Model Railroading > Neil Besougloff no longer at Model Railroader

Not sure the details, but he is out as editor. I rather liked his musings at the
start of each MR issue. This must be a demanding job. The business end of
model trains is probably not as much fun a modeling them.

Stay hard, Neil

Who's assuming the role of Editor? Anyone know?

Rick Selby
Redmond, WA
Pacific Northwest RPM

RAS Wrote:
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> Who's assuming the role of Editor? Anyone know?

Hall Miller is named as replacement according to a post in MR forums.

Cheers, Jim

Posted from Android

That is rather sudden

Good. I didn't think he had a lot of insight into scale modeling. I believe he came from Garden Railways mag?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/17 21:09 by CPR_4000.

Here is some additional detail posted at MR Forums:

>Well here's the source of the rumor from a contributing editor at MR.

>"This morning Cody, Kent and Drew picked me up at my hotel to go on a rail fan/research trip in the area before my meetings at the Kalmbach offices. Kent works for MR Video Plus so of course every move was recorded. He even had a GoPro mounted on the windshield of the car pointing at my face :-) We had a great time and apparently the CN use their Tier 4's a lot. One train had one as second unit and another had one as lead engine. We also drove by Neil's house so I could say proper good bye to him. To you who don't know, Neil Besougloff was laid off just before I left for my trip. It was a chock to everybody, Neil included. In the afternoon I had a meeting the new editor Hal Miller and he told me that nothing will change regarding me. They still want me to contribute to the magazine as much as I can so you have to put up with me a little longer"

Cheers, Jim Fitch

I thought the magazine had become better under Neil in the past couple of years at presenting more complex modeling projects and had pumped some new life into its interminable project layouts. I'm sorry to see him depart. My understanding is that he was within a couple of years of retirement, but being booted with little warning is pretty harsh. Best of luck to him in whatever he chooses to do next.

Obviously, a reply to the thinning of "Model Railroader" as a magazine and the resurgence of "Model Railroad Craftsman". Kalmbach is losing market share, not only in the printed media realm but in the video market as well. What MR needs is fresh, young blood to take on the entire competition in both areas. To those people that say that the entire hobby of model railroading is dying ....IT IS as we in the past have known it. What IS replacing it is a new generation of younger people who are TIRED old seeing the same ol'crap re hashed in a new way and spoon fed to us. It happened at Athearn with the introduction of Scale Trains (THANK GOD) and has made EVERYONE pick up their game. It's happening in the railroading media as well and WILL happen in the future as model railroading continues to evolve with progress.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/17 09:08 by gandydancer4.

grahamline Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thought the magazine had become better under
> Neil in the past couple of years at presenting
> more complex modeling projects and had pumped some
> new life into its interminable project layouts.
> I'm sorry to see him depart. My understanding is
> that he was within a couple of years of
> retirement, but being booted with little warning
> is pretty harsh. Best of luck to him in whatever
> he chooses to do next.

That is my impression too. While I hadn't subscribed in many years, Neil seemed a likable guy and was doing a fair job under difficult circumstances. It did seem rather harsh and poor the way it was handled by the publisher considering his 20 year tenure.

Ultimately, MR does seem to need a new direction and a departure from the past modus operandi if it is going to salvage it's reputation and revitalize itself. Management seems to think a change in editorial leadership is part a necessity to shake things up and change direction. It does seem like it could have been handled better rather than an unceremonious, pack your office up and get out. Of course we weren't there but that is how things appear from the outside.

Cheers, Jim Fitch

Unfortunately that is the modern way in business -"Here is a box, put your things in it, and Security will escort you from the premises - your check will follow in the post" I don't think he was the worlds greatest (although I thought he was better than TT who really was dreadful!) but the quality and quantity of MR has been going very rapidly downhill for a good while. I honestly am surprised they made it to Issue #1000, and seriously expect it will become an internet only, subscription magazine inside the next couple of years - I seriously doubt that it will still be in existence by 2022. Shame - it really needs to lose its focus on huge layouts in basements and start catering for the space-starved, modern railroader/customer. I suspect that poor old AL Kalmbach is spinning very rapidly in his grave. - OOOPs, that will have got me banned from contributing letters again!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/17 09:50 by shortliner.

Sure he didnt quit? I have seen more in depth modeling projects since he took over. And saw some issues look more like the days of old when youcould get articles of all levels. Could he have been pushing for more in that direction and the higher ups said no so he quit before it falls apart?

HB90MACH Wrote:
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> Sure he didnt quit?

The comments posted at MR were reportedly from contributing editor Pelle, who commented on first hand account activities. I'm not sure where they were pulled from, but I would guess possibly Facebook. The topic at MR where this was posted this morning was removed now. Here is an excerpt from the account posted at MR and earlier in this topic:

"We also drove by Neil's house so I could say proper good bye to him. To you who don't know, Neil Besougloff was laid off just before I left for my trip. It was a shock to everybody, Neil included."

Based on the contributing editors comments above, it doesn't sound like he quit.

This was posted on the DCCguy.com website June 27
"After a 20 year career with Kalmbach Neil Besougloff has written his last editorial and is headed for retirement in Mexico. Neil was the editor of Model Railroader for the last 10 years and was editor of Classic Toy Trains for 10 years prior to that. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Neil over the last four years and can truthfully say this website would not exist if not for him giving me the opportunity to write for Model Railroader magazine. Each year for some time Neil and his wife have spent a couple weeks in Mexico and love it so much they have plans to retire there as soon as their Wisconsin home is sold. I’ll miss our conversations and his easy going attitude. Hasta luego amigo–Larry

I'm surprised he is retiring into Mexico. With all I have heard over the years, I'm not sure I'd feel secure there - there is a lot of things going on there that I read about that would give me pause. But maybe Neil has found a location and community he feels comfortable with. Just don't cross paths with any dodgy Federali's or bad hombre's!

