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All about the community of model railroading and rail enthusiasm

COWCATCHER MAGAZINE

2017 Cowcatcher Magazine

All Issues Priced at $4.95 unless otherwise noted

Cowcatcher Jan-Feb 2017 Cover

Lagniappe January/February 2017: The Crescent City Model Railroad Club is opening its doors and offering New Orleans a little something extra. PLUS, young Japenese modelers send a message of peace through an award-winning N-scale module; the race of the Gold Rail Awards best model railroad product comes down to the wire; the Kaw River Railroad and Kansas City Transportation Co. are getting creative to attract new business.

January/February 2017





Cowcatcher Mar-Apr Cover

Loaded March/April 2017: OmniTRAX has a plan to rejuvenate the historic Sand Springs Railway in Tulsa by developing the site of a former steel mill; the Texas State Railroad Authority and operator of the Texas State Railroad are trying to find common ground to keep the tourist line running; Colorado Narrow Gauge has been a crowd-pleaser at Wisconsin shows; and Part 1 of “Designing an N-scale Layout for Operations” gets under way. SOLD OUT!

March/April 2017


Cowcatcher May-June Cover

Got to be right May/June 2017: The Fort Worth-based HO Black Bear & Bayou captures everyday life with high detail and relentless craftsmanship. PLUS, a near-record crowd fills the Denver Mart for the Rocky Mountain Train Show; Part 2 of “Designing an N-scale Layout for Operations” focuses on determining what kind of trains and when will run on the Sedalia Subdivision; and we review InterMountain’s long-awaited N-scale SD40-2.

May/June 2017





Cowcatcher July-Aug Cover

Replicating Change July/Aug 2017: Denver’s Lockheed Martin Recreation Association modelers maintain Rio Grande’s historical course by easily adjusting the era of the layout. PLUS, new load technology helps The Eastern Idaho Railroad get potatoes to market faster; Part 3 of “Designing an N-scale Layout for Operations” focuses on establishing a car-forwarding system; and Rapido Trains is driving change through its new model bus line.

July/August 2017





Cowcatcher Sept-Oct Cover

Street Run and Done September/October 2017: It’s the end of the line for street running in Houston, at least for now with the departure of one short line, but what’s left behind is inspiration for a shelf layout. PLUS, in Part 4: Operations on the Sedalia Sub, Pat Hiatte works out the bugs with help from his friends; the Newburgh & South Shore Railroad is rocking Cleveland; the Milwaukee Electric Traction Club layout recalls travel days of old; and InterMountain’s GP10 Paducah lives up to the hype.

September/October 2017





Cowcatcher Nov-Dec Cover

History Professor November/December 2017: American Heritage Railways CEO All Harper is on a mission to inspire others about railroad history – the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is in the business of preserving history and telling a story that people will remember. PLUS, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway’s Christmas 1872 arrival was the birth of Denison, TX; Transforming the Dakota Northern from DC to DCC wasn’t as hard as it might sound; and BNSF is leading a railroad industry effort to use unmanned aerial systems, or drones, to get a bird’s-eye view of rail infrastructure. One of our most popular issues!

November/December 2017





Current Issue: May/June2026

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O Triad

The O-scale Reader & Caney Creek, the Virginian Railway and the Cheapskate & Ohio are distinctly different. Well-known among Southwest O-scalers, the protolance 2-rail Virginian is spectacularly scenicked and spans over 1,200 square feet. Same with the freelance Cheapskate & Ohio, still mostly under construction. It showcases fine-scale 2-rail modeling integrated with hi-rail AC toy trains. The around-the-walls Reader & Caney Creek is proof that 2-rail doesn’t require a ballroom. While they share a size more associated with nostalgia and collecting than fine-scale model railroading, the layouts embody a very individual spirit. And the goal isn't necessarily running trains.

Craftsman Courtyard

Laser-cut craftsman kit makers on the East Coast are working together to change the dynamic of a model railroad segment traditionally reserved for elite modelers because of its reputation for complex kits requiring extensive handwork. Through affordable, easy-to-assemble wood kits, the companies are attracting the experienced and beginners alike.

Mail on the Rails

For a century, “these couriers” included the railroads and what was known for most if its life as the Railway Mail Service. In 1950 more than 14,000 clerks toiled away sorting mail in Railway Post Offices on 3,000 moving trains.

Plus

The Northeast Outdoor Railway Festival is adding a new touch by creating a citywide large-scale experience in Palmer, MA; OminTRAX buys three Arkansas short lines to expand into a new growing market; a recent release of a Denver & Rio Grande Western caboose fills a niche with classic paint; InterMountain Railway's HO 5161 Trinity hoppers feature BNSF's Heritage roads; and an ex-Canadian National Railway F7A finds a home. And more!