Which Magazine is Better?

Before this thread is SHUTDOWN;  this is a decision you need to make for yourself.

Something of a crazy question ... buy a copy of each, read them and then decide.

I'm a long-term subscriber to both ... and have subs continuing well into the future.  So, I think you should subscribe to both.

First of all, I am a two railer. I read, MR, RMC, Narrow Gauge Gazette, (in my opinion the best) OGR, and OST. My most humble opinion.

Dick

@AlanRail posted:

Before this thread is SHUTDOWN;  this is a decision you need to make for yourself.

May I ask, have I done something wrong or violated the forum rules by asking this question? I ask this so that in the future I can make sure to not make the same mistake.

Also, @rthomps I wish I could but currently, I am in a tight spot and cannot fully commit to doing something like that right now. I probably will when things die down and when I quit looking at Lionel catalogs.

I subscribe to both OGR and CTT

I subscribe to none.  Gave up on CTT about 15 years ago when they told me that their readers were not interested in articles on prewar trains.  I figured if they were not going to print articles that I am interested in, no reason to subscribe.  

I like both they have interesting articles provide information.

Last month this was discussed in the thread titled MAGAZINES which began on 04/20/20.  You may find some of those comments interesting.  John

I always felt CTT had a bigger percentage of their concentration on the "TOY" aspect of the hobby, while OGRs coverage leaned more towards the "SCALE" side of the hobby where they originated.  (For those who don't know, the magazine was originally entitled "O Scale Railroading" for over 100 issues.  It then changed its name and scope to what it is now---"O Gauge Railroading" magazine.)

I've subscribed to both magazines over the years, although I'm not a subscriber at this time.

Many times I just buy whichever magazine has articles that interest me more as I peruse through them at the store.  Sometimes I've bought one, but not the other.  Sometimes I've bought them both.  Sometimes neither interested me enough to earn a sale.

Thanks, everyone for giving me an idea of each magazine. I do have to confess that I have in the past subscribed to CTT but, in my opinion, got scammed because I lost all access to subscriber extras. I tried to contact them but since they go through a third party publisher there is not a direct way the contact CTT. From that, I am a bit sour about them but it has been a while since that incident. Thanks again for y'all's words of opinions and have a great day!

Trainmaster04, so since you already have a good idea as to what CTT is, you can certainly obtain a new, or recent, OGR to review and reach a decision. 

@RadioRon posted:

Trainmaster04, so since you already have a good idea as to what CTT is, you can certainly obtain a new, or recent, OGR to review and reach a decision. 

 

That is true and I will probably go to my nearest book store and pick up a copy. Really why I made this post is to get an idea of what OGR provides, see if CTT has changed, and also see if there are any other good magazines available. 

The one you read.  

I answered this question a few months ago. This is the second time we have gone thru this Thread. If you are a collector or operator of pre & postwar trains 1900 to 1969 CTT is the better magazine for you. If are are into collecting and operating the modern trains, OGR is the better magazine for you. if you can afford it, subscribe to both. End of story.

I have subscribed to both OGR and CTT for about 30 years.  My suggestion would be to purchase a subscription to OGR - your choice either print or digital.

Curt

The thread has been here for two hours, maybe a record.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

The thread has been here for two hours, maybe a record.

Yeah, John, I saw it a while ago and just couldn't help but smile. I can't be of much help to folks who have a problem determining their own reading preferences, particularly when they want advice related to two publications that compete at some level with the publication that sponsors this forum. I could just close/delete the thread, but perhaps my partner--the other Alan in the organization--might want to check it out first. He's the main honcho.

I was going to suggest buying them all to get the economy jump-started.

OGR  is worth it for Alan's editing skills alone!

-Greg

I enjoy both but I do prefer one over the other. It has more of the things in it that I enjoy. If finances are a problem then pick and subscribe the one that meets your interest and  put loose change aside for the other at a magazine shop each month. 

Heck, there is a simple answer to your question. OGR is the best magazine for you. I say that as a strictly unbiased and neutral editorial "observer" of both magazines

On a more serious level, I strongly believe that O Gauge Railroading consistently comes through for the hobbyist with every issue

in terms of both  education and entertainment value.

We can thank both Allan and Alan for that. Their blood, sweat and tears is an essential part of what makes this great magazine and the other things we do in service of the hobby happen on a regular basis.

