# Railroad Model Craftsman vs Model Railroader



## DT&I (Dec 6, 2013)

I was a longtime subscriber to RMC (from 1971-1985), and I was wondered how they stack up against each other nowadays


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

I like them both! MRC tends to have more prototype photos.


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

RMC also seems to have more construction type articles.


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## DT&I (Dec 6, 2013)

I can't get over how much subscriptions cost nowadays. think it was like 12 a year the last time I renewed RMC. I still have most of those issues


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

They serve two different purposes so it depends on what you want to do with your models.
MR is better for all around info, benchwork, wiring, scenes, etc. 
MRC is better for those looking for more specific/ detailed modeling of rolling stock. 

At least that's how I see it. I flip through my dads RMC every month but prefer to sit down and read MR because that's where I am as a modeler.


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## dannyrandomstate (Jan 1, 2012)

DT&I said:


> I can't get over how much subscriptions cost nowadays. think it was like 12 a year the last time I renewed RMC. I still have most of those issues


http://http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/

It's free!


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## DT&I (Dec 6, 2013)

dannyrandomstate said:


> http://http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/
> 
> It's free!


impressive 
thanks for the link


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

I get both. Unfortunately I wait a year or two for each issue. Someone keeps donating them at my churches rummage sale. I buy 20-30 of them at a time at 10 cents each.


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## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

i ordered MR & TRAINS & next week im ordering MRC they are scratchbuilt & project vs just pushing the sponsers lol,


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I stopped subscribing to MR when the price went over $25 a year. I think it's up to $45 now and considering the amount of VERY expensive advertising they have in each issue it's hard to imagine why the subscription price is so high as well as the news stand price. I have no idea of the cost of producing such a magazine but it must be pretty high or they must be making tons of money on every issue. After all how do you think Publishers Clearing House can afford to give away millions of dollars every year? It's from magazine subscriptions. The public would be better served if they cut the price of the rag instead of giving away all that money to avoid taxes. Pete


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

MR is in my local library. 
I have noticed a lot of N scale articles in recent issues. If there's that much interest in N scale, which there appears to be, there should be a magazine devoted to N scale and leave us HO'ers alone...just sayin'


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Now,now Jack. You have to play nice and share the space with others ya know. Pete


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

Model railroad craftsman also has an app that’s free to download and they upload monthly. I believe you have access to years worth of magazines on there too. I also watch the what’s neat on YouTube. Ken Patterson seems to be quite the modeler himself


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

It got me again with an old post. I’m an idiot apparently


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

my impression is RMC is more about building more detailed models of structures and as someone put it, MR is more general.

at least in the past, Linn Westcott had articles on innovative electronics including the transistor throttle. While i've seen a couple electronic and Arduino articles in MR, i think they were very poor. MR seems to focus on layout tours and building model structures or detailed rolling stock.

however, the past two issues of MR had articles by tony koester on staging and proto vs freelance layouts

ironically, a few years ago RMC had a series on signaling by Bruce Chubb. the first few articles described signaling concepts and were informative. the later articles discussed implementation in software and i thought were meandering.

in a recent thread on the MR forum, it was emphasized that readers should write the types of articles they want to read. but my opinion is that the MR staff doesn't understand technology well enough to properly judge, edit and present more technical articles

joe F from MRH recently reported that he felt readers are most interested in scenery/weathering and 2nd in DCC and wiring tricks. i was surprised to see an article i wrote describing a simplified block detector posted on MRH, but their editor removed the description of the circuit and edited it to emphasize how to build it.


i'm learring more about model railroading from fellow modelers than from magazines, forums and websites. i think their perspectives come from the NMRA and i recently joined. i let my RMC subscription lapse a few years ago and don't plan on renewing my MR subscription.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

gregc said:


> at least in the past, Linn Westcott had articles on innovative electronics including the transistor throttle. While i've seen a couple electronic and Arduino articles in MR, i think they were very poor. MR seems to focus on layout tours and building model structures or detailed rolling stock.
> 
> in a recent thread on the MR forum, it was emphasized that readers should write the types of articles they want to read. but my opinion is that the MR staff doesn't understand technology well enough to properly judge, edit and present more technical articles
> 
> i'm learring more about model railroading from fellow modelers than from magazines, forums and websites. i think their perspectives come from the NMRA and i recently joined. i let my RMC subscription lapse a few years ago and don't plan on renewing my MR subscription.


I think you're missing the big picture here, although you did say it in your first paragraph (which I didn't quote). MR is, by design and intent, a General Interest publication that is trying to appeal to hobbyists of all levels. They deliberately shy away from the niche and narrow interest topics, not because they lack the technical expertise, but because they don't believe that there is a broad enough interest.

Personally, I think it's a mistake to believe that there is "one true source" of hobby wisdom out there. That's why I subscribe to MR, MRH, and Trains, as well as participating in on-line and in-person discussions and joining a Friends association for my local tourist road.. Of course, what's right for me won't be right for everyone.


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