R.I.P. Model Railroad Craftsmen 1933/2014

[PlymouthStationGuy]

this was on Carsten Publication Facebook page
It is with regret that Carstens Publications, Inc. will be closing permanently at close of business on Friday, August 22, 2014. Carstens Publications, Inc. has been a leading publisher of leading hobby magazines for over 50 years. Unfortunately the current economic climate has placed us in this position. Discussion is continuing with several parties who expressed desire to take on the continuance of the magazines. At this point there is still hope that all three titles will remain in existence. But I can offer no guarantees. We thank you for your patronage over the years, and wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.
–Henry R. Carstens, President
Carstens Publications, Inc

[AARR]

http://carstens-publications.com/ I don't subscribe to any of their publications but occasionally pick up a book or magazine like Railfan Railroad.

[PlymouthStationGuy]

I like RMC a little better than MR. RMC printed more plans for structures than MR did even back in 60s and 70s

[12Bridge]

Model Railroader has sucked lately. It might still have its place for the beginner, etc, but it will never be what RMC was. The loss of RMC will leave a large void in the hobby, and I hope it can be picked up. Railfan & Railroad, I have mixed feelings for. 6$ for a 50 some page magazine, with OK articles, and news thats already months out of date, really never caught my appeal. I think the last issue I got...is one that had my photo in it 2 years ago. Ill stick to TRP or RR's Illustrated.

[hoborich]

Subscriptions don't pay the rent and electric bill. It's the ads that produce a profit. And in a tough economy, ads are the first to be cut back.

[GTW6401]

They had plenty of advertising in Railfan and Railroad. The first quarter of every issue was mostly advertising.

I had my first article published in Railfan & Railroad in 2013, so I'm happy they gave me a chance and published my work. Its disappointing to see them going out of business, but im also not that surprised either. They gave me a free year subscription but I chose not to renew due to a lack of content that interested me.

Carstens sent me 4 or 5 renew notices in the last few months trying to keep me on board. They were also having issues just getting the magazines out - I didn't receive the final 3 issues. In the end I couldn't justify spending the money anymore and now it appears that I made a wise decision and wont have to worry about getting those charges off my credit card.

[TrainWatcher]

RMC was good in the late 90's and 2000's. Recently, they got to have articles that did not capture my attention, and seemed to be borderline old timey, with no real new information on new railcars for modern modeling or products. MR has always been ad ridden, but I am glad to see it has been toned down from "for more on this story buy such and such book for $25.95 etc...". I am much more likely to pick up a issue of MR versus RMC. I was a subscriber, but as Steve said, once I didn't get issues due to "printing" I was figuring the writing was on the wall. None of the well known modelers even seemed to write articles like Pelle Soeberg, and those on the newer face of model railroading. You need to have well known people stand behind your magazine, and after Allen McCllend and Tony Koester went to MR, RMC was doomed, and they did not seem to care.

[fmilhaupt]

Well, as a number of us had pretty much expected, White River Productions has purchased RMC and Railfan & Railroad from Carstens and will be resuming publication.

According to the press release, they'll honor existing subscriptions.

http://www.modelrailroadnews.com/PDF/WR ... 140829.pdf