So I was perusing the great collection of old runs of O Gauge Railroading and I noticed that the title of the magazine changed around 1990 from "O Scale Railroading" to the current name. I read through both issues before and after the change and I couldn't find any mention as to why the change was made. Does anyone know the history on that?
Anyway, I just thought that was interesting.
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I was a subscriber at the time...and (without going back and researching my past copies) I recall that the editor stated it was to make it more inclusive. "O Scale Railroading" was thought by many to indicate it was for scale 2-rail modelers only. "O Gauge Railroading" includes both 2 and 3 rail modelers.
Logan
@Logan Matthews posted:I was a subscriber at the time...and (without going back and researching my past copies) I recall that the editor stated it was to make it more inclusive. "O Scale Railroading" was thought by many to indicate it was for scale 2-rail modelers only. "O Gauge Railroading" includes both 2 and 3 rail modelers.
Logan
That was the impression I had, but the "O Scale Railroading" issues regularly had three-rail content and articles. Even O scale News -- a specifically 2-rail publication had occasional 3-rail content.
In the early 50s, Kalmbach Publishing Co. who prints Trains, THE Magazine of Railroading (?) made a name change to Trains & Travel. It wasn't long after when the "& Travel" was dropped. About the same time, Kalmbach also changed the name of HO Model Trains after purchasing the magazine to simply Model Trains, dropping "HO" from the title. It was a 35 cent magazine that complimented Model Railroader, which at the time carried a 50 cent price tag.
O Gauge Railroading has become THE leading magazine devoted to three rail modeling whereas O Scale Railroading concentrated primarily on the two rail market if memory serves me well? However, I'm sure the Friendly Folks who now run OGR can best explain the reason why the change was made. I'm not going to be critical of another toy train magazine* on today's market, only to say it cannot compare to OGR in any way, form, or fashion!
* The publisher of this magazine appears to be going through some serious internal problems. I no longer subscribe to any magazines published by this publisher but do access their web site in order to keep informed of their activities. I have read several messages on their forums and note that they have lost several long term subscribers in recent months as a result of the lack of content quality in their magazines, e.i. a gross reduction in the number of pages per issue, among other problems.
When they announced that their magazine devoted to outdoor large scale railroading was being reduced from quarterly to bi-monthy, several subscribers wrote to the editor that they were going to cancel their subscription. One subscriber went so far to say he was cancelling ALL his other railroad related publications as a result of this decision. To make matters worse, the outdoor magazine will no longer be published with the last issue to be Fall 2020. Two new subscribers wrote asking if they qualify for a refund. The fact that this publisher didn't announce that they intended to drop the magazine well in advance shows the indifference they have for their customer base. A sad sad Century 21 story indeed!
Item: When this well known established publishing house terminated the customer service girls in WI (these ladies were professionals too!) they moved CS to FL. This was a Total Disaster from the Get Go! You were placed on hold for a disgraceful amount of time and when you finally did get though the person on the line couldn't properly address your problem. After this fiasco, CS was relocated to some "Fly-by-Night" (?) outfit in TX, where I assume it remains today? Despite the fact CS there has improved somewhat it still lacks the professionalism that one received from the girls in Waukesha, WI!
Despite the fact I am a relatively new member of the OGR Family, O Scale Railroading and O Gauge Railroading are not new to me. My late best buddy (RIP 4-22-2006) was a charter subscriber to OSR. He was a dedicated two rail model railroader, so when OGR became primarily a three rail publication, he didn't renew his subscription when it came due. I did subscribe to OGR some 20+ years ago but dropped my subscription due to my job as well as family health issues. Now retired, I'm Back On Board with a Digital Subscription and can honestly say, it is the BEST investment I've made in 2020. I also have signed up as a Supporting Member as well! What makes the OGR Fourm great? It includes modelers of all scales, from Z to G, everyone is welcome. WOW!
In the short time I've been a OGR railroader with the DS and SM, I can honestly say I've met some of the greatest human beings on Planet Earth who not only include the staff but all contributors to this forum as well. Although OGR only makes up a small % of The World's Greatest Hobby, it remains No. One at the top of my list, and will until The Maker calls me home to the Roundhouse in the Sky, which is just beyond the Big Rock Candy Mountains!
Thank you
73
Godspeed
J. Toth Jr.
Please Pray for World Peace. We owe it to our children and their children's children as well!
DONE
@AGHRMatt posted:That was the impression I had, but the "O Scale Railroading" issues regularly had three-rail content and articles. Even O scale News -- a specifically 2-rail publication had occasional 3-rail content.
I have every issue of OSN 48/ft. bound thanks to Chip Rovetta.
O Scale News “48/ft.” Greg Heier only did 3 rail when it was a conversion article to 2 rail I can’t ever remember seeing any feature of a 3 rail layout in his magazine. Outside 3rd rail yes, 48/ft. was 2 rail scale no Lionel couplers.
3 rail in those days was a nasty term to most of the readers of 48/ft. Today we share a lot in common and thanks to “scale 3 rail” we get some nice models built. It was a different time 70’s-90’s in 2 rail most guys were builders. Times change.
I was a contributor to almost all issues when the name changed. I was also in more or less continuous contact with Myron Biggar. The ostensible reason, published, was to be more inclusive. In my opinion, the real reason was that Myron was not only an avid three-railer, but also a smart businessman. In changing to 98% three-rail, he quadrupled circulation practically overnight.
Titles are important.
I note that before Myron bought the magazine, it was almost 100% 2-rail.
