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Informative December MRR Magazine items
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#1 Posted : 21 December 2017 18:24:35(UTC)
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kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,101
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
I've put this in general MRR as I couldn't think where else to put it.

Went to my local stationary/magazine shop yesterday and picked up a couple of MRR magazines which interested me.

First one was the December 2017 issue of the American magazine Model Railroader. This issue particularly interested me as it had an article on producing a stucco finish similar to that seen on some Faller models. In the article it is done using a spray on adhesive 3M Super 77. The author discovered the possibility by accident (isn't that the case for a lot of modelling ?). The pictures in the article show a very credible stucco finish once the glue has been allowed to dry for a few days and then painted over. You may be lucky to still find a copy of this issue in your model shop or magazine shop.

The other find was the December 2017 issue of Continental Modeller, which came with a small Auhagen HO kit as a gift on the cover. Apparently there was a choice of three kits, but I had a choice of one as it was the last copy. My kit is for a couple of small sheds, and outside toilet and a manual water pump, the value of the kit would be about the cost of the magazine, £4.95 in the UK. The other two kits were a workmans mobile hut (similar to what is often termed a shepherds hut), and a bicycle stand with corrugated iron shed, again both kids would have been a similar value. It may still be possible to find these at your dealer as well.

Both well worth looking out for, if you can spot them.
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Offline Unholz  
#2 Posted : 20 March 2018 13:29:55(UTC)
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Unholz

Switzerland   
Joined: 29/07/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,392
Location: Switzerland
I'm posting this here because I also didn't find any other suitable topic. Sorry.

Do any of our U.S. members have an experience with the subscription department of Kalmbach MRR magazine publications? I have been a subscriber to "Model Railroader" for ages, and usually my wife renews the subscription for two years in advance as a gift. This year, the renewal was done and paid for on February 8. However, today I received approximately the fourth (!) "expiration alert" demanding "immediate action" and informing me that they supposedly haven't received my subscription renewal. However, according to my online account management site for Model Railroader, everything is fine and the payment for the next 24 issues is confirmed there.

Do these guys have a reputation for having a mess in their bookkeeping or do they routinely send out renewal notices in the hope that somebody is alarmed and thus pays twice?

And BTW, there is not even an email contact address on their expiration alert! Cursing Do they actually live in the 21st century? And no, I certainly don't feel inclined to make an expensive phone call from here to 813-910-3616. Mad

Märklin is often criticized here for their customer service, but to me things in the U.S. do not seem to be entirely superior. Crying
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Offline RayF  
#3 Posted : 20 March 2018 14:00:10(UTC)
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RayF

Gibraltar   
Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC)
Posts: 15,839
Location: Gibraltar, Europe
Originally Posted by: kiwiAlan Go to Quoted Post
I've put this in general MRR as I couldn't think where else to put it.

Went to my local stationary/magazine shop yesterday and picked up a couple of MRR magazines which interested me.

First one was the December 2017 issue of the American magazine Model Railroader. This issue particularly interested me as it had an article on producing a stucco finish similar to that seen on some Faller models. In the article it is done using a spray on adhesive 3M Super 77. The author discovered the possibility by accident (isn't that the case for a lot of modelling ?). The pictures in the article show a very credible stucco finish once the glue has been allowed to dry for a few days and then painted over. You may be lucky to still find a copy of this issue in your model shop or magazine shop.

The other find was the December 2017 issue of Continental Modeller, which came with a small Auhagen HO kit as a gift on the cover. Apparently there was a choice of three kits, but I had a choice of one as it was the last copy. My kit is for a couple of small sheds, and outside toilet and a manual water pump, the value of the kit would be about the cost of the magazine, £4.95 in the UK. The other two kits were a workmans mobile hut (similar to what is often termed a shepherds hut), and a bicycle stand with corrugated iron shed, again both kids would have been a similar value. It may still be possible to find these at your dealer as well.

Both well worth looking out for, if you can spot them.



Hi Alan, Sorry hadn't noticed this until now!

I have the one with the Bike stand and shed. Recently I was in a model shop in Dorchester and they had the December issue of CM with a fourth, totally different Auhagen kit. I would have bought it but I was in a bit of a hurry. Unfortunately I can't remember what the kit was for.
Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways
Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
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Offline DB Fan  
#4 Posted : 20 March 2018 14:53:07(UTC)
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DB Fan

United States   
Joined: 01/03/2016(UTC)
Posts: 265
Location: Colorado
Originally Posted by: Unholz Go to Quoted Post
I'm posting this here because I also didn't find any other suitable topic. Sorry.

