Does no layout VISITS mean no layout TOURS?

Does the fact that you won't be VISITING any layouts mean that we won't be getting any more layout tours for the next year or so?

Surely you don't have to VISIT these layouts in PERSON when people can just write articles THEMSELVES and submit them!  Also, do the layouts have to be OURS or can we write articles about the layout of a FRIEND (with their permission, of course)?

Fewer layout tours

First let's talk about the magazine.

Yes fewer layout tours, but still layout tours. Robert Schleicher of Railmodel Journal fame has a number of layout stories he's done that he never published, so we will be drawing on those. Plus if anyone wants to work with us to do a layout story per our guidelines of their layout, we're happy to do that too.

As for TMTV, we do have at least three local high quality layouts we've never done on TMTV, so there's that.

Plus Mike Confalone is loaded with ideas for more deep-dive tours of his layout -- we have 6 segments of that scheduled.

And we do have two more layout stories we have footage for that we've not yet produced.

That's 11 out of 12 months covered between now and mid-2021.

Also, Mike's working on a new scenery video series, so even though you may not get a layout tour as such, but you will get to enjoy some very savvy how-to videos on the Allagash.

So I think we can get by through 2021 as to layouts.

Then there's studio segments for TMTV ... which is another story. I'll discuss the details of that at another time once I have more finalized there.

SAAAAY... now might be a good time to revive Hot Trains!

Remember the Hot Trains series you started waaayy back in the day?  The series that stopped after the first entry?  Now might be a good time to revive that series, using footage filmed by the layout owner!  Sound intriguing?

I have one suggestion, though, for if you do try it... try to run the trains a little bit slower.

Linux User Report New MRH Auto Format

There are three ways I can view the downloaded PDFs: FireFox browser, Adobe Reader 9, and Okular.  Desktop PC running Kubuntu 19.10.

In Adobe Reader 9 the links are not active.  Clicking on an ad causes some interesting color flashes but no jump to the link.  The mouse wheel is overly sensitive for scrolling through pages in the default view and is jumpy.  When magnified mouse wheel scrolling is slow. IMHO the Adobe reader is a poor choice.

It is a toss-up between FireFox and Okular.  Both allow full width viewing of one page which I prefer and mouse wheel scrolls down the page and smoothly into the next page.  The links work although Okular is slower to respond.

BTW  Okular is available for Windows and Mac.  If the Windows/Mac version of Adobe reader is as bad as the Linux version I suggest you try Okular.  It's free.

Sidebooks

Joe,

I downloaded Sidebooks to my up to date iPad Pro.  Sidebooks does not do the "adaptive" thing as described. Neither does it function when clicking on any item in the Table of Contents.  So I wonder, is there a problem with RE/MRH-Adaptive  or Sidebooks?

Both formats work properly in GoodReader on the iPad, but the Adaptive process is not present in GoodReader.

Thank you for all your work on RE and MRH.  

Rob Morrison

SideBooks

Aha!

Just the answer I needed. Thank you!

Sidebooks

Thank you Joe.   Sidebooks is not quite as intuitive as some other apps.  I will try it later today.

Rob

Why not...

Why not take a page out of what car magazines do?  About 15 years ago, I had an old Mustang that was featured in Modified Mustangs Magazine, they had a local photographer come out, shoot the car, and I talked to the writer (also the magazine editor) for about an hour. The car was in their first issue about 6 months later. We could do something similar and it would be cheaper than air fare, a hotel and rental car...

I'm willing to consider anything ...

I'm willing to consider anything, but there is a rub here.

Any photographer needs to know what we want. I've had professional photographers take photos of model layouts and most come back with poor depth of field. The pros understand landscape or portrait photography to an amazing level but they don't know the first thing about photographing miniatures properly.

So to get a local photographer who knows what we need is the first challenge, then challenge #2, they think you need to pay them professional-for-hire rates -- which can quickly exceed the cost of budget travel expenses.

Like I said though, I'm willing to consider anything as long as the people involved can demonstrate they know their stuff and they won't cost an arm and a leg.

New format works fine on current iPhone 7.

Adaptive format, current IOS update. No external reader required when copied to Books. Will check out my ancient iPad mini later. 

I was wondering...

Is it possible to "donate" an article or video?  Like, lets say someone wants to submit a video for TMTV for free... and perhaps even does most of the work that people on the MRH staff end do... so, in short, assuming it's a gift that requires very little work and which contains material which would be of interest.  Could a person do that and would it have a higher chance of being accepted?

Just thinking...

