beginning, before color printed magazines, the paper was thin and printing could be rough, but by the mid 60's that was behind us. Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman were great publications. I think the golden days for O scale magazines was when we had OSN and OST and I had subscriptions to both publications.

I had AF trains from the age of 5, but I was introduced to model railroading through the Lynn Westcott article "HO railroad that Grows" that was also published in the "Boys Life" magazine. It was my favorite article in that publication. Lynn Wescott was the perfect ambassador to model railroading for me.

I also think the internet has killed most hobby magazines. I will also go out on a limb and say I think "O Scale Resources" is an incredible fine E-Zine and very close to the good old days of OST and OSN. Nice job Dan and Amy.

[Neil]

They've apparently managed to make the transition with Flying magazine, so we'll have to see what they can do with the Kalmbach products. I have a few years to go on my Model Railroader subscription, so I hope they keep the product coming. I have a collection that includes issues going back 50 to 60 years . Mostly will be recycled by my heirs I'd guess, if not eaten by mice.


Just checked their website, and a year's digital and hard copy subscription is $45, so about $11 an issue. Not out of line for a substantial publication and on-line access. I suspect they might move that way with CTT since it's already only quarterly, and might move that way with MR if advertising tanks.

[up148]

I agree with your thinking Neil on MR and hope they CAN stay viable. It is a great magazine. Many years ago I had a complete library back to issue #1 (which is actually a little cloudy on what came first). But after moving 3-4-5 large banker boxes of these magazines from house to house and not really referring to them any longer I disposed of them.

I think Flying magazine appeals to a much broader group of people than our train magazines. You will see issues of it lying around on tables and counters at almost every FBO (Fixed Base Operation) in the country and racks in book stores etc. I haven't read an issue for years, but they always had great articles about the newest equipment, aircraft and more. But, kind of like most car magazines, the base of readers is not graying, so it will stay vibrant unlike our train hobby.