More recommended reading

[Jeff]

I've nevrr seen a really good YP&R layout.  The closest was the one in 101 Track Plans. Even then it felt too generic.

[RhB_HJ]

Nope, I'm sticking with the RhB.

What I'm mulling over is doing a WP&YR track plan in large scale using the footprint of our garden, including even the portions that are still lawn. Yep, lots and lots of rock along the WP&YR.
When the US Army took over operations during WW2 they brought in all kinds of equipment from the 48 states from some most unlikely railroad. that would make one very interesting era. Later (1952) WP&YR originated the container on rail traffic, then came the diesels. That would make another era. The third era could be today's tourist operation.
A very versatile concept if you ask me and rocks galore! 

[Jeff]

Not only that, but you don't hsve to mow the yard if it's all rocks!!!! Brilliant!!!!

[RhB_HJ]

There is less lawn to mow every year - e.g none at all out the front - and by the time I'm done with the railroad there will be very, very little to cut out the back. Expanding the "low maintenance" ground cover is a big selling feature in this household!

[RhB_HJ]

Somewhere on here there's a recommendation (Jeff's) for "TRAINS Special-Extra 2013  Railroad Maps". Very, very interesting, but it will take time studying the maps and text to do it justice!
No, I'm not going NorthAmerican, but I sure appreciate info that can readily be used for layout planning. 

[Jeff]

There aren't as many sources as one would like that are worthwhile and easy to use. I really like the tax maps, but the cost is ridiculous.

I'm afraid that model railroaders aren't a big enough market. I think that the fact that there are still two different major mrr mags is a testament to how dedicated we all are to our hobby.

[Mike from CT]

There aren't as many sources as one would like that are worthwhile and easy to use. I really like the tax maps, but the cost is ridiculous.

I'm afraid that model railroaders aren't a big enough market. I think that the fact that there are still two different major mrr mags is a testament to how dedicated we all are to our hobby.

If you think reading the tax maps is expensive, try paying the taxes.....


But the real reason for this response is that there are more than two model railroading magazines - Model Railroader and Model Railroad Craftsman are probably the best known pair, but there are various scale-specific magazines and then there's the latest entry, the *free* online Model Railroad Hobbyist that's actually a great source for serous modelers.

[RhB_HJ]

There are oodles of MRR mags in different languages. Most with good content and a lot of neat ideas.

[Jeff]

Yes, Mike, I know there's more than two in our country. I said "major". I meant 'national distribution, monthly, and a long track record'. I can't comment on those in other countries, since most of us, before the internet, would never get to see a copy. If then. How many major mrr mags are there in Canada? Or Mexico, for that matter? I know that Britain has had at least two, but I don't know if that's still true today. Despite feeling close to model railroaders globally, I think most of us tend to do our reading 'locally'. An excellent piece of software like AR can do more to give us an idea of what's going on in other countries than anything else.

Oh, and we don't pay as much in taxes. We don't live in your high-rent, horse country neighborhood :-) .

[RhB_HJ]

The problem is "monthly" doesn't necessarily mean top quality. Some mags re-hash plenty of stuff and their main concern is advertising, that's where the money is.

[Jeff]

H-J, anything you have to do to keep a printed medium afloat these days...

[chaz]

This site has a lot of old magazines online.  Careful, you can get lost in here for days.

Railmodel Journal
Model Railroading
Railnews
Pacific Railnews
Model Builder
Pacific News
1001 Model Railroading Ideas
Prototype Modeler
Great World of Model Railroading

http://www.trainlife.com/magazines

[RhB_HJ]

Thanks chaz! That's a great find. 

[Jeff]

Yipes! I actually remember a few of those on the news-stand

Not that all of them were worth reading, but I guess you never know what will spark an idea for use at home.

[glakedylan]

i myself tend to find really helpful stuff in the SIG publications, especially Layout Design SIG and Operations SIG. The others seem like a place for marketing by companies providing modeling resources with little content that is other than repititive and within the 4x8 plywood table top layouts.

just peace,
Gary