Professional photographer

I was an engineer on the Union Pacific for 37 years. I thought I needed something else to do so I opened a photography studio on the side. Take it from me don’t turn your hobby into a business. Now that said I totally understand having worked with so called Processional Photographers and their lack of understanding depth of field or depth of focus. Product photography has the same restraints. If it is not all in focus it just isn’t going to cut the mustard.

Sorry about the rant. What I really wanted to say is the new adaptive addition is great. Works on the iPad and the PC. Keep up the excellent work. Thank you.

More than 1 adaptive version?

Joe,

The first file of RE I downloaded would not work with sidebooks.

I did a second download later it worked great. Did it get a correction from the first one?

Yep

Yes, we made a boo-boo on the first version, and once we realized that we fixed it. Glad to hear it's working now!

Dissapointing

Joe,

I subscribe to both the magazine and TMTV, and really found this month's editor's column to be an over-the-top exercise in negativity that I do not care to read about in a hobby magazine. 

Saying you are taking a whole year off from the layout content that I love best, because of "what ifs" that change by the moment, is really weak and decidedly negative. For all we know, a vaccine could be finished in a few months. Backing it up with statements of alarmist talking points about defunding the police just really made it smell that much more. 

You could have not even told us about the pause in layout tours and we probably would have never even caught on!

Please stick to trains and avoid the fringe political statements!

AJ

Heads up ... your post will be removed

I do not want to get into a political debate on here, so I will respond to your post briefly, then remove it to avoid this thread turning into a political debate.

I am all for discussing innovative new ways of policing or clever alternatives to policing, but we don't yet know what that looks like or what the teething pains will be. Until we see how that pans out, I'm taking a wait-and-see stance. Also, people have become very restless because of the crazy times, with crime in general steeply up. Things need to settle down to the new normal until I'm willing to travel again or have anyone else travel to our studios. 

I'm simply saying changes are coming to MRH because we can't visit layouts or bring guests into the TMTV studios any longer (for who knows how long). I'm just trying to be realistic here and prepare you all for a new approach to how we do content.

My intent is to come to grips with a new reality and to discuss how we can do our articles and videos differently now. Almost every fancy news show now looks like a typical home-made YouTube webcam presentation. The glitz is gone. Look for some of the glitz to go away in our content too as we move to more webcam screen grabs and mobile device layout tour photos taken by the owner.

Our look is going to change

Actually, I doubt that.

I'm expecting our slick, glitzy photos and videos will become webcam screen grabs and layout photos will become phone shots made by the layout owner. You WILL be able to tell the difference.

Just like most fancy news programs now look like homemade webcam YouTube videos, our look and content will be changing when it comes to layout tours.

Also, for a while at least, our TMTV studio videos will be changing. Look for webcam how-to interviews to become the new norm for things like Backshop Clinic, DCC Decoded, and Notch 8.

 "glitzy photos and videos

The content is still the most important part of the effort. If you want to see how effective minimal production can be check out some of Beth Hart's made at home videos on youtube. Just her and a piano but more effective than most more polished performances. Of course Beth has superb talent and material....DaveB

We'll just need some understanding

Of course, I'm sure we can do pieces that will be entertaining and informative -- good content still. We'll just need some understanding on the lower quality stills and videos, so I want you all to be ready for that.

I'm expecting the biggest pushback to come from Running Extra and TMTV members. "I'm *paying* for this?"

Hiatus from traveling

I didn't read the 'hiatus' statement by Joe as something set in stone that it will be a whole year. Things are changing daily, weekly, monthly etc, and once things change, there is no reason Joe and team couldn't change their mind to resume travel sooner (or worse postpone travel even longer). We have to stop looking at things being said as absolutes. But as it stands of writing, this is what Joe and team are doing and he's giving us the courtesy heads up.

As an RE and TMTV member...

Speaking as an RE and TMTV member, I pay for the content, not the glitz.  I appreciate the polish on the videos and in the magazine, but good stuff is still good stuff without it.  Especially if the alternative is no stuff.

Format change transparent

I finally got a chance to read the magazine on a monitor connected to my windows 10 laptop via firefox and could not detect any difference.  Thank-you for making the transition smooth.

I sincerely hope you manage to work out a "new normal" that enables you to fulfil your goals which I know includes satisfied customers who then attract advertisers.

Thank-you for providing a great read every month.

No Travel etc. in 2021

With Trainfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin canceled for this year,  and most of the train shows I have attended in the past also canceled for this year, taking 2021 totally off may or may not be the best course of action.  I think the wait and see should be the guiding thought.

In the meantime, we are not really down and out, we are more in cruise control. Rolling along with working on our projects--whatever that is. 

In the end, all will be well!