# Model Railroader Magazine — user reviews > 75 indexed App Store user reviews of Model Railroader Magazine by Flying Media Group, LLC, rated 2.00/5 from 62 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/model-railroader-magazine/id570676816/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/model-railroader-magazine/id570676816.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 14 · 4★ 3 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 45 ## What do users think of Model Railroader Magazine? Overall sentiment: negative **Cons** - ❌ Lost purchased issues - ❌ App crashes frequently - ❌ Login/password issues - ❌ Unusable after updates - ❌ Poor customer support - ❌ Slow performance - ❌ Cannot restore purchases - ❌ Difficult to access subscriptions - ❌ Outdated interface - ❌ In-app purchases not working **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on launch - Purchased issues lost after update - Cannot log in - Password recovery not working - App freezes when scrolling - Cannot restore purchases - App does not open after iOS update - XML file not found error - Login issues with new app version - Subscription not recognized after purchase **Most requested features** - Fix password recovery - Restore all purchased issues - Improve user interface - Make app mobile-friendly - Allow filtering of purchased issues - Provide access to videos and forums - Fix broken support links - Allow purchase of single issues - Support existing digital subscriptions without re-purchase ## Newest reviews (20 of 75) ### 1/5 — May 2020...Do not buy or download this useless app!!!!! *2020-09-30* Update Sept. 30, 2020: Now over 11 months since the last update of this app, the one that broke the app and stole our paid for magazine issues from us. Absolutely no improvements or updates since then, no help or support from Kalmbach or Model Railroader staff and ni attempts to replace or refund our stolen, paid for online issues. Shame on you Model Railroader Magazine!!! You have been warned....do not buy or download this useless app. As of May 2020 there is no improvement...read on to find out the truth about this rip-off. This latest update, October 25 2019 is awful. All previous paid for and downloaded issues deleted so you are forced to re-download every previous issue you have already bought yet again. But worse than that you are forced to relog-in with your user name and password but there is no ability to recover or change your username or password if you forgot them!!!! So you end up with an unusable app that has deleted your paid for merchandise and no way to recover it. Complete Rip-Off by Model Railroader!!!!! Massive fail yet again by the staff at Model Railroader. 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 Update: After numerous tries I was finally able to figure the hidden and convoluted way they have set-up password recovery. I can only shake my head at the sick minds that decided to over-complicate what should be a simple procedure. Now that I can actually log-in to my account I was finally able to re-download my previously bought editions of the mag. Unfortunately that just shows up the slow buggy and crappy u/i. There really is nothing good about the app now, it is all just lousy unfortunately. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 ### 1/5 — Horrible! *2020-09-08, version 7.0.3* Was a great app, has now been useless for many months since an update late 2019. Have cancelled my subscription. This was a good app at one time, what nonsense that Kalmbach has ruined it. No help from them either as it’s impossible to log in. ### 1/5 — what did they do *2020-08-15, version 7.0.3* this app used to work adequately but the last update made it unuseable ### 1/5 — No. 1 Worst App in the World *2020-08-13, version 7.0.3* Are you ever going to fix this app? Don’t waste your time/money on this app. You think they would get the hint that something is wrong since they have a 1.0 rating and no positive comments. ### 1/5 — Lost years of paid-for issues *2020-08-07, version 7.0.3* All previous paid-for subscriptions and special issues are gone. The app freezes when you try to scroll back to re-download them. And the password it wants is NOT your current MR password but the one from the year of the purchase. UPDATE EDIT: 10 months later, no updates to disastrous app. As iOS