Do any of our U.S. members have an experience with the subscription department of Kalmbach MRR magazine publications? I have been a subscriber to "Model Railroader" for ages, and usually my wife renews the subscription for two years in advance as a gift. This year, the renewal was done and paid for on February 8. However, today I received approximately the fourth (!) "expiration alert" demanding "immediate action" and informing me that they supposedly haven't received my subscription renewal. However, according to my online account management site for Model Railroader, everything is fine and the payment for the next 24 issues is confirmed there.

Do these guys have a reputation for having a mess in their bookkeeping or do they routinely send out renewal notices in the hope that somebody is alarmed and thus pays twice?

And BTW, there is not even an email contact address on their expiration alert! Cursing Do they actually live in the 21st century? And no, I certainly don't feel inclined to make an expensive phone call from here to 813-910-3616. Mad

Märklin is often criticized here for their customer service, but to me things in the U.S. do not seem to be entirely superior. Crying


I would make sure that it is a legitimate e-mail from Kalmbach and not spam to get your info. I’m getting lately some similar emails from other companies that I didn’t had dealings with at all and I just deleted them. If it is from a company I have dealt with in the past I ether call or email to clarify if they sent the email. I had good experiences with MRR in the past. Because the email is ether spam or automated you won’t have a return email. I would go to they’re website and use the contact us email to make sure if everything is fine or if there is a problem. Hope this helps.

Happy Model Railroading

Robert
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Offline Unholz  
#5 Posted : 20 March 2018 15:33:26(UTC)
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Unholz

Switzerland   
Joined: 29/07/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,392
Location: Switzerland
Originally Posted by: DB Fan Go to Quoted Post

I would make sure that it is a legitimate e-mail from Kalmbach and not spam to get your info. I’m getting lately some similar emails from other companies that I didn’t had dealings with at all and I just deleted them.

Oops, sorry - I must clarify that the regular messages I am getting from Kalmbach are traditional LETTERS (the paper stuff that is delivered to mailboxes), so I assume that they are genuine. Wink

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Offline Rwill  
#6 Posted : 20 March 2018 15:58:52(UTC)
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Rwill

United Kingdom   
Joined: 04/05/2015(UTC)
Posts: 777
Location: England, London
I am a subscriber to CM so I receive my monthly copy a few days early. I got the bike shed thingy and I hate to admit it its still in the packet awaiting a rainy day. A couple of years back Railway Modeller gave a small freebie of a Metcalfe Models hut and the marketing worked - I bought half a dozen full size kits over the next year. Now we are on the topic I have a couple of views. 1) The title Continental Modeller to me indicates the continent of Europe and that has been the case in the past. However recently the content has skewed across the ocean to the other continent USA. Although I have passing interest in these matters and will read the articles it is not my primary interest so I sometimes get a bit fed up. and 2) the just out April edition has "extra pages" to cover the first of two articles on the Nuremberg show. Now I know the age old problem of lead times for printed matter but Nuremberg feels like ages ago over and forgotten.
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Offline AtlanticMan  
#7 Posted : 20 March 2018 16:15:54(UTC)
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AtlanticMan

United States   
Joined: 07/02/2017(UTC)
Posts: 17
Location: New Jersey
This is a footnote to the topic, but for me Model Railroader from Kalmbach just does not have the 'magic' and coverage that it once had. Its circulation has fallen considerably in recent years. I do not like to criticize, but last year MR made a big deal about its '1000th issue'. I looked forward to it, but for many including myself it was a disappointment esp after all the hype that it was given. The issue went into my recycling bin! I always look forward to buying the UK and German language model railroad magazines whenever I am in the UK or in Europe. John
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Offline RayF  
#8 Posted : 20 March 2018 16:31:04(UTC)
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RayF

Gibraltar   
Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC)
Posts: 15,839
Location: Gibraltar, Europe
Originally Posted by: Rwill Go to Quoted Post
I am a subscriber to CM so I receive my monthly copy a few days early. I got the bike shed thingy and I hate to admit it its still in the packet awaiting a rainy day. A couple of years back Railway Modeller gave a small freebie of a Metcalfe Models hut and the marketing worked - I bought half a dozen full size kits over the next year. Now we are on the topic I have a couple of views. 1) The title Continental Modeller to me indicates the continent of Europe and that has been the case in the past. However recently the content has skewed across the ocean to the other continent USA. Although I have passing interest in these matters and will read the articles it is not my primary interest so I sometimes get a bit fed up. and 2) the just out April edition has "extra pages" to cover the first of two articles on the Nuremberg show. Now I know the age old problem of lead times for printed matter but Nuremberg feels like ages ago over and forgotten.