Proud to be a part of it!

Ed Boyle

Subscribe to both..

Vanity Fair

If you are going to continue using this forum, I suggest that you subscribe to the magazine that makes the forum possible - OGR.   This forum is the best thing in the O gauge/scale train world and should be supported by the people who use it.  NH Joe

Wow! I just leave for over an hour and I find over 10 alerts for my post! Thanks again OGR faculty for not deleting my thread, since I have not seen the other thread on this topic, and thank you everyone for giving me y'all's honest opinions and reasoning. After reading y'all's posts I have concluded that it would be best to get both since I both collect and run modern era products. Thanks again and happy railroading!

Sounds like a sensible decision.  That's what I do:  subscribe to both.  Sure there are issues of each that are more or less interesting to me, but supporting hobby journalism is something I consider worthwhile in and of itself.  The hobby would be much the poorer without one or the other. Thus if you can afford it, by all means, subscribe to both as they serve overlapping but slightly different interests.  I find at least one or two articles of interest in every single issue of each.

@Trainmaster04 posted:

 

Also, @rthomps I wish I could but currently, I am in a tight spot and cannot fully commit to doing something like that right now. I probably will when things die down and when I quit looking at Lionel catalogs.

If the cost of subscribing to 2 magazines tests your financial stability, you probably have more important things to take care of than model trains.

Only you can decide that, depends on what you are looking for. To me OGRR is more about building layouts of various kinds and equipment reviews, CTT tends to be more about collecting and nostalgia. I get both but if I had to do one, likely would be OGRR. I also read Model Railroader because I appreciate seeing what others do in other scales, plus the magazine is an old friend, been reading it for a long time.

I subscribed to 3 and appreciate them all. OCG, CCT, O Scale and read online O Scale Resources. Which is best is one owe taste. I do both 2 and 3 rail plus HO. I just try to enjoy my hobby.

@mwb posted:

If the cost of subscribing to 2 magazines tests your financial stability, you probably have more important things to take care of than model trains.

I am 16 and work four jobs to get trains. Why I am in the "hole" is because I pre-ordered Lionel's U.P. 119, with the matching passenger cars, and since that is a big-ticket item, and me being 16, takes me a long time to reach that price. In other words, no worries I am not going to lose power or a roof. Probably not until 18-19.

I'm not sure about magazines but I can tell you for a fact that RC cola is better than Coke or Pepsi.

Coke is a bit to carmaly,  Pepsi is a bit too sweet.

@New Haven Joe posted:

If you are going to continue using this forum, I suggest that you subscribe to the magazine that makes the forum possible - OGR.   This forum is the best thing in the O gauge/scale train world and should be supported by the people who use it.  NH Joe

Best answer IMO.   One needs to give consideration to the one who provides their  "voice".

Being primarily a 2 railer,  CToyT does not do anything for me.

OGR covers a broader 0 gauge/0 scale field.

Trainmaster-thanks for the great post!

Ed is right: "OGR is the best magazine for you" and Rick is right about RC Cola!

Glad to have a 16 year old in the hobby!

If I could only have one, OGR would be it. Why? The people running it are down to earth decent people that sincerely try to do their best for the O gauge community. The quality of this forum is proof of that.

I don't care much for CTT, my interest is more to scale stuff and realistic layouts depicting believable places and scenes.   OGR does that better than CTT by a long shot.   but if  you are a collector of odd old stuff, maybe CTT is for you.  

Then too if  you are serious modeler,  you might want to consider one of the scale modeling magazines too.   

I buy both. This clearly is the best forum.

Just curious, did you also post this on the CTT forum? 

I didn't see it there just now, but maybe it was there and deleted already?

You would think you would get a better cross section by asking the same question on both.

-Dave

@Dave45681 posted:

Just curious, did you also post this on the CTT forum? 

I didn't see it there just now, but maybe it was there and deleted already?

You would think you would get a better cross section by asking the same question on both.

-Dave

No, I had no idea that CTT has a forum. I always knew about this great forum from Eric's Trains.

@Trainmaster04 posted:

No, I had no idea that CTT has a forum. I always knew about this great forum from Eric's Trains.

Well there you go!!!!!!   Why not subscribe to the the magazine that supports this forum, which is absolutely the best O Gauge Forum on the internet, and where you have been participating and getting so many answers? To answer your subject title; OGR! Period.