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All about the community of model railroading and rail enthusiasm

COWCATCHER MAGAZINE

2019 Cowcatcher Magazine

All Issues Priced at $6.95 unless otherwise noted. Includes shipping in the U.S. Many of these issues are limited in availability.

Proven January/February 2019: One of our best-selling issues, the January/February 2019 Cowcatcher goes behind the scenes with the Wm. K. Walthers Co. and tells the tale of how four generations of family have led the company to the top of the model railroad industry. PLUS, America goes trackside to pay respects to former President George H.W. Bush; readers rate the state of model railroading good based on value, selection and quality; scenery and technology bring to life the Northwest Tarrant & Pacific, the Cowcatcher’s HO-scale project layout; and steam returns to the Alamo City with the restoration of the Texas Transportation Museum’s 1925 Baldwin 0-4-0. Very limited copies available!

January/February 2019





Building for the Future March/April 2019: Like many short lines, the Cowcatcher’s project railroad, the Northwest Tarrant & Pacific, assumed tracks from a larger railroad and is developing brisk business by serving several industries. PLUS, Dallas/Fort Worth’s newest commuter line, TEXRail, is off to a running start and discussions of expansion are already taking place; going DCC simplifies model railroad operation and is easier than it looks; the Amherst Railway Society’s Railroad Hobby Show had a couple of major product announcements from Rapido Trains and ScaleTrains.com; and streetcar history unfolds at the Milwaukee Transit & Archives Museum in Cudahy, WI.





F is for Fantastic May/June 2019: The award-winning Chester & Becket, an Fn30 representation of the Boston & Albany rolling through the Berkshires, is a sight to behold. PLUS, train detection provides realism to model railroads through light-sensitive applications; Deb and Dave Zucker of Spring Creek Model Trains log about 50,000 miles per years selling model trains and accessories at train shows across the country; Texas and California are fighting for high-speed rail despite pressure from administrators and lawsuits; and we review ScaleTrains.com’s HO-scale SD40-T-2 tunnel motor. $7.95 ea. Very limited copies available!

May/June 2019





Still Alluring July/August 2019: While Cowcatcher readers continue to embrace passenger rail, ridership is declining. PLUS, Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 put a spectacular show with its return to the rails; a proposed tariff on model railroads has sent a shiver through the model train and toy industries; and renumbering Japanese hoppers isn’t as difficult as it may sound. Also, the Stockton Terminal and Eastern railroad has something new that’s blue and green, and meets air quality standards. And the nation’s rail traffic continues to move a slower pace than in 2018, according to the Association of American Railroads. SOLD OUT!

Michigan Mastery, September/October 2019: The proto-lance HO-scale St. Clair Subdivision packs a lot of railroading in a small space. PLUS, a tariff on Chinese imports that includes model trains was delayed until mid-December; the Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet will make a stop in Denver at October’s Rocky Mountain Hobby-Expo; the California Northern is putting Tier 4 technology to work; and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy is Trainfest’s Celebrate-a-Railroad in 2019. $7.95 ea. Very limited copies available!

September/October 2019





Going Somewhere, November/December 2019: The HO-scale Ashland, Superior & Pacific creates the illusion of trains traveling far and wide. PLUS, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is upgrading its locomotive fleet; Ken Patterson’s perspectives on model railroading are drawing a legion of viewers; Greenbrier Companies’ new Tsunami Gate grain hopper unloads lightening fast; and the Illinois Central’s Panama Limited basked in the glory of the opening of the Panama Canal with all-Pullman service. $7.95 ea. Very limited copies available!

November/December 2019





Current Issue: Jan/Feb 2026

$6.95 (U.S. Orders Only)

Calling Card

There’s no shortage of history on the Murphy Branch, one of the most compelling stories of the Southern Railway’s system in the Southeast U.S. Historians speak of the perseverance and dedication of the men who built the 111 miles through the mountains and along rivers in Western Carolina. Passenger business flourished by the turn of the 20th century with four daily trains between Asheville and Murphy, NC. Today the only passengers who ride the former line are on a 63-mile stretch from Dillsboro to the Nantahala Gorge, considered the most scenic on the Murphy Branch. Bryson City lies between them. The whistles, horns and bells echoing through the valley are from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, operated by American Heritage Railways. The train has become Bryson City’s calling card.

To the Trains

Trainz.com has parlayed new and used model trains into a big business north of Atlanta, GA. In March, Trainz opened a 73,000-square-foot warehouse in Flowery Branch and much of the shelf space is already consumed.

Slowing Pace?

Readers who participated in the Cowcatcher's annual State of Model Railroading survey in November indicate the hobby remains in good shape, but its value appears to be slipping amid a changing landscape that is pushing prices higher.

Plus

InterMountain Railway's latest HO and N grain cars pay tribute to one Iowa grain company and elevator that a played a role in the U.S. agriculture industry's rise. Chicago's elevated railroad, better known as the 'L', spreads in every direction and touches many lives along the Windy City's lakefront. Also, Atlas Model Railroad Co. say its role is clear after buying Micro-Trains Line Co.: Preserve the company's product line. And more!