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All about the community of model railroading and rail enthusiasm

COWCATCHER MAGAZINE

Big Boy completes brief customer run to Colorado; UP announces larger tour planned for sometime in 2026

October 3, 2025 / Updated October 4, 2025

Class 1 Railroads, Heritage, News

Union Pacific's Big Boy 4014 at Duncan, Nebraska. - Union Pacific Railroad

Union Pacific’s legendary Big Boy completed a brief run to Colorado recently in what could be a tune-up for a much longer run in 2026. Big Boy No. 4014 left its home in Cheyenne, WY, on Sept. 30 and went south to Greeley and Eaton, …

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Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern merger proposed to form America’s first transcontinental railroad

The Surface Transportation Board received a notice of intent regarding the proposed merger between Union Pacific Railroad Co. and Norfolk Southern Railway Co., announced by both Class I railroads in July. In a merger plan UP, through a wholly owned subsidiary, would acquire all outstanding …

August 7, 2025 / Updated August 10, 2025

Soybeans giving farmers new way to stay competitive, fueling one of largest commodities shipped by U.S. rail

ST. LOUIS, MO — From your running shoes to the renewable fuels moving trucks, trains and ships, soybeans are quietly giving farmers new ways to stay competitive. As soybean farmers navigate volatile export markets, they’re leveraging homegrown innovation to build domestic demand across the food, …

July 2, 2025 / Updated August 7, 2025

Hobby Industry Coalition launches, calls for ‘desperately needed’ targeted tariff relief on model trains, hobbies

A nonpartisan hobby industry initiative launched this week calls for targeted tariff relief, desperately needed, to protect American small businesses; science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education; and community-based creative industries. The Hobby Industry Coalition (www.HobbyCoalition.org) represents a wide spectrum of the U.S. toy and …

May 8, 2025

Current Issue: Sept/Oct 2025

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Sprucing Up

It’s easy to not see the forest for the trees on a model railroad, so the Colorado Model Railroad Museum won’t mind if visitors focus closely on the towering firs and glowing aspens on the Oregon, California & Eastern Railroad. A panoramic scan is most appropriate now that many of the 28,000 trees are getting a makeover. One of the country’s top model railroad museums, CMRM is refreshing scenery along its Pacific Northwest-based signature HO-scale layout with laborious help from staff and volunteers. For the past year, trees, ground cover and other scenery have been cleaned or replaced on the 15-year-old masterpiece inspired by museum founder David Trussell.

Railroad Structures

Freight stations and engine service facilities are the most common assets for railroads, and Gene Mangum's HO-scale Mystic Branch is no exception. In the first of a two-part series, Mangum details the many railroad-owned structures on the layout.

Seamless Railroad

Two years after Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern became North America’s first continuous north-south railroad, Union Pacific Railroad Co. and Norfolk Southern Railway Co. are working to stitch a seamless east-west transcontinental railroad. Leaders from UP and NS say a seamless railroad devoid of interchanges creates valuable synergies for shippers and the Union Pacific Transcontinental Railroad.

Plus

Pat Hiatte takes a ride from Chicago to Milwaukee on the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee Railway's Electroliner. Plus, Kadee Quality Products follows its successful run of the Nickel Plate Road AAR 50-ton flatcar with an undecorated model - see the review. Also, construction on BNSF's bridge over the Missouri River near Bismarck-Mandan, ND, is nearing the halfway point. And more!

Back Issues

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Train Order Form

Cowcatcher Magazine has long published train shows and events in the print edition free of charge to clubs, museums and non-profit organizations. We now have a form for submission of upcoming model railroad/rail enthusiast shows, conventions and other events. Just click on the Train Order Form in the photo above. Also, show/event information may be submitted in written form at cowcatcher@verizon.net. Include date, event name, event address (include venue, street address, city and state), hours and contact information. Please, no flyers or photos of show information. For an example of how to submit a show via email, just click on the form above.

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Product News & Review

NEW! Atlas N-scale True-Track reviewed

Cowcatcher Magazine runs product reviews in print and online. Check out some of our selected Product Reviews as well as Product News.

Railroad in Focus

Cowcatcher Magazine periodically features short lines and regional railroads that roam the U.S. rail network. Features include color photographs and maps, as well as an overview of operations and latest business trends. See here the railroads we've focused.