I tend to agree with you about CM.

I've just finished reading the March CM and found it slightly tedious. I enjoy the articles most when they are about German, Swiss, French, Austrian etc railways. I like to see subjects I am familiar with because it's what I model or something I would like to model in the future.

I too have only a passing interest in US railroads, and even less so the switching puzzle type of layout. However I do find I am fascinated by the large basement layouts where trains actually go from one large station to another through spectacular scenery, but these are few and far between.

Recently also there have been endless articles on highly realistic, extensively weathered old buildings. I tire of reading how to make lumps of rusty iron sticking out of the side of a building where broken shutters are about to fall off! These articles only make my own pathetic attempts look highly inadequate...Blushing

BTW, I also have the Bike shed kit still waiting in my cupboard for a rainy day. BigGrin
Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways
Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
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Offline mike c  
#9 Posted : 20 March 2018 18:44:50(UTC)
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mike c

Canada   
Joined: 28/11/2007(UTC)
Posts: 7,890
Location: Montreal, QC
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Offline rbw993  
#10 Posted : 20 March 2018 19:13:36(UTC)
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rbw993

United States   
Joined: 19/08/2008(UTC)
Posts: 955
I have no interest in CM articles on american railroading, either continent. I have complained about it to them and if it gets any worse will won't renew my subscription. It does seem that there is considerable interest in North American railroading in the UK if the advertisements are a good indication so I assume this is why they publish these articles in CM.

Regards,
Roger
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Offline Unholz  
#11 Posted : 21 March 2018 10:01:31(UTC)
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Unholz

Switzerland   
Joined: 29/07/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,392
Location: Switzerland
Originally Posted by: mike c Go to Quoted Post

I hope that this helps

Thanks Mike. I used the contact form you provided and have now received the following answer:
Quote:
We have received/processed your renewal order on February 8, 2018 We appreciate this opportunity to be of service.

Great...Blink ThumbDown Yeah, I know that I paid. What I really wanted to know is why they keep hounding me with messages such as "Your subscription is about to expire" although I already paid.

Strange company... Angry
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Offline Dreadnought  
#12 Posted : 21 March 2018 14:11:14(UTC)
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Dreadnought

Canada   
Joined: 24/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 418
Location: Niagara, Ontario
Hello Unholz,

I have had subscriptions to various magazines in both North America and Europe. In my experience North American ones start sending renewal notices a good six months before the expiry of the subscription. One magazine i used to receive was a gift subscription, and I would get renewal notices for it, even though someone else was paying for it. My European subscriptions send one renewal, and if you forget to do it, too bad, no more reminders.

Happiness would be something in the middle, say two or three reminders.

Welcome to the North American subscription madness.

D
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Offline AtlanticMan  
#13 Posted : 21 March 2018 15:49:18(UTC)
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AtlanticMan

United States   
Joined: 07/02/2017(UTC)
Posts: 17
Location: New Jersey
A few years ago Carstens (publisher of RMC) went belly up altho White River took over that magazine. I always liked RMC, but today it has become hard to find. As much as I have enjoyed over the years MR and Trains magazines from Kalmbach, I think that today Kalmbach is facing major declines in circulation and advertising revenue for both MR and Trains. I note that today Trains has only a few advertisers (from the rr industry) which I consider to be institutional or courtesy advertisers in the sense that readers including myself are not to going to buy the advertised products (like a locomotive or transit cars!). John
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Offline 5HorizonsRR  
#14 Posted : 21 March 2018 17:22:37(UTC)
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5HorizonsRR

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 2,864
Location: CA, USA
if you are worried about them not receiving your renewal- I wouldn't panic yet. Many times a 3rd party handles the renewal annoyances, and they send things (via a heavily discounted international rate that ships SLOWLY), before they get the kalmbach update that you have renewed.
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