I found a wayback machine

[MountainMan]

Just for the sake of wondering what affect that inflation has on the cost of things, here's what I found:

• If I paid $1.75 for an issue in 1982, it is equivalent to $4.26 today, not $5.99
  twenty-five cents in 1946 would be $3.26 today
  and ten cent issues in 1934 would be $1.75 today
  
  .40 per word in 1982 figures to .97 today, not $2.05
  .05 per word in 1946 is .60 today
  and one cent per word in 1934 would only be .18 today

All showing that the cost of MRR magazine is way ahead of inflation, plus they give you less in the way of content. I guess that also goes hand-in-hand with the fact that they only have a fraction of the advertisers they use to have, probably based on cost as well as the dwindling number of manufacturers and dealers.

If we treat staff like dollars, they haven't kept up with inflation.

• A staff of 4 in 1934 would equate to one of 70 today,
  however, a staff of 5 in 1946 only becomes one of 60 today
  and a staff of 14 in 1982 would be on of 34 today.

In fact though, the staffing numbers shouldn't have anything to do with inflation, only their payroll. And yes, they increase the staff because of a bigger workload, more books to publish, the internet, videos and now CD's.

Speaking of the internet, the 1982 issue had no advertising references listing their web sites, which is understandable since Internet access was limited to just a small group of people. Today, every advertiser has one.

Maybe we're talking about different magazines, but I haven't seen a model railroading mag for under $5.99 for years.

[ezdays]

Maybe we're talking about different magazines, but I haven't seen a model railroading mag for under $5.99 for years.

Yes we are talking about the same magazine, you just have to go back in time. These are the prices that are on the covers of the magazines we have in hand. The oldest one I just pulled out was 2007 and it was $5.50 then and $5.95 (not a huge difference) between 2010 and 2012. And I believe in 2002 it was $4.99, but I'd have to look in the storage box in the garage to verify that. Let's face it, MRR magazine has a very long history and things change over the years, including cover prices.

[MountainMan]

Maybe we're talking about different magazines, but I haven't seen a model railroading mag for under $5.99 for years.

Yes we are talking about the same magazine, you just have to go back in time. These are the prices that are on the covers of the magazines we have in hand. The oldest one I just pulled out was 2007 and it was $5.50 then and $5.95 (not a huge difference) between 2010 and 2012. And I believe in 2002 it was $4.99, but I'd have to look in the storage box in the garage to verify that. Let's face it, MRR magazine has a very long history and things change over the years, including cover prices.

Yeah...I know. My own collection goes back quite a ways, too. However, I question the validity of using magazine prices to determine the rate of inflation rather that official figures readily available on the dollar value over time.

[ezdays]

...Yeah...I know. My own collection goes back quite a ways, too. However, I question the validity of using magazine prices to determine the rate of inflation rather that official figures readily available on the dollar value over time.

Perhaps you misread what I said. If you go back and look, you'll find my comment shows that the price of the magazine has increased faster than the inflation rate. My figures show what the cover price should be as adjusted for inflation, I did not use the magazine prices as basis for the inflation rate.

...All showing that the cost of MRR magazine is way ahead of inflation

I used a site that will give you the cost of inflation between any two dates.

[Catt]

MR has been way over priced for years.I keep hearing complaints about how they are dumbing it down for the newbies,but then these same folks will tell you how mouch they learned from MR back in the day before they knew everything there was to know.Which brings me to my permanant complaint about us old folks who complain that kids have no interest in trains but as soon as one of these kids ask a question they get treated like some pain in the arse and are told not to bother me.So where are these kids going to get their info ? Right from mags like MR and RMC and others plus online.Not planning to turn this into a rant so I'm gonna stop here and go look at my dumb ol MR mag. :mrgreen:

[Sumpter250]

I caught some pretty cold responses from the MR staff, up at Trainfest, when I questioned MR's move to RTR, and went longer between issues that had construction articles in them. The upshot of all that is simple, Today's "modeler", can buy just about everything they need RTR.........so the don't have to be "modelers".
I, somehow, seem to get far more enjoyment out of operating something that I built with my own hands. Of my two 2-4-4-2's, I run the 3' gauge outside frame one that I bashed from a "Roundhouse" 3-in-1 kit, far more than the Gem standard gauge, brass, Little River 2-4-4-2. That one I only painted.....the narrow gauge took quite a bit of "construction time".

