FWIW, I don't envy 'young Mr. Carstens,' that took over for his Dad, Hal, after Hal passed on. Based on my experience, many 'arrangements/contracts,' and 'interests in continuing to support a marginal business(such as printing RMC, or any hobby magazine), for that matter, aren't continued, for a number of reasons, after a figure like Hal, is no longer on the scene. Add to that Carstens probably hasn't got the deep financial pockets, such as Time Warner, or CBS, with printing house/vendors, and I can see that its an upward battle to sustain ongoing operations each month, not to even attempt to address, growing the business. I think RMC remains a high quality publication, even if I don't subscribe to it these days, I often purchase a copy wherever I am, that its available. I don't know how involved Phyllis is involved in things, but having her around, ought to make it easier for 'young Mr. Carstens to 'break the ice/approach' needed vendors/partners, to keep getting RMC out on time every month.
When it gets to the point, that, it doesn't happen much, and multiple issues are combined, then suscriptions extended, I think the writing's on the wall, given how other good publication efforts have unraveled. I sincerely hope that won't happen to RMC.
I remember years ago, maybe in the 70's when Railfan first came out, before combining with Railroad magazine, there were 'issues.' At that point, there was such a run by some to cancel their subscriptions, that I recall Carstens used to offer refunds in US Postage stamps. $30 in postage stamps, when mailing a letter cost under 20 cents for a letter, generated a lot of 'what kind of rinky dink operation has Carsten's become, questions back then.
Are things any different now? When's the last time anyone mailed a letter or post card, to another individual???? My friends in the Post Office have been lamenting its demise virtually since they started their careers as letter carriers/clerks, and 'mail men,' since the 1980's. Sometimes train wrecks happen in what appears slow motion.
Rome wasn't built in a day; neither did it crumble in a day. If you were a Citizen of Rome, or just a peasent, you might recognize, in say 250AD, that things aren't as good as in the past, but as long as you could play 'kick the can,' you'd pass on, well before Rome actually fell, in your great great or even 6-10x great grandchild's time, just like your parents before you, and their parents, and their parents parents, etc...