Carstens Publishing and RMC


J

jackn2mpu

Member
I see they now having digital versions of RMC. Liking the online version as the mailed versions have been way late these last few months (even before Sandy). I think I'm up for renewal but haven't gotten anything in the mail on it. I called earlier in the year to ask about that and was told something would be in the mail - again this was way before superstorm Sandy. I see one can do online renewal; they ask for my subscriber number/ID from the mailing label but they don't tell you exactly what on the label is the subscriber ID.

I've sent an email before the holidays to them and have heard nothing back. Just sent another email today and I'll be waiting. In the chance no one at Carstens gets back to me can anyone help and tell me what exactly on the label is my subscriber ID? Before someone tells me to call them - I've done that in the past and usually get someone that can't help or doesn't know how to help.
 
Update:
Just sent another email to them (this one and the others have been via the contact form on RMC's site) about this. Wonder if I'll hear anything at all from them. This lack of response is kind of sad considering RMC is one of the better model train mags out there as it doesn't have the repetitive fluff MR has.

Pursuant to this:
Has anyone who's subscription has or is about to lapse gotten a renewal notice in the mail? Nothing here and I think my sub ended with the December issue (which I just got yesterday).
 
am i missing something or is MODELRAILROADERCRAFTSMEN missing a forum?? i mean ahhh modelrailroader has 1 but nothing with MRC, STRANGE!!!! what company doesnt have a forum
 
blackz28 said:
if you log into the website it should show you when your scrip ended
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Except it can't do that if you don't know your subscriber ID. I did find an example of one on the RMC site but it looked nothing at all like the label on my print RMC issues. I tried several combos of what I thought might be the ID but nothing worked.

And no - no forum on RMC site but I don't miss it. I used to spend a lot of time over on the MR forum but when they redesigned the site some years back I couldn't stand it so I essentially abandoned it along with my sub to MR.
 
jackn2mpu said:
And no - no forum on RMC site but I don't miss it. I used to spend a lot of time over on the MR forum but when they redesigned the site some years back I couldn't stand it so I essentially abandoned it along with my sub to MR.
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ahh if you really want to run a buisness & DIRECT PEOPLE/ CUSTOMERS TO YOUR SITE / you need a forum , i mean dont they realize its 2013 not 1913
 
dont get me wrong i think craftsman is more directed toward scratchbuilding & all types of cool project vs MR which runs mostly whatever the vender is pushing that 1/4
 
blackz28 said:
dont get me wrong i think craftsman is more directed toward scratchbuilding & all types of cool project vs MR which runs mostly whatever the vender is pushing that 1/4
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I used to subscribe, but several years ago, when they fell off their schedule I did not renew. I was burnt by Main Line Modeler, and wasn't going to let it happen again. I do buy individual issues at Barnes & Noble, same with MR.


RMC tries to appeal to established and prototype modelers vs. MR which somehow assumes most of their readers are beginners or are in need of advice from "The Experts". I'm not happy with the manner which I perceive that MR's staff seems to talk down to their readers. Once in a while, they do manage to come up with something that appeals to me, but not often enough to continue my subscription.

Joe
 
From my past dealings as a retailer - Carstens/RMC is not a gigantic company like Kalmbach. They usually have been slow to respond - and since "The" Mr. Carstens passed away a year or two ago things seem to be a bit slower.
 
WJLI26 said:
I used to subscribe, but several years ago, when they fell off their schedule I did not renew. I was burnt by Main Line Modeler, and wasn't going to let it happen again. I do buy individual issues at Barnes & Noble, same with MR.


RMC tries to appeal to established and prototype modelers vs. MR which somehow assumes most of their readers are beginners or are in need of advice from "The Experts". I'm not happy with the manner which I perceive that MR's staff seems to talk down to their readers. Once in a while, they do manage to come up with something that appeals to me, but not often enough to continue my subscription.

Joe
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Pretty much the same feeling here. About the only thing I purchase that Kalmbach puts out is the layout annual Great Model Railroads. As far as regular issues I let my sub go because there just wasn't anything on a consistent basis for the experienced modeler.
 
So basically MR is to get newbies into the hobby
& MRC is for the established. Advanced. Modeler
 
jackn2mpu said:
Pretty much the same feeling here. About the only thing I purchase that Kalmbach puts out is the layout annual Great Model Railroads. As far as regular issues I let my sub go because there just wasn't anything on a consistent basis for the experienced modeler.
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Jack, I did the same thing when they started the beginner stuff on a regular basis. I just didn't need to pay for a magazine that wrote about things I had learned about 40 years ago.

Occasionally I still buy one if the articles show me something interesting. I buy RMC on a much more regular basis. I still say the best RR mag out there is the Gazette. I get it more often than the RMC.
 
blackz28 said:
So basically MR is to get newbies into the hobby
& MRC is for the established. Advanced. Modeler
Click to expand...

For now, yes. It wasn't always like that though, back in the early '60s, they had a bi-monthly entry level magazine called "Model Trains". MR had the "craftsman" articles, while MRC was more or less in between.

Over time, MR, and RMC attained parity, while niche publications like "Mainline Modeler", Model Railroading, RMJ etc. came and went.

Over the past five years or so MR has directed itself to basics, while RMC maintained its target audience of established modelers.

Joe
 
Cjcrescent said:
Jack, I did the same thing when they started the beginner stuff on a regular basis. I just didn't need to pay for a magazine that wrote about things I had learned about 40 years ago.

Occasionally I still buy one if the articles show me something interesting. I buy RMC on a much more regular basis. I still say the best RR mag out there is the Gazette. I get it more often than the RMC.
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Love the Gazette but unfortunately no one in the Trenton, NJ area has it.
 
RMC delivery to me in Canada has been a problem for quite some time, they had problems with their Canadian remailer and changed to a new one. Things got a bit better for a while, but then slipped so I was getting the issue by the time the next issue was already out in the U.S. So I didn't renew last summer. If I think of it, I'll check the local area to see if there is a current issue, but I usually forget about it.

It's a shame, as I too think they are a model builders' magazine rather than a "Dream it, See it, buy it" one like MR has become. Gave up on MR several years ago too, only get the Gazette by subscription these days for fine model building.
 
Bob, as of noon yesterday, there no December RMC on the shelf at any of the local stores. The newsmart at Lancaster mall gets magazine shipments on Fridays, and lately RMC hasn't been on the shelf until the month of the issue, but December still hasn't appeared.

By the way, over on dieseldetailer, someone was looking for circa-70s Irving oil decals for some tank cars, didn't someone in the sjsme do some a few years ago?
 
Railphotog said:
It's a shame, as I too think they are a model builders' magazine rather than a "Dream it, See it, buy it" one like MR has become. Gave up on MR several years ago too, only get the Gazette by subscription these days for fine model building.
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Bob: Do you have a link for the "Gazette"? Might benefit me to check it out.

Joe
 
My LHS carries this mag and I check it out to see what catches my eye.

IMHO, its the best Model RR mag for the more "craftsman" type modeler.
 
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