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All about the community of model railroading and rail enthusiasm

COWCATCHER MAGAZINE

Product Review: Rapido HO Budd Slumbercoach

August 29, 2024

Model Railroading, News

Rapido Trains' HO Missouri Pacific Budd Slumbercoach may be the company's best passenger car to date. - Cowcatcher Magazine

Never mind that the Rapido HO Budd Slumbercoach is a strong reminder of passenger rail travel in the 1950s. You easily could see yourself in it today. Look in one of the several mirrors inside the model released earlier this year – and see your …

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Canadian government orders railroads to resume operations; union challenges and set to strike at CN

UPDATE: Aug. 28, 2024 The Canada Industrial Relations Board ordered binding arbitration between Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National Railway and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Aug. 24, sending all parties back to work. TCRC removed picket lines at Canadian Pacific Kansas City and did …

August 24, 2024 / Updated August 28, 2024

Canadian National, Canadian Pacific Kansas City move forward with lock out over union labor dispute

UPDATED: Aug. 22, 2024 – Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City moved forward in the early morning hours today by locking out employees represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference. Both railroads said they would continue shutting down their networks. Posted Aug. 19, 2024 …

August 19, 2024 / Updated August 22, 2024

Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 embarks on summer, fall tours across 14 states with 19 whistle stops

Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 will visit 14 states over two tours, the first starting the end of this month. Fresh from an upgrade of its Positive Train Control system, the Big Boy will tour five states from Wyoming to California on this summer’s …

June 27, 2024

Current Issue: September/October 2024

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Center Stage

Telling tales, some of them tall, is nothing new on the Vida Division, Dean Smith’s HOn3 tribute to the former standard- and narrow-gauge ET&WNC. The railroad, situated in 1925 between Johnson City, TN, and Boone, NC, is an open book to model railroad mastery and imagination. Smith has parlayed his advanced modeling skills into a museum-quality, proto-lance rendition of a railroad in the same spirit that enabled the actual short line to become an integral part of mountain life in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina. True to the prototype, Smith’s ET&WNC is more than just a model railroad.

Grain Union

Two of the largest agribusinesses are working on a merger. A union between Bunge and Viterra would rival larger grain competitors by creating a company with an estimated value of $34 billion, according to industry insiders.The merger is subject to regulatory approvals.

Product Review

The large tire load on Micro-Trains' new N-scale NOKL bulkhead flat car is a good fit in more ways than one.

Plus

Six Flags New England guests got a taste of model railroading over the summer, thanks to the Amherst Railway Society. After a month of operation, Amtrak's new daily run between St. Paul and Chicago met expectations, and Amtrak is on pace for all-time ridership. The Wabash Cannon Ball asks one question: What came first, the train or the song? Pat Hiatte reveals all in another chapter of the Golden Age of Travel. And more!

Miss an Issue?

If you've missed the first three issues of 2024, don't worry! You can order back issues with just a few clicks. We have limited copies of the March/April and January/February issues, so hurry!

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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.

State of Model Railroading

Learn more about the Cowcatcher's annual State of Model Railroading survey and how you can make your vote count.

Article & Photo Submissions

We encourage readers to submit articles and photos. For details, visit our guide here.

Product News & Review

Rapido Trains HO NSC Bulkhead Flatcar

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.