Scale Auto last issue

[Dundee Denny]

I have been using the Scale Auto static model car magazine as an inspirational source of paint combinations and added modeling techniques on the slot car building .

They announced that the October issue was their last.

Thinking this was the last static model car mag in Print.

Was bummer when NNL Toledo Nationals announces the 2019 was their last model car show.

Keep trying to encourage my younger friends and their kids to join the hobby with little success.

Dundee Denny

[MnFordGuy]

Hi Denny...same for me. I build both 1/24 (1/25) and 1/32 slots, and used the mag for ideas and tips for painting and building. It’s too bad it’s going away, but I have quite a few of them stashed away,. The NNL shows always had a great turnout and great source for decals and kits.

Hope somewhere along the line the gap gets filled in again.

[BIG E]

I've been a subscriber to Scale Auto (Enthusiast) almost since the beginning. Funny thing is, all that while I really wasn't building static models, but built hundreds of car model kit bodies for slot car racing, almost exclusively 1/24-25 scale. And when we have our meetings for the Long Island Auto Replica Society (LIARS, NY state's largest model car club and annual show), I'm always bringing slot stuff in various scales to display according to that month's theme. Of course, we haven't had a meeting since the pandemic deal, and have been getting together online twice a month until it's safe for us to meet in the community center we rent for our monthly meetings .
I used to sell Scale Auto in my commercial slot car raceway back in the late 80s - early 90s, along with the sister publication, Fine Scale Modeler. Scale Auto sold well, but I had to eat most of the FSM issues, as Kalmbach Publishing does not take vendor returns, and I stopped carrying FSM after a few months. Funny thing is, now the last few issues of my Scale Auto subscription will be filled with issues of FCM! I may renew with that publication if they step up the automotive subject coverage as promised, supposedly some of the Scale Auto writers will begin contributing car model articles to FSM.
I have heard (and this is not a confirmed fact) that recently Model Car and it's sister publication Slot Car have been taken over by new publishers. That would be a great boon to all car model and slot car builders, as both magazines were, in my opinion, very good but suffered from sporadic publication dates. I'm hoping this happens, and my check will be in the mail for both magazines should this all be true. We can only hope... Ernie

[slothead]

Do you think hobby magazines are being left by the wayside as more people use Youtube videos for info? It seems that no matter what most people want to learn they go looking for a video.

[Mickey thumbs]

The move toward online publishing is contributing, too. One can carry several magazines and newspapers or online access to them on portable devices. And the cost of printing continues to increase. Model Car Racing dropped their paper version and went to e-zine only about a year ago.

[WB2]

Kalmbach is also closing Garden Railways magazine.
I subscribe to Model Railroader and notice it’s getting thinner all the time. Same with Trains magazine.
Not good news for we that like hard copy products.

As for Model Car Racing Magazine - I don’t see how it held on as long as it did.
While I have all but one issue of the magazine, it served as eye candy but lacked substance in it’s articles and had terrible editing.
I’ve enjoyed the digital issues of Slot Car Magazine from England.

[Dundee Denny]

I had suggested to them they solicit and have a slot car section each month showing slot car chassis on static models bringing in additional readership

Both the slot car and static enthusiasts would have benefitEd from the combined creativity

Dundee Denny

[SlotCat]

The move toward online publishing is contributing, too. One can carry several magazines and newspapers or online access to them on portable devices. And the cost of printing continues to increase. Model Car Racing dropped their paper version and went to e-zine only about a year ago.

Yes, very sad, I love printed matter as it requires no batteries or power cords, I can open it up and flip to whatever page anytime, instantly. I've downloaded the last three issues of Model Car Racing, but need to print them out. I'd rather pay more and have the nice glossy printed pages show up in my mailbox.

I found Slot Magazine by Doolittle Media a couple years ago and have been subscribing to it, need to renew now. It's much better content, color all the way through, more pages, lots of how to, only thing I miss is the monthly how to build whatever track is featured using almost every brand and scale of plastic track available.

http://www.slotmagazine.co.uk/

If you've got any others please post up.

[WB2]

I have purchased Slot Magazine at the not-quite-Local Books A Million. Rather expensive, it was one I’d have a look at to justify the purchase.

Whatever became of Slot Cars Magazine?
This was the one that was based in Hawaii.

[BIG E]

The publisher was based in Hawaii, it was printed and distributed here on the mainland. Also the owner of Model Car magazine, which I was speaking about earlier in this post. I belong to the Model Car online forum, perhaps I can find some more concrete information there. I will update if any info becomes available... Ernie

[WB2]

Thanks.
It looks like an issue came out this summer. I missed it.

[waaytoomuchintothis]

WB2- Is Model Railroad Craftsman still out there? That was my favorite for decades.

[WB2]

If you mean Railroad Model Craftsman, yes, it’s still around.
Carsten’s Publishing closed in 2014 and White River Productions picked the magazine up.
Magazine is high quality, lots of color, but content has changed somewhat. Previously it was more into short lines and small railroads; now it’s more big time.

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Narrow Gauge and Short Line was a great magazine, too. The way the articles were written, I always thought that it must be connected to Craftsman. I still remember an article about an On3 0-8-0 Minaret. I may get around to building that one yet. It was kitbashed and scratchbuilt, perfectly weathered, and detailed right down to the markings on the pressure gauges.