Railroad Model Craftsman, is currently the only subscription "railroad" magazine, that I get. I look at the new issues of MR at the hobby shop, but it's been years now since I found anything interesting to me, there.
In 1958, an issue of MR, and RMC were $0.50 each. In 1971 they were both $0.60. In 2007, MR was $5.95, and RMC was $4.99.

**Guess "Klambake" publishing was buying more expensive paper than RMC **

[ezdays]

MR has been way over priced for years.I keep hearing complaints about how they are dumbing it down for the newbies,but then these same folks will tell you how mouch they learned from MR back in the day before they knew everything there was to know.Which brings me to my permanant complaint about us old folks who complain that kids have no interest in trains but as soon as one of these kids ask a question they get treated like some pain in the arse and are told not to bother me.So where are these kids going to get their info ? Right from mags like MR and RMC and others plus online.Not planning to turn this into a rant so I'm gonna stop here and go look at my dumb ol MR mag. :mrgreen:

I started this thread because I found a copy that was printed around 20 years before I got into the hobby. For you and I and a few others here, that's "the good old days", for a lot others, that could be before they were born. It is interesting how some of the basic things have change over the years, like the cost of everything about the magazine has increased well beyond the inflation rate, yet we're getting a lot less content for the higher costs. I don't know what their readership is, but by law, they need to publish that info once a year in the publication. I'm guessing that it has increased over the years, even at the exorbitant rate increase. The thing that hasn't changed is the content. It's still all about how-to's, tips and tricks, some articles on other people's layouts, product reviews and info on the current technology, whatever that is at that time. I started buying the magazine not only for that, but for the ads. That tells a lot about the current state of where things are.

Regardless of the skill level, I think we all can get some good out of every issue, otherwise why does everyone save all the issues they have over the years? Newbies take all different forms and run the gamut on age. You're right though, some people act as if they can't possibly learn more and treat kids and older folk that ask basic questions, with disdain. You are right, magazines, how-to books and forums like Big Blue are all decent places to get the info that beginners need. I think everyone in this hobby got their start by reading magazines, even these "old folks", who now complain because others want to learn too.

[ezdays]

MR has been way over priced for years.I keep hearing complaints about how they are dumbing it down for the newbies,but then these same folks will tell you how mouch they learned from MR back in the day before they knew everything there was to know.Which brings me to my permanant complaint about us old folks who complain that kids have no interest in trains but as soon as one of these kids ask a question they get treated like some pain in the arse and are told not to bother me.So where are these kids going to get their info ? Right from mags like MR and RMC and others plus online.Not planning to turn this into a rant so I'm gonna stop here and go look at my dumb ol MR mag. :mrgreen:

I started this thread because I found a copy that was printed around 20 years before I got into the hobby. For you and I and a few others here, that's "the good old days", for a lot others, that could be before they were born. It is interesting how some of the basic things have change over the years, like the cost of everything about the magazine has increased well beyond the inflation rate, yet we're getting a lot less content for the higher costs. I don't know what their readership is, but by law, they need to publish that info once a year in the publication. I'm guessing that it has increased over the years, even at the exorbitant rate increase. The thing that hasn't changed is the content. It's still all about how-to's, tips and tricks, some articles on other people's layouts, product reviews and info on the current technology, whatever that is at that time. I started buying the magazine not only for that, but for the ads. That tells a lot about the current state of where things are and where products can be found.

Regardless of the skill level, I think we all can get some good out of every issue, otherwise why does everyone save all the issues they have over the years? Newbies take all different forms and run the gamut on age. You're right though, some people act as if they can't possibly learn more and treat kids and older folk that ask basic questions, with disdain. You are also right, magazines, how-to books and forums like Big Blue are all decent places to get the info that beginners need. I think everyone in this hobby got their start by reading magazines, even these "old folks", who now complain because others want to learn too.