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Post by Christian on May 1, 2024 12:26:52 GMT -8
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Post by cpr4200 on May 1, 2024 12:41:09 GMT -8
"With the acquisition, Firecrown plans to invest significantly in Trains’ business editorial coverage, increasing the cadence and depth of coverage of the rail industry." I guess Railfan is safe.
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Post by cemr5396 on May 1, 2024 12:44:24 GMT -8
hopefully this means good things for MR and TRAINS.
I haven't bothered to read either in years, because frankly, they sucked.
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Post by keystonefarm on May 1, 2024 13:09:47 GMT -8
The release mentions them looking for a new office site in the Milwaukee area. I wonder if the MR&T will survive the change ? ---- Ken
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Post by grahamline on May 1, 2024 14:15:24 GMT -8
If Kalmbach sold the railroad portfolio and Astronomy, what remains of their publishing products?
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Post by cpr4200 on May 1, 2024 14:34:23 GMT -8
^^^ Only "Discover," it seems. Finescale Modeler went with the train mags.
Interesting that there's not a peep about this on the kalmbach website.
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Post by The Ferro Kid on May 1, 2024 15:42:36 GMT -8
Actually, it's been on the Trains Newswire most of the day:
https:/www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/kalmbach-rail-magazines-trains-com-sold-to-firecrown-media/
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Post by edwardsutorik on May 1, 2024 19:28:35 GMT -8
Kalmbach/NMRA/Walthers
Serious model railroading, back in the day.
Ed
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Post by bnsf971 on May 2, 2024 1:27:46 GMT -8
Kalmbach/NMRA/Walthers Serious model railroading, back in the day. Ed Unfortunately, that day has long passed. |
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Post by Colin 't Hart on May 2, 2024 2:30:44 GMT -8
Kalmbach/NMRA/Walthers Serious model railroading, back in the day. Ed Unfortunately, that day has long passed. I'd agree on the first two, but not the third. |
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Post by bn7023 on May 2, 2024 3:05:00 GMT -8
 Blue: Number of circulation Red: Number of pages in January issue Green: Price of January issue This graph was created in 2010. What is unusual about the company is that a model commemorating the 1000th issue of Trains magazine was put on sale. Since it wasn't the anniversary, I thought it might not exist at the next milestone.  |
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Post by gevohogger on May 2, 2024 3:53:38 GMT -8
"With the acquisition, Firecrown plans to invest significantly in Trains’ business editorial coverage, increasing the cadence and depth of coverage of the rail industry." I guess Railfan is safe. In other words, they are going to keep pushing Trains in the direction of becoming another industry rag, kicking and screaming. Kind of like a dumbed-down Railway Age. |
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Post by cpr4200 on May 2, 2024 4:34:35 GMT -8
Where is that graph from? Somewhere in Asia? Guessing those are MR figures? I don't remember a 250-page MR, but I guess it's possible.
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Post by gevohogger on May 2, 2024 4:36:50 GMT -8
I noticed Firecrown in based in Chattanooga.... That's perfect! Maybe they can buy the NMRA too! |
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Post by cpr4200 on May 2, 2024 4:43:25 GMT -8
Interesting that though the new company seems to have bought all but one of the k's mags, they're not buying the building. Probably much too big for the remaining staff.
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Post by gevohogger on May 2, 2024 4:54:07 GMT -8
Interesting that though the new company seems to have bought all but one of the k's mags, they're not buying the building. Probably much too big for the remaining staff. I wonder how big the staff was/is? I tend to think it's way down from, say, a decade ago. For example, they got rid of all the office ladies and "subscriber services" personnel a few years ago. |
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Post by bn7023 on May 2, 2024 6:15:25 GMT -8
 January 1984 issue (268 pages) and January 2018 issue (64 pages) 396I used the graph in my January 5, 2010 blog post " The last 10 years of Model Railroader magazine." Although it is written in Japanese, I would be happy if you could read it. |
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Post by cpr4200 on May 2, 2024 6:30:37 GMT -8
Wow! I bet that issue was packed with ads, being the 50th anniversary.
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Post by richardthomasatal on May 2, 2024 6:54:48 GMT -8
Kalmbach/NMRA/Walthers Serious model railroading, back in the day. Ed I agree, Kalmbach is toast. The NMRA has resorted to scamming the government for membership fees and seeking internet clout with a new hire that can't seem to focus, and Walthers is investing less in tooling than I have ever seen to pad the pockets of Stacey Walthers and further boost her ego. As for Kalmbach, I wonder how many staff will remain. There's only 1 or 2 I even care for. Many have always had pompous attitudes. |
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Post by cpr4200 on May 2, 2024 6:59:38 GMT -8
"The NMRA has resorted to scamming the government for membership fees..."
Huh? What? How?
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Post by richardthomasatal on May 2, 2024 7:26:50 GMT -8
"The NMRA has resorted to scamming the government for membership fees..." Huh? What? How? The NMRA got added to Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans to get reimbursement for memberships for people my age which is basically medicare age (65+), I got some email about it. They want people to sign up which boosts their income and member numbers and charges the government each time in reimbursement of fees. I suppose it's really not the NMRA's fault but inflation is already rampant and I tire of government handouts being taken advantage of by every company that comes along. I'm sure its a drop in the hat but with each person and company that takes advantage of the government, the larger the deficit grows. |
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Post by prr 4467 on May 2, 2024 7:43:46 GMT -8
I pretty much stopped reading any of those magazines quite some time ago because for the most part they have been horrible. Not at all like they once were.
