Re: Motive Power Magazive V's Railway Digest, which is the better magazine

[John Coyle <nospam@newsranger.com>]

In article <9c8190$6p3$1@bugstomper.ihug.com.au>, E.P says...
>
>Fellow railfans.I would like your opinion on the two leading Railfan
>Magazines, Motive Power and Railway Digest.
>
>My opinion is that Motive Power is a much better publication, due to the
>fact it has more colour sections, better paper stock its printed on, better
>photographic reproduction, and also the Quality of content.
>
>I have every Railway Digest magazine since if first started many moons
>ago.And I have noticed over the years it has been changing much to my
>dislike.You look at  the 1980"s editions, it has a rollingstock newsletter
>in it.Now which I believe is printed in ARHS Bulletin Magazine.OK everything
>that happens today is history tomorrow, but if it used to be in Digest why
>cant it be there now.
>
>When it comes to Motive Power, they have very good articles on different
>classes of locomotive, and Peter Clarks articles are very informative.And  I
>find their categorised interstate reports on whats what, is much better than
>"Locomotives & Trafiic" in RD.
>
>I do realise its a very hard job to produce a magazine such as the
>forementioned.
>
>Really fellow railfans, I would like some constructive critisim on this
>subject.I hope this post doesnt tarnish the reputation of any company,
>magazine or persons.
>
>
It is all a matter of opinion, of course, but, I think that despite the fact
that Derek Rogers will not allow letters to the editor to be published, other
than a very selected few, RD is a very high quality magazine. The old "Network"
magazine also didn't allow any comments to be published. So, in effect, message
boards have taken over for people to have a "gripe", or raise ideas for other
fans to comment on, as you have done. Major daily newspapers have a "letters to
the Editor" section. Overseas railway magazines such as the US "TRAINS" magazine
have an extensive letters section, as does "Light Railways" magazine, which I
obtain.

As for the paper quality, photo quality, articles, etc, RD is "fair" to very
good. Motive Power is too "narrow" in it's coverage, as the name would suggest,
in any case!  But, if any magazine is to stay in business, it must be doing OK.
I was VERY sad to see the loss of "Rail Australia" magazine, some years ago. RD
has since broadend it's coverage to a national magazine, so has taken over where
RA left off.