by CNJ999
News has leaked out over the weekend that Model Railroader magazine's editor, Neil Besoughloff, has either suddenly retired, or been let go, depending on what version of the story one reads. He is the third editor to go at the magazine since around the year 2000, perhaps in response to the Kalmbach Head Office's dismay over MR's steadily declining readership figures. Most longtime readers do agree that today's version of the magazine is decidedly less worthy than what was available prior to the shake-up at the turn of the millennium, when not only the editor but a host of the magazine's real writing and modeling talent were replaced virtually overnight!
The biggest mistake Kalmbach has been making in recent years may well be putting people who are not seriously into scale model railroading at the magazine's helm. Neil came over from Kalmbach's Garden Railroading magazine, if I recall correctly, while his predecessor was a transfer from Classic Toy Trains. Differing aspects of the overall hobby need actual participants in that specialty in lead positions to do a really good job. Strictly in my own opinion and if he were willing, David Popp, currently associated with Model Railroader's Video Plus venture would be the ideal choice to take over at MR. He has proven himself a talented creator, planner and a first class N-scale modeler, especially when judged against the other members of MR's current editorial staff.
However, word is that MR's new editor will be one Hal Miller, a name that I cannot even identify, or in any way link with the hobby so far! Thus, it will be interesting to see how his attempts fare at righting the ship in coming months. Will it prove yet another in a long line of mistakes on Kalmbach's part? Stay tuned!
CNJ999
The biggest mistake Kalmbach has been making in recent years may well be putting people who are not seriously into scale model railroading at the magazine's helm. Neil came over from Kalmbach's Garden Railroading magazine, if I recall correctly, while his predecessor was a transfer from Classic Toy Trains. Differing aspects of the overall hobby need actual participants in that specialty in lead positions to do a really good job. Strictly in my own opinion and if he were willing, David Popp, currently associated with Model Railroader's Video Plus venture would be the ideal choice to take over at MR. He has proven himself a talented creator, planner and a first class N-scale modeler, especially when judged against the other members of MR's current editorial staff.
However, word is that MR's new editor will be one Hal Miller, a name that I cannot even identify, or in any way link with the hobby so far! Thus, it will be interesting to see how his attempts fare at righting the ship in coming months. Will it prove yet another in a long line of mistakes on Kalmbach's part? Stay tuned!
CNJ999