This page provides links to some of the popular model railroading hobby publications. Publications included in these listings are believed to be continuing to publish on a regular schedule. I have not included publications that are no longer in operation or that appear to be of questionable viability based on a cursory examination of their online presence. In addition, the list does not include magazines or journals published to members only of membership organizations. Inclusion is entirely subjective on my part, and can include online and print publications, but is limited to publications with a track record of regular, on-time publication of materials in a professional format, typically color, and minimally news-stand worthy whether actually delivered in print or digitally.
Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine – Model Railroad Hobbyist is a monthly online free publication with associated highly active model railroad forum discussion groups. Subscription based print edition is also available.
Kalmbach Publications publishes the following model railroad related magazines:
- Model Railroader Magazine – Best known model railroad subscription magazine currently published monthly. Offers print and digital subscriptions, including ability to subscribe to digital archive of all past issues of Model Railroader. Also hosts an active model railroad forum discussion area.
- MRR Video Plus – Subscription video publication offering how-to and other videos on model railroading topics.
- Trains Magazine – Subscription magazine covering a wide variety of railroad topics published monthly. Offers print and digital subscriptions.
- Classic Toy Trains – Subscription magazine focused on building and operating toy train layouts published monthly. Offers print and digital subscriptions.
- Classic Trains Magazine – Subscription magazine focused on the golden years of model railroading published quarterly plus special editions. Offers print and digital subscriptions.
- Garden Railways Magazine – Subscription magazine specializing in garden scale railroading published monthly. Offers print and digital subscriptions.
White River Publications publishes the following model railroad related magazines:
- Railroad Model Craftsman Magazine – Longstanding subