Eastern Railroad Discussion > Railfan plus Classic Trains issues arrive together

I was surprised today for my December Railfan and winter Classic Trains issues to arrive in the same mailing envelope.  WRP plus Firecrown? A merger I hadn't heard about? No evidence of that.  I don't know anything about magazine publishing, but I suppose if they're printed at the same place why not save some postage. But mixing a monthly and a quarterly seems odd.

Thank you for this... I received Classic Trains and Railroad Model Craftsman in the same plastic bag Wednesday, and today received Railpace in a separate mailer. I believe Railpace has always been printed at a different location, but my guess is White River and the former Kalmbach magazines are printed at the same place now...

But that's a complete WAG on my part!

Today I got my Classic Trains and MRC in same bag. I too assume that they are printed at same printer but kind of weird to have two companies in same bag. As long as they continue without raising rates, I guess that's what is more important.

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White River recently changed printers. Since then my Railpace has been going to my son's address. I have subscribed for over 20 years and we don't know how they even got my son's address. I'm thinking a similar situation where perhaps, as my son and I both go by the same middle name, and we both are members of the Sports Car Club of America, and the SCCA too, recently changed printers, that the printer may have merged our addresses. I've contacted WRP and have changed my address to my first name, whicn is diferent and we expect December's publication will arrive here and not an hour's drive away at my son's home! All dumb as heck.
Gonut
 

For years we've long been used to run-through power from separate railroads on the same train.  But run-through magazines from two different companies in the same envelope?  LOL.  

We are lucky there are any printed magazines to get...if they all come in one bag, at least they come!

My Model Railroader and Trains used to come in the same plastic bag.  They arrived in perfect condition.  Then the bags stopped and
the magazines had to fend for themselves and that's when the covers often got mutilated.  So I'm glad to see the clear bags again.
I assume the cost to mail a single mag vs 2 in the same bag is probably the same or not much more for 2.
Frank30 (Boston)

Frank30 Wrote:
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> I assume the cost to mail a single mag vs 2 in the
> same bag is probably the same or not much more for

That's the likely answer here. It's called co-mingling and has to be agreed to by the different mailers (publishers), and also handled by the same printer/mailer. The companies get a break on mailing costs and they assume the end customers don't mind. Your weekly "junk" mail group is a good example of co-mingling with the smaller pieces placed inside the larger outside piece, usually a tabloid folded ad from your local grocery store.

JG



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/24 16:57 by jgilmore.

I had the same experience and reaction. Meanwhile, the latest issue of Trains came just a few days later on its own, commando, in fine shape.

My wife got her Midwest Living magazine in a bag addressed to her.
She wanted to know what this railroad s@@t was doing in with her magazine