7th Annual Gold Rail Awards to determine region’s best of best in model railroading/rail enthusiasm

November 3, 2015 / Updated November 17, 2016

Cowcatcher Magazine readers can let their voices be heard.

>The magazine’s 7th Annual Gold Rail Awards, which determines the best of the best in model railroading and rail enthusiasm in the Southwest and Midwest, kicked off today. Up for grabs are 13 awards in 12 categories for nominees as chosen by a selection process composed of Cowcatcher staff and readers. Also, a Gold Rail Achievement Award will be given to a person, group or operation that has made a significant contribution or achievement to the rail landscape.

Subscribers and other readers may cast their votes through Dec. 1. Winners will be announced in the January/February 2015 issue.

Subscribers who have provided the Cowcatcher an email address will receive an invitation to vote electronically. Others can vote online.

This year’s competition features some returning champions and a few new faces. Last year, a broad swath of winners from eight states were crowned. Some longtime winners retained their titles, and some new ones took the gold.

Three winners repeated for an unprecedented sixth time. The Oklahoma City Train show took Best Train Show, Discount Model Trains claimed Best Model Train Store, and the Fort Worth & Western Railroad captured Best Regional Freight Railroad.

This year, some new contenders join the field.

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Chama, NM, is nominated for the first time for Best Excursion Railroad. The Durango & Silverton in Durango, CO, took the honor last year.

The New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railway Co.

Farmrail of Clinton, OK, and the New Orleans & Gulf Coast railroad of New Orleans are nominated along with five other returnees for Best Short Line/Regional Railroad. The Austin Western, which recently was named BNSF’s Shortline of the Year, is among repeat contenders.

Nine model manufacturers will vie for Best New Model Railroad Product. The field includes nominees for seven locomotives, including Athearn’s HO GP7U Topeka Cab. The model, announced in late 2014, arrived earlier this year and sold out quickly. Kato U.S.A.’s Sound Box analog sound system joins the field as the only non-rolling stock entry.

Other entries include Rapido’s HO Bombardier LRC HO Amtrak locomotive, InterMountain’s N Norfolk Southern Heritage ES44AC locomotive, BLMA’s HO beer cars, Fox Valley’s N GP60 locomotive, Walthers’ Proto Santa Fe F7 HO locomotive, Broadway Limited’s AC6000 locomotive with smoke and MTH’s HO ES44 GEVO Demonstrator locomotive.

Awards also are given for “Best Club Layout, Permanent,” “Best Rail Special Event,” “Best Excursion Railroad – Theme Train,” “Best Railfanning Spot”, “Best Railroad Museum”, “Best Passenger Rail – Commuter/Light Rail” and “Best Passenger Rail – Passenger Regional.”

Spring is when large-scale model railroaders with their green thumbs plant and prune colorful foliage grown nearly to scale. In some areas, maintaining outdoor layouts is quite challenging because of changing weather. Nancy Norris, an author who builds garden railroads professionally, says some plant varieties have become more difficult to grow in certain Hardiness Zones. In some cases it means garden railroaders having to put more emphasis on growing native plants rather than relying on varieties more susceptible to extreme conditions. She recommends new gardeners consult with their local nurseries for the best choices for an outdoor layout. Norris also has a few recommendations of her own.

Sweeping tariffs imposed on goods imported into the United States are stirring model railroad manufacturers. As a result, model railroading and other hobbies will cost more. In February the U.S. applied a 10 percent tariff on goods imported from China, and the tax has since escalated. Suppliers – including Athearn, InterMountain Railway Co., Broadway Limited, Rapido Trains and ScaleTrains – have been putting dealers and customers on notice that prices will increase tariffs are implemented.

The first rule of railroading is “expect movement on any track at any time in any direction.” This may seem like an overabundance of caution, but railroading is a dangerous sport. Always expect a train when you’re around the tracks. The second rule of railroading is that there is an exception to every rule. The North American freight car fleet in 2023 consisted of 2.03 million rail cars, according to Railinc’s Umler Equipment Index. Rail car fleet management — how empty cars get dispatched to move to their next loading point — is an ever-moving process and often requires fleet car managers to be nimble.

7th Annual Gold Rail Awards to determine region’s best of best in model railroading/rail enthusiasm

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