@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:In the early 50s, Kalmbach Publishing Co. who prints Trains, THE Magazine of Railroading (?) made a name change to Trains & Travel. It wasn't long after when the "& Travel" was dropped. About the same time, Kalmbach also changed the name of HO Model Trains after purchasing the magazine to simply Model Trains, dropping "HO" from the title. It was a 35 cent magazine that complimented Model Railroader, which at the time carried a 50 cent price tag.
O Gauge Railroading has become THE leading magazine devoted to three rail modeling whereas O Scale Railroading concentrated primarily on the two rail market if memory serves me well? However, I'm sure the Friendly Folks who now run OGR can best explain the reason why the change was made. I'm not going to be critical of another toy train magazine* on today's market, only to say it cannot compare to OGR in any way, form, or fashion!
* The publisher of this magazine appears to be going through some serious internal problems. I no longer subscribe to any magazines published by this publisher but do access their web site in order to keep informed of their activities. I have read several messages on their forums and note that they have lost several long term subscribers in recent months as a result of the lack of content quality in their magazines, e.i. a gross reduction in the number of pages per issue, among other problems.
When they announced that their magazine devoted to outdoor large scale railroading was being reduced from quarterly to bi-monthy, several subscribers wrote to the editor that they were going to cancel their subscription. One subscriber went so far to say he was cancelling ALL his other railroad related publications as a result of this decision. To make matters worse, the outdoor magazine will no longer be published with the last issue to be Fall 2020. Two new subscribers wrote asking if they qualify for a refund. The fact that this publisher didn't announce that they intended to drop the magazine well in advance shows the indifference they have for their customer base. A sad sad Century 21 story indeed!
Item: When this well known established publishing house terminated the customer service girls in WI (these ladies were professionals too!) they moved CS to FL. This was a Total Disaster from the Get Go! You were placed on hold for a disgraceful amount of time and when you finally did get though the person on the line couldn't properly address your problem. After this fiasco, CS was relocated to some "Fly-by-Night" (?) outfit in TX, where I assume it remains today? Despite the fact CS there has improved somewhat it still lacks the professionalism that one received from the girls in Waukesha, WI!
Despite the fact I am a relatively new member of the OGR Family, O Scale Railroading and O Gauge Railroading are not new to me. My late best buddy (RIP 4-22-2006) was a charter subscriber to OSR. He was a dedicated two rail model railroader, so when OGR became primarily a three rail publication, he didn't renew his subscription when it came due. I did subscribe to OGR some 20+ years ago but dropped my subscription due to my job as well as family health issues. Now retired, I'm Back On Board with a Digital Subscription and can honestly say, it is the BEST investment I've made in 2020. I also have signed up as a Supporting Member as well! What makes the OGR Fourm great? It includes modelers of all scales, from Z to G, everyone is welcome. WOW!
In the short time I've been a OGR railroader with the DS and SM, I can honestly say I've met some of the greatest human beings on Planet Earth who not only include the staff but all contributors to this forum as well. Although OGR only makes up a small % of The World's Greatest Hobby, it remains No. One at the top of my list, and will until The Maker calls me home to the Roundhouse in the Sky, which is just beyond the Big Rock Candy Mountains!
Thank you
73
Godspeed
J. Toth Jr.
Please Pray for World Peace. We owe it to our children and their children's children as well!
DONE
I agree with you. They are not the same publications as say 5 years ago. Like 40th anniv. of CSX. OK, offices may have merged. But Chessie and Seaboard railroads themselves did not merge until 1986 or so. Six years off.
Trinity River, are you an amateur radio op? The 73 gave you away if you are.
73,
Dom, N5TCB
No Dominic, I'm not an amateur radio op. When I attended Brewster Vocational High School in Tampa, Florida, during the 11th grade, I took radio shop as a trade course. The teachers were ham ops and some of the class became involved in the hobby. As a result, the 73 just stuck. Gads guy, this was way back in 1962-63. More years, fears, and tears, than I even care to remember...LOL
Item: When I was serving in the US Army Transportation Corps here in Germany (1965-67) I saw an ad in Trains Magazine placed by Avery F. VonBlon, Jr. of Waco, TX. He was a car inspector for the M-K-T, "The Katy" but also ran a bookstore in Waco. After sending him my want list of railroad books I was seeking at the time, it formed a long friendship which lasted until he passed away. He was a ham op and always signed his replies "73" too. Cool!
All I know is that they published a 3 page article on my Christmas layout in 1987. They must have been hard up for material. 
@Logan Matthews posted:. . . I recall that the editor stated it was to make it more inclusive. "O Scale Railroading" was thought by many to indicate it was for scale 2-rail modelers only. "O Gauge Railroading" includes both 2 and 3 rail modelers.
Logan
That is correct. Myron Biggar changed the name to make the magazine as inclusive as possible for all who model O scale and O gauge (and that includes narrow gauge modelers who operate O scale trains).
I seem to remember Myron writing several editorials about this. Perhaps it was a few issues earlier than you checked? If memory serves, he began floating the idea almost as soon as he bought the magazine, but was concerned about moving too fast or alienating the 2 rail guys, so he began introducing 3 rail long before the name change- as early as 1986 or 1987 if memory serves.
I remember seeing O Scale Railroading when I was getting back into the hobby in the early 90s. Knowing the gap between Scale and "toy" trains and those that inhabited each hobby at the time I don't recall even leafing through OSR at the hobby shops at that time. Myron definitely made the correct choice with the name change.
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