Western Railroad Discussion > Magazine Merger

Railroads Ilustrated Merging with Railfan & Railroad magazine, Please do not kill the messenger.. Se
https://www.whiteriverproductions.com/shopcontent.asp?type=BetterTogether

Sneebly

Not exactly surprising. Carstens did the same thing when they merged Railroad Magazine and Railfan many years ago...

Looks like the Railfan & Railroad name will continue, and the Railroads Illustrated name will be dropped. TRP will stay on as the Classic Railroads kind of magazine.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

My question was what happened to 'CTC Board', but this Wiki explains the name heritage:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroads_Illustrated

Agree, not surprising. In one of my posts during the Carstens shutdown of R & R I mentioned that White River would be a logical purchaser (before it was announced) of R & R and merge it with Illustrated.

Also said the possibility of merging RMC and MRN existed but thst has not happened.

TRP was a surprise purchase during this timeframe. I have been a longtime reader of all these magazines and have to say I am glad that TRP has remained separate.

Jay
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Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/14 16:47 by garr.

I was a subscriber to the original Railroad Magazine, in its death throws I would receive every few months a mail solicitation to renew early for ridiculously low rates, I dutifully took advantage of these offers to the point where I likely had a 10 year subscription, I was also a charter subscriber to Railfan, and boy I had it made when Railfan took over Railroad and honored dual subscribers by extending their Railfan subscriptions issue for issue for what they had left on their Railroad subscription, I bet I went well over 10 years and never had to renew. As a RR's Illustrated and Railfan & RR subscriber its deja vu all over again for me.

Railroads Illustrated Magazine is NOT going out of business. RRI, TRP, and R&R will all be under WRP management.

Carl Graves, Lawrence, KS

EastKSRailfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Railroads Illustrated Magazine is NOT going out of
> business. RRI, TRP, and R&R will all be under WRP
> management.

No one is saying it will go out of business, but the announcement on the WRP website clearly states that Railroads Illustrated name will go away effective January 2015 issue when its content is combined with Railfan and Railroad. Its like the Southern Pacific merged in the Union Pacific. Sure the SP didn't go out of business, but the name was dropped for the longer living and more recognized name.

RF&RR was getting pretty skimpy. Perhaps this will add content.

So... what exactly is "TRP"?
Thanks,
Gonut

Just put one big magazine out a month

Gonut1 Wrote:
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> So... what exactly is "TRP"?
> Thanks,
> Gonut

The Railroad Press.

I'll sadly miss Railroads Illustrated as much as I miss the SP and D&RG.

I am surprised they consolidated - the magazines had their own unique
appeal and characteristics. I always looked at R&R as Railfan heavy
while RI had an emphasis on photography - maybe TRP would've been better
merged with RI.

I hope we get to see both old and especially new authors and photographers
within the pages of the new magazine - variety has always been the spice
of life.

Now - just too bad RI diverted owed payments back to Carstens...

/Mitch

Hmmm, my question is what the business model is for the combined publication. Glossy, heavy paper with really good photo reproduction? Can I hope? I've read every issue of RF & RR since it started back in the 70's, but I have to admit the thin paper and so-so photo reproduction was a big turn off.

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hmmm, my question is what the business model is
> for the combined publication. Glossy, heavy paper
> with really good photo reproduction? Can I hope?
> I've read every issue of RF & RR since it started
> back in the 70's, but I have to admit the thin
> paper and so-so photo reproduction was a big turn
> off.

BAck in the 1950s, Trains had a lifetime subscription for something like $75. I didn't have that kind of money but some friends did subscribe and as far as I know are still getting the mag under that deal. I can think of at least five still around and receiving it every month. Such a deal, as my Dad used to say.

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hmmm, my question is what the business model is
> for the combined publication. Glossy, heavy paper
> with really good photo reproduction? Can I hope?
> I've read every issue of RF & RR since it started
> back in the 70's, but I have to admit the thin
> paper and so-so photo reproduction was a big turn
> off.

And the ink that came off on your fingers.

The quality of paper on the just received R&R is noticeably better and heavier than the stuff Carstens was using. If they continue, it has the potential to enhance the photography.

just rec my next issue of railfan I guess its for 4 months, also a subscriber sincefirst issue and a subscriber of railroad mag back to 1967

WRP did a great job bringing back Passenger Train Journal a few years ago (and continuing it to this day). Sounds like they are doing the same with the revived R&R...