has updated, MR app no longer even opens. ### 1/5 — Huge step backwards *2020-06-07, version 7.0.3* Sadly the redesign is clunky and just bad, not mobile friendly at all and makes it darn impossible to find anything. I have also as yet been able to restore my purchases, highly recommend avoiding this app all together until they address the problems and the horrendous user experience. ### 1/5 — New Update Problems *2020-06-05, version 7.0.3* All my purchases aren’t restoring. Please fix. With the new app, I try to log into my account and it won’t load. ### 1/5 — Very troublesome. *2020-05-12, version 7.0.3* When I started using this app about 3.5 years ago, it was not that bad. Now it is a complete PITA! Issues I have long since paid for seem to come and go at will. I strongly suggest that you DO NOT USE THIS APP, NOR DEPEND ON Kalmbach standing behind their product. COMPLETE CRAP! ### 1/5 — App update is a disaster *2020-04-18, version 7.0.3* You should refund not only our current subscription, but our past subscriptions since this app makes it ridiculously difficult to access issues we have paid for. This needs to be fixed immediately. I can’t believe you are just allowing this to continue. ### 1/5 — Cannot restore some purchases. Cannot filter on purchased issues. *2020-04-13, version 7.0.3* Cannot restore some purchases. Cannot filter on purchased issues. App used to be great. Invested heavily in digital issues. Extremely disappointed. ### 1/5 — Lost 3 years of issues *2020-03-28, version 7.0.3* Emailed Model Railroader and they said nothing they can do since I. Ought the issues through PayPal. I have been a customer for 20 years. No more ### 1/5 — Junk *2020-03-27, version 7.0.3* This is the second time I have everything! They give you free doors then they take them away! It does not merit a rating!! ### 1/5 — It doesn’t work! *2020-03-20, version 7.0.3* This app does not work. You are trying hard to save your print business by offering a combined digital subscription also, but your digital offering is garbage. ### 1/5 — Can’t access my subscription for months! *2020-03-19* I haven’t been able to access my subscription since January. I want a refund. ### 1/5 — Can’t access anything I’ve paid for *2020-03-19, version 7.0.3* I can’t access any issues at all even though I have an active subscription. Apparently everyone is having this issue. ### 1/5 — Terrible *2020-02-07, version 7.0.3* Who ever signed off on this update need sacking, this is terrible beyond words. Please please sort it out ### 1/5 — Couldn’t access my magazines *2020-01-29, version 7.0.3* This app is terrible. I couldn’t access my magazine that I paid. Please, fix it or my money back. ### 1/5 — Absolute crap! *2020-01-16, version 7.0.3* I give it 1 star only because I don’t have the option to give it 0 stars. The app crashes IMMEDIATELY. Scrolling through the archive is reminiscent of surfing the web on a dial up modem in the nineties. If you forget your user name or password you are SCREWED. There are NO options to recover these from the app. If you already have a subscription like me (which I will DEFINITELY CANCEL) then I offer you my sincere condolences. If not; stay away. This app is complete garbage. If you work for Model Railroader; tell whoever decided to go ahead with the October update that they are an idiot. Model railroader, if you are attempting to reach out to a younger crowd with this digital platform then you are failing miserably. In summary: TOTAL CRAP. ### 1/5 — Needs a Lot of Work! *2020-01-13, version 7.0.3* The latest version of this app is a step backwards. While I have been able to restore and view my purchases, I have not been able to purchase a single issue since the update. When I attempt to purchase a single issue, I am often only given options to subscribe, or frequently no options at all. There are no features to view/filter on your purchases or downloads. Scrolling thru the list of available issues is buggy and slow. On top of all this, my requests to customer support have never been answered. I’m using a 32GB iPad (7th gen) with IOS 13.1.1 ### 1/5 — Funktioniert nicht, alle bisherigen Käufe sind weg *2020-01-06* Nach Wechsel auf IPhone 11 sind alle Käufe verschwunden und lassen sich nicht wieder hochladen. App hängt sich sofort nach dem Start auf. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Membership *2026-02-16, version 12722.1.3* Signed up for annual membership unlimited. Worked for a week after 3 weeks of trying to get help resolving the issue. I no longer have access to any subscriptions. ### 1/5 — January 2025 *2025-01-04, version 7.1.2* Update: 5 years later and this app is still a buggy piece of complete junk. Absolutely useless. ### 1/5 — Derailed *2023-02-16, version 7.0.3* Please get me some answers for the problem ### 1/5 — My subscription does not work *2022-01-07, version 7.0.3* I have an active subscription through trains.com (kalmbach) which does not work through this app. Disappointing. ### 1/5 — You lost a subscriber *2021-12-23, version 7.0.3* After a year of putting up with these inefficiencies and no fixes from the MR staff, I have canceled my subscription to MR. This app has taken away the joy of reading the articles. ### 1/5 — Really Blew It *2021-05-10, version 7.0.3* After years of reading Model Railroader, I’ve cancelled my subscription. This new app has been nothing but a problem, and after never getting help from customer support to download the latest issue, I’m done. And by the way, I’m in IT and know what I’m doing. The problems with this app aren’t user error, they’re the fault of a terrible app and zero customer support. ### 1/5 — Application inoperative *2021-05-03, version 7.0.3* All, Buyers beware, Kalmbach has changed their delivery system and this app doesn’t work for new editions. Don’t sign up for a subscription! ### 1/5 — Rubbish *2021-01-04, version 7.0.3* As with others, all purchased items lost or impossible to download! Why no fix to this? ### 1/5 — Funktioniert nicht *2020-11-15* Unter iOS 12 funktioniert rein gar nichts. Lediglich die Cover der enzelnen Ausgaben werden auf der Startseite angezeigt. Aber selbst dort ist die Performance beim Scrollen unterirdisch schlecht. Bei Klick auf „Menu“ passiert rein gar nichts. Nicht zu gebrauchen. ### 1/5 — Utterly Useless! *2020-10-15, version 7.0.3* If MR is trying to go out of business then this app is a wonderful step in that direction. I am totally astonished that they would release an app this terrible! Did no one ever bother to test this thing? The update to this textbook example of how NOT to write an app has been up for 11 months and no one has bothered to fix this? Good bye Model Railroader! If you cannot take care of your customer base then you don’t deserve to have any customers. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — This is the way to do it *2014-01-21, version 2.1* Having the magazine on your phone or iPad is amazing! They are gradually starting to release the special additions now which is wonderful. Tapping the ads if they have websites opens the ad, it's just better than the old way! ### 5/5 — Cool magazine *2014-01-19, version 2.1* It is very cool! You can look at very beautiful models with wonderful buildings !!!!!!😄🚂🎢🚉🚞🚆🚄🚝🇩🇪🆒 ### 5/5 — Really good *2013-02-03, version 7.10.1* Train thing ### 5/5 — First to download *2012-11-13, version 7.8* Finally MRR has an app! First to download ;) ### 4/5 — Ist ok :) *2012-11-17* Ok ### 3/5 — XML File Missing *2016-04-28, version 3.1.2* Same issue with an xml file missing. Tried to contact Kalmbach but getting the run around. Hope they fix this soon. ### 3/5 — Not the full package *2015-08-02, version 3.1.1* Please note that when buying this you do not get the full subscription package. This is only the magazine and all the other benefits that a subscriber gets such as the download and videos from the site are not available. Quite disappointing that this is not pointed out at the time of purchase. ### 3/5 — Preview issue *2014-03-27, version 2.1.1* Some of my monthly previews have been deleted and I have not been able to reinstall them ### 2/5 — Must delete and reinstall *2017-06-29, version 5.0* Steps to recreate: Attempt to purchase latest issue Purchase successful Attempt to download Receive "missing xml" error Attempt to "update" app via App Store Update completes Attempt to launch app App crashes on launch Delete app Reinstall app Now need to restore all purchases Once open, the app is great. ### 2/5 — Lost everything. *2016-08-08, version 3.1.2* Subscribed for 2 years, after last update of the app all my purchases are gone. Used to be good. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-07.*