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All about the community of model railroading and rail enthusiasm

COWCATCHER MAGAZINE

Available At

Limited complimentary copies of the Cowcatcher Magazine are available at many locations in our coverage area. These copies are available on a first-come basis and are not replenished when they are gone. Below are some of our current locations where copies are available. To ensure your copy, please subscribe

Texas | Oklahoma | Louisiana | Arkansas | Kansas | Missouri | Iowa | Illinois | Nebraska | Colorado | Delaware | New Mexico | Wisconsin | Minnesota | Michigan | California | North Carolina | Pennsylvania | New York | Kentucky | Florida | Utah

TEXAS

NORTH

Discount Model Trains, Addison

Angelo Hobbies, North Richland Hills

Model Train Crossing, Hurst

Museum of the American Railroad, Frisco

Grapevine Vintage Railroad, Grapevine

Red River Railroad Museum, Denison

Interurban Railway Museum, Plano

AJC Kids, Wichita Falls

CENTRAL

Texas Transportation Museum, San Antonio

Dibble’s Hobbies, San Antonio

New Braunfels Railroad Museum, New Braunfels

Harris Hobbies, Athens

Ennis Railroad Museum, Ennis

EAST

R.D. Moses T&P Model Railroad Museum, Jefferson

Cotton Belt Museum, Tyler

SOUTH

Galveston Railroad Museum, Galveston

G&G Hobby Shop, Houston

Papa Ben’s Train Place, Houston

Rosenberg Railroad Museum, Rosenberg

NORTH

Amarillo Railroad Museum, Amarillo


COLORADO

CENTRAL

Colorado Model Railroad Museum, Greeley

Rocky Mountain Train Supply, Denver

WEST

Durango & Silverton Railroad Road, Durango

DELAWARE

F&N Hobbies, Clayton


OKLAHOMA

CENTRAL

Johnny’s Train Shop, Covington

Oklahoma Railroad Museum, Oklahoma City

Whistlestop Trains, Oklahoma City


LOUISIANA

NORTH

Shreveport Railroad Museum, Shreveport

SOUTH

Hub Hobby, New Orleans

ARKANSAS

NORTHWEST

Arkansas Travelers Hobbies, Bald Knob

Rail & Sprue Hobbies, Jacksonville

NORTHEAST

Arkansas Railroad Museum, Pine Bluff, AR


KANSAS

Fred’s Train Shop, Overland Park, KS (Kansas City area)

MISSOURI

NORTHWEST

Show Me Model Railroad Co., Grandview (Kansas City area)

SOUTHWEST

Branson Hobby Center, Branson

Roark Valley MRC, Branson

CENTRAL

APRHFstore/Silver Rails, LaPlata

ILLINOIS

NORTHEAST

Des Plaines Hobbies, Des Plaines

Midwest Rail Junction, Rockford

Lombard Hobbies, Lombard

WEST

Neal’s N-Gauging Trains, Staunton


IOWA

NORTHEAST

Caboose Stop Hobbies, Cedar Falls

Audubon Hobbies/Yankee Dabbler West, Audubon


NEBRASKA

SOUTHEAST

Spring Creek Model Trains, Deshler

Randy’s Roundhouse, Lincoln

House of Trains, Omaha

NEW MEXICO

Tucumcari Railroad Museum, Tucumcari (seasonal)


WISCONSIN

Engine House Services, Green Bay

Sommerfield’s Trains, Butler

Model Train Classics, Eau Claire

Madison Hobby Stop, Madison

Jetco’s Hiawatha Hobbies, Waukesha


MINNESOTA

Twin Cities Model Railroad Museum, St. Paul

NEW YORK

Trainland, Lynnbrook

PENNSYLVANIA

White Rose Hobbies, York

MICHIGAN

Trains & Things Hobbies, Traverse City

FLORIDA

Dana’s Railroad Supply, Spring Hill

KENTUCKY

Hobby Station, Elizabeth Town

NORTH CAROLINA

Mike’s Trains, Thomasville


CALIFORNIA

Original Whistle Stop, Pasadena

Reed’s Hobby Shop, San Diego

San Diego Model Railroad Museum, San Diego

UTAH

Hobby Stop, Orem

CHECK BACK FOR MORE NEW LOCATIONS! ALSO, LOOK FOR THE COWCATCHER AT MODEL TRAIN SHOWS, CONVENTIONS AND SWAP MEETS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

Current Issue: July/Aug 2026

$6.95 (U.S. Orders Only)

Mardis Gras

A group of rail advocates led by John Robert Smith and Transportation for America would not take no for an answer while trying to return Amtrak passenger service along the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina's devastation. Transportation for America guided the Southern Rail Commission through 20 years of muck, mud and political jambalaya to re-energize a route from New Orleans, LA, to Mobile, AL. In just seven months after its August 2025 launch the train posted 100,000 boardings — shattering Amtrak’s original target of 42,000 annual riders. Ridership topped 18,000 the first month, and by the second had eclipsed Amtrak’s estimate.

Midwest Salute

The Missouri-Kansas-Texas and Missouri Pacific railroads traveled on similar paths from Missouri to the Southwest. One model railroad manufacturer has paid tribute to these railroads that eventually were merged into the Union Pacific system with HO-scale GP40 and C36-7 models.

Outdoor Storage

OmniTRAX recently opened an outdoor storage facility in Blue Island, IL, launching a new concept where companies can store anything from road equipment to tons of gravel without the need for a warehouse.

Plus

BNSF and Norfolk Southern introduce a wealth of patriotic diesel schemes leading up to America's 250th anniversary, the Railway Express Agency ensured that packages, parcels - even a hog - arrived quickly and on time, and the key to success for a Wisconsin model railroad club is opening its doors to the community, something it has done for the past 80 years. And more!