There are some things that will never go out of style in the railfan underground. We’ll always love the thrill of a rumbling steam locomotive train ride. We’ll obsess over the intricate details in the latest display. And we get a small rush every time we crack open a new train magazine.
Print newspapers and magazines may have struggled since the rise of the digital world, but the internet may have actually helped railfans around the world access and contribute incredible journalism from all ends of the railroad industry.
(On the contribute side, it’s worth mentioning we’ve been featured in A Modeler’s Life, Trains, and Railfan & Railroad; and we’ve written for Conrail Quarterly, along with feature articles for Trains and Railroad Model Craftsman.)
Put simply: Train magazines are alive and well. And although you might not find as many print editions these days, you’ll certainly find them online—something we went into great detail about in our list of gift ideas for train lovers. And of course, we maintain subscriptions to most of these magazines for our guests’ reading pleasure!
We’ve broken today’s list into two categories:
Happy reading!
Our Favorite Train Magazines For Full-Sized Prototypes
When it comes to magazines covering the full raw power of life-sized trains, here are some of the very best:
1. Trains
For more than 80 years, Trains has set itself apart with engaging articles and eye-catching photos. But it’s not all written material; its website has an enormous library of videos that dive deep into nuanced railroad topics. Ownership recently changed, with the historic Kalmbach Publishing family becoming part of Firecrown Media. We’re excited to see what the future holds for Trains Magazine!
Subscription Pricing: Starting at $39.95/year
Subscription: Subscribe Here
2. Classic Trains
We can’t give you the Sierra Railway Engine No. 3 and DeLorean from Back to the Future Part III to help you travel back in time, but we can guide you to the next best thing: Classic Trains. Classic Trains is your top resource for rare railroad photography from previous generations—which are accompanied by articles of intriguing untold stories from railroad history.
Subscription Pricing: Starting at $26.95/year
Subscription: Subscribe Here
3. Railfan & Railroad
There’s a little something for everyone in Railfan & Railroad, which packs the excitement of being trackside into a magazine. Subscribe to Railfan & Railroad for the latest industry news, captivating expert columns, and striking color photography. Under the White River Publications banner, R&R has evolved in recent years to become an excellent magazine all around.
Subscription Pricing: Starting at $24.00/year
Subscription: Subscribe Here
4. Railpace Newsmagazine
Railpace is another magazine that became part of the well-known White River family. Railpace emerged in the early 1980s as the source of railfan news for the northeast, particularly Pennsylvania and surrounding states. Many railfans grew up with Railpace as their sole news source in the pre-Internet days. Railpace still continues to feature interesting news photos and railfan-oriented articles for the serious railfan, with especially great insights into shortline railroad operations and photo locations.
Fun fact: It’s through Tom’s monthly Railpace ads that so many of our longtime guests—Alex included—came to learn about The Station Inn!
Subscription Pricing: Starting at $74
Subscription: Subscribe Here
5. Trains and Railroads of the Past
TRP, published once per quarter, is the White River family’s equivalent to “Classic Trains.” TRP always features interesting stories and outstanding photography of the trains of yesteryear—including the 80s and 90s (boy, I’m getting old!).
While TRP covers trains throughout North America, there is a strong focus on Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Many issues feature writing and photography from TRP’s Associate Editor, the beloved Mike Bednar, who lived along and worked for the Lehigh Valley Railroad, Conrail, and later the Reading & Northern.
Fun Fact: TRP’s Editor, Jaime Serensits, Mike Bednar, and Alex Lang grew up within a few miles of each other—albeit at different points in time! Jaime may not remember, but he gave a presentation on railfan photography in Alex’s 2nd grade class back in maybe 1985!
Subscription Pricing: Starting at $43.00
Subscription: Subscribe Here
Our Favorite Train Magazines For Model Railroads
If your railroad passions extend into the thrills of miniature models, we have the perfect list for you:
6. Model Railroader
Model Railroader has led the model train magazine pack since it first launched in 1934. Each issue holds step-by-step modeling and construction tips; photo tours of model train layouts; detailed product reviews; and much, much more.
Subscription Pricing: Starting at $39.95/year
Subscription: Subscribe Here
7. Garden Railways
Garden Railways specializes in large-scale trains for outside gardens, making this a unique option in this list of train magazines. You’ll find plenty of product reviews, plant recommendations, and other tips, but a subscription also unlocks access to nearly 40 years of digitally archived issues.
Subscription Pricing: See site for details.
Subscription: See site for details.
Our model railroad at home
8. Classic Toy Trains
Classic Toy Trains is, well, a classic, focusing on the model trains of yesteryear. Here, you’ll read about brands like Lionel, American Flyer, Marx, and others, while uncovering detailed product reviews and Q&A columns from industry experts.
Subscription Pricing: Starting at $37.95/year
Subscription: Subscribe Here
9. Railroad Model Craftsman
Railroad Model Craftsman has been a beloved publication for more than 90 years, building an audience around its industry news, honest product reviews, clever construction tips, and much, much more. Like its companion magazine, Railfan & Railroad, RMC has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years thanks to its transformative leadership team.
Subscription Pricing: Starting at $24.00/year
Subscription: Subscribe Here
Our model railroads at the Inn
Discover Even More Through The Station Inn
We’ll quietly submit one more reading resource into the list: The Station Inn Blog. Twice a month, we update our blog to offer the latest in all things railroading—and we hope you have as much fun reading it as we have writing it!
Of course, you can also get even closer to the trains by booking a room at our railroad-themed bed and breakfast. Our front porch overlooks the busy Norfolk Southern railroad main line, which has made The Station Inn a popular annual destination for railfans from all over the country. While you’re relaxing, you can peruse a selection of train magazines and books from our library.
Contact us to learn more.
