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2020 Cowcatcher Magazine

All Issues Priced $5.95 unless otherwise noted

Rolling Thunder – January/February 2020: As carloads continue to decline, unit trains full of black diamonds keep rolling out of Powder River Basin to supply a larger portion of U.S. energy needs. PLUS, the Colorado Model Railroad Museum plans to expand and realize its vision of a campus-like setting for education; a San Diego O-gauge layout will keep its home at the Old Town Railroad Depot; new locomotives and announcements highlight the 48th rendition of Trainfest in Milwaukee; and the George Bush 4141 locomotive has been retired and will go on display in College Station, TX.

January/February 2020





Door to Door – March/April 2020: Every day almost 80 vessel calls are made at U.S. ports by massive ships loaded with consumer goods, which are transported by the nation’s railroads. PLUS, tourist railroads are booming and making an impact on passengers and local economies; new models are announced at the Amherst Society Railroad Show in January; a Michigan short line railroad gets crafty and finds a way to bring malt barley closer to a local brewery; and restoration on an ex-CNW steam locomotive picks up at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum.

March/April 2020





Unique and Mystic – May/June 2020: The HO-scale Mystic Branch, which depicts the Texas Hill Country, is proof that the best model railroads aren’t always made of champagne wishes and super-elevated dreams. PLUS, model railroad shops, museums bring modelers and rail fans together during the covid-19 pandemic; after years of work and planning, Big Boy No. 4014 captures the nation’s love and passion for trains; Micro-Trains Line CEO Eric Smith shares thoughts on model railroading and reveals his favorite actor; see a review on Grain Belt Models’ culverts and grain bins. And more!

May/June 2020 Publisher’s Special! $3.95




A Time to Build – July/August 2020 (100th Issue!): Special coverage of covid-19’s effect on model railroading and rail enthusiasm. Readers weigh in on progress they’ve made on layouts, collections and other rail pasttimes, and retailers report on ways they are keeping their businesses afloat. And, model railroading may just be good therapy in tough times. And more!

July/August 2020





Pass the Salt – September/October 2020: Long salt trains can be spotted on the Ithaca Central, which operates over a portion of the historic Lehigh Valley line from Ludlowville, NY, to Sayre, PA. Also, the Big Rock Cut hides switches while providing scenic relief on the HO-scale Mystic Branch model railroad; rebuilding a highly regarded O-gauge layout took a lot of time and patience, not to mention plenty of muscle; through scenery that “enchants the eye,” riding the Milwaukee Road’s Olympian Hiawatha was quite a trip; and MAC Rail’s HO static EOT devices offer operators options. And more!

September/October 2020





A Majestic View – November/December 2020: The HO Grand Pacific Northwestern Railroad is spectacular, but that doesn’t begin to describe Bob Bandy’s labor of love that has spanned at least two decades. Also, the NMRA has emerged during the pandemi with its popular NMRAx webcast series, which has attracted more than 250,000 viewers; LinkUp International has become a key player in Positive Train Control while building antenna farms; high-speed rail in Texas moved a step closer with recent Federal Railroad Administration approvals; and Union Pacific’s Portland Rose was the premier train between Portland and Chicago. And more!

November/December 2020





  • January/February 2021

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  • Vintage Essential

    The signature McKinney Avenue Trolley in Dallas is racking up some impressive ridership numbers amid the pandemic, though still operating at half capacity. In recent years, the trolley has transformed from a nostalgic ride through Uptown Dallas, one of the city’s most tres chic neighborhoods and business districts north of downtown, to a viable way to get around.

     

  • State of Model Railroading Survey

    Model railroading has weathered lockdowns and social distancing, and emerged, by some accounts, stronger than before the pandemic began. In the Cowcatcher’s 2021 State of Model Railroading survey, readers say the hobby continues to be a good value for the price and quality, but growing model railroading is still a challenge

     

     

     

  • PLUS…

    The Cowcatcher’s Northwest Tarrant & Pacific is among the fraternity of short lines dependent on hand-me-downs. A LifeLike Proto 2000 Santa Fe GP38-2 recently got a down-and-dirty technology upgrade and a few creature comfort details…

     

                              – Cowcatcher Magazine                                        

     

    The Crossville Model Railroad Club in Crossville, TN, runs trains for the public and tells the region’s railroad history along the way…

     

    The Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific bridge has weathered time to provide a key link across the Red River…

     

    Encouraging signs that a vaccine could be widely distributed in the U.S. by mid-2021 is instilling hope that shows, events, conventions and attractions will get back on track. Despite a new wave of cancellations and closures in November and December, some organizations began planning events for as early as May and at least one other in January is still on tap.

     

     

    THESE STORIES AND MORE, PLUS A FULL CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS!

     

  • HMA Promotional Video

    https://cowcatchermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/HMA-1.mp4
  • Product News & Review

    MAC Rail HO EOT Devices

     

     

    MAC Rail, LLC, arrives on the HO rolling stock accessories scene with affordable, efficient EOTs to designate end of trains for operations.

     

    More product reviews!

     

    See product news!

     

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  • Back Issues

    Be sure to check out our Back Issues page for any issues you may have missed. We have expanded descriptions for issues published beginning in 2007. Click here to order.

     

     

    The HO Grand Pacific Northwestern Railroad is spectacular, but that doesn’t begin to describe Bob Bandy’s labor of love that has spanned at least two decades. Order the November/December 2020 issue today!

  • Article & Photo Submissions

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  • Railroad in Focus

    Cowcatcher Magazine routinely features short lines and regional railroads that roam the Midwest and Southwest. Features include color photographs and maps, but an overview of operations and latest business trends.

     



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