After re-thinking my last post, I would LOVE to see our friends at White River Productions take this over and merge it into Rail Model Craftsmen. Much the Railroad Magazine and Railfan magazine were merged to become "Railfan and Railroad". I seriously doubt if there is actual room for TWO model railroad magazines of similar caliber. A combination would bring QUALITY AND QUANTITY to BOTH magazines. Hell, it worked for the 6 Class 1s.....

You may be right. Or it may just come down to seeing which one survives, which isn't necessarily best.

Some thoughts about Model Railroader.

The hobby continues to change. Anyone remember the article perhaps 40+ years ago about mixing asbestos fibers into plaster to make scenery?

Any magazine needs contributors to publish. What kind of articles are being submitted these days?

Has anyone submitted how to articles about hosting Prototype Model meets or about the ins and outs of Free-mo modeling and setting up displays, etc.

Simple signalling for modular layouts

Computer model railroads, i.e. electronic model railroading as a multi player PC game. Case in point: I belong to and "fly" with an on-line WW2 fighter squadron (AKA_Wardogs). Great people. We fly battles against on-line pilots from around the world including Russia, China, all over Europe, and other countries. Model Railroader has not published a review of this type of model railroading to my knowledge.

It would be easy to set up and join operating sessions. Just sign on to the server and run trains, dispatch, or whatever.

A couple of WW2 programs include trains. Make them more prototypical and defend against air attack!

Model Railroader could and should host multi player servers. Teamspeak and Track IR would allow engineers to look out their cabs and talk to other engineers and dispatchers as though they were actually in the cab. Video and audio quality is a quantum leap ahead of anything sold so far.

Software companies could sell programs to run on servers. If you have not seen the quality of current gaming software, Check out the Call of Duty games out there or https://il2sturmovik.com/

Simplify 3d printing for the masses. How do I get a photo of a car (an NP Pig Palace comes to mind) to a 3d printed model?

Remember, you can sign in and play (err, model railroad) for as long as you might want. This would also open the road for Model Railroader to advertise train related software and computer systems.

This might appeal to younger modelers. This would be far, far cheaper than actually building a traditional model railroad. It also uses very little space since I suspect most anyone interested already has a computer and on-line connection.

A "How it was" column discussing model railroading in the far past. Anyone ever use Astrac? I once scratch built a wood Milwaukee reefer out of Northeastern wood. Gorgeous model (but I do not have any pictures) This was in Montana during my last year or two of college. Did I mention that Montana has a very dry climate?

Then I went to Okinawa with the Army and took the reefer with me. Okinawa has a very hot and wet climate. The wood seams all split and the car was ruined. I learned to scratch build cars out of styrene.

Lego trains!

The joy of test loops!

The joy of model railroading as a collector of equipment, kits and the like. Many people collect stamps and guns and other stuff. Why not treat buying model railroad stuff as a legitimate part of the hobby?

Hire a couple of 30 year old gamers to set this up. Risk the money and see how it works out.

Steve Barkley, MMR aka Baylor6

Among several interesting thoughts, Steve Barkley mentioned: "Any magazine needs contributors to publish. What kind of articles are being submitted these days?"

Having some knowlege of that sort of things, I can answer:  If a model railroad magazine publishes  good articles on weathering freight cars or building trees, they will soon receive several article submissions on weathering freight cars and building trees. 

The good editor is in touch with the hobby and will seek out the innovators and commission articles on cutting edge developments. The phrase "we can only publish what people submit" is barely a half-truth and is a sign of a lazy editor.  First-class breakthrough material occasionally walks through the door, but it doesn't happen very often. At least, that's my personal  observation based on 45 years working for various publications. Geez, I'm getting old.

If the UK, with a population of 65 million, can have three or four good quality monthly modeling magazines, why can't the US?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/17 14:56 by grahamline.

grahamline Wrote:
----------------------------
> If the UK, with a population of 65 million, can
> have three or four good quality monthly modeling
> magazines, why can't the US?

Very good question and I wish I knew the answer. Part of the answer may lie in the notion that the UK is a much more compact country where trains are more often seen and experienced, and are more relevent to a much larger percentage of the population?

I'm married to a Brit and last time we were over the pond in Dec 2014 we visited a shop in South Shields way up near Newcastle. In that shop, WH Smith, there was a wall of magazines. I counted a total of 36 train related publications which included Model Railroader too. Yep, 36! Might be that some were not monthly
but the UK puts us to shame. Maybe they are behind us in the decline if print media too. dunno.

We visited a model train club in neighboring Sunderland and a number of the guys the had traveled to the US to railfan out west. The majority of the model trains at the club were US train models btw.

Cheers, Jim

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/17 17:27 by SPDRGWfan.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> grahamline Wrote:
> ----------------------------
> > If the UK, with a population of 65 million, can
> > have three or four good quality monthly
> modeling
> > magazines, why can't the US?

>
> Cheers, Jim
>
> Posted from Android

Well, we do have MRH....and it is as good or better than any of the legacy magaziners are and were - though RMC is getting better....

MR has run a few recent well-done modeling articles and has in the time Neil has been editor, it seemed to me, to be heading back toward that kind of article more and more...I just picked up the current issue and it is painfully thin.

Bob

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