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Post by NS4122 on May 2, 2024 8:39:39 GMT -8
There is no extra cost to the government. Medicare pays a fixed amount to the advantage plan provider for each enrolled member. If the advantage plan wants to provide NMRA membership reimbursement, that would come out of the providers pocket with at no additional cost to Medicare. "The NMRA has resorted to scamming the government for membership fees..." Huh? What? How? The NMRA got added to Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans to get reimbursement for memberships for people my age which is basically medicare age (65+), I got some email about it. They want people to sign up which boosts their income and member numbers and charges the government each time in reimbursement of fees. I suppose it's really not the NMRA's fault but inflation is already rampant and I tire of government handouts being taken advantage of by every company that comes along. I'm sure its a drop in the hat but with each person and company that takes advantage of the government, the larger the deficit grows. |
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Post by richardthomasatal on May 2, 2024 9:22:33 GMT -8
There is no extra cost to the government. Medicare pays a fixed amount to the advantage plan provider for each enrolled member. If the advantage plan wants to provide NMRA membership reimbursement, that would come out of the providers pocket with at no additional cost to Medicare. The NMRA got added to Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans to get reimbursement for memberships for people my age which is basically medicare age (65+), I got some email about it. They want people to sign up which boosts their income and member numbers and charges the government each time in reimbursement of fees. I suppose it's really not the NMRA's fault but inflation is already rampant and I tire of government handouts being taken advantage of by every company that comes along. I'm sure its a drop in the hat but with each person and company that takes advantage of the government, the larger the deficit grows. Medicare pays a fixed amount for your coverage each month to the company offering your Medicare Advantage Plan. Companies that offer Medicare Advantage Plans must follow rules that Medicare sets. However, each Medicare Advantage Plan can charge different out-of-pocket costs and have different rules for how you get services. But the government has approved and increased the funding for certain hobbies and activities because it adds to quality of life and thus increased what they pay to the companies. So it is coming out of the government one way or another. It's a little bit a pop, I get it. Totally peanuts in the grand scheme of things. I just hate the leaching that goes on, one day enough will be enough and the economy will suffer the consequences. Will the NMRA be the one to break the bank, no. It's just the principle of the matter. |
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Post by loco8107 on May 2, 2024 10:00:52 GMT -8
I pretty much stopped reading any of those magazines quite some time ago because for the most part they have been horrible. Not at all like they once were. True for many reasons but Facebook has replaced modeling articles with room for interaction. |
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Post by jeoffreythecat on May 2, 2024 12:44:37 GMT -8
Rather than conjecture as to why no mention on the website, I went straight to the source. There must have been rumors around the offices about this but the announcement was a complete surprise for the staff.
Hello John, thank you for the note.
No one who works on any of the affected titles knew anything about it until yesterday. From a customer experience perspective, nothing will change. The magazines and website content will continue as before. The new company uses the same customer service platform we do as well.
There is at least one story on Trains.com Newswire that was put up mid-morning yesterday. I’m sure there will be something more in the near future as we, ourselves, are getting to know the new owners.
Thank you for your continued support and best wishes on your endeavors.
Sincerely,
David Popp
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Post by wagnersteve on May 2, 2024 14:26:52 GMT -8
May 2, about 6:20 p.m., EDT
I first saw this thread about 10 p.m. yesterday. Thanks to those who started it and have contributed to it. I have been very busy, mostly with family-related matters, and hadn't spotted the earlier announcement on trains.com. I did my best this morning to alert some others in the hobby who I thought would want to know about what is happening. I first visited Walthers on North Water Street about 1963 and visited Kalmbach, also in downtown Milwaukee, in 1970, meeting David P. Morgan and accompanying either Gordon Odegard or Bill Rau or both on an expedition to Walthers' newer location. The rise of the Internet and the decline of brick and mortar hobby shops have certainly had an impact on the commercial magazines about model and real railroading. I hope the best aspects of Kalmbach's publications can continue and that the quality of the proof- and copyreading in them returns to the nearly flawless state that prevailed decades ago.
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Post by richardthomasatal on May 2, 2024 15:06:35 GMT -8
Rather than conjecture as to why no mention on the website, I went straight to the source. There must have been rumors around the offices about this but the announcement was a complete surprise for the staff. Hello John, thank you for the note. No one who works on any of the affected titles knew anything about it until yesterday. From a customer experience perspective, nothing will change. The magazines and website content will continue as before. The new company uses the same customer service platform we do as well. There is at least one story on Trains.com Newswire that was put up mid-morning yesterday. I’m sure there will be something more in the near future as we, ourselves, are getting to know the new owners. Thank you for your continued support and best wishes on your endeavors. Sincerely, David Popp I'm surprised you got a response, maybe it's a dose of humility for the staff to be going through this. If they just come down from their high horses they could recover from this and possibly improve. There's story on many a forum about how modelers have been ignored via email, photography submissions, and other correspondance. |
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Post by hudsonyard on May 2, 2024 15:07:00 GMT -8
Gordy is trying and is a sharp guy but he doesn't even live in America, i wonder how much of a pulse he has on the hobby here even if he is a younger guy. The NMRAs membership core is literally dying, i don't know a single younger person who is a member for a reason other than they wanted to join a club where membership is required.
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Post by alexandrianick on May 2, 2024 18:16:21 GMT -8
Kalmbach/NMRA/Walthers Serious model railroading, back in the day. Ed I agree, Kalmbach is toast. The NMRA has resorted to scamming the government for membership fees and seeking internet clout with a new hire that can't seem to focus, and Walthers is investing less in tooling than I have ever seen to pad the pockets of Stacey Walthers and further boost her ego. As for Kalmbach, I wonder how many staff will remain. There's only 1 or 2 I even care for. Many have always had pompous attitudes. I'd dispute that Walthers one. They may not be rolling out new rolling stock, but Cornerstone has seen a lot of new tooling in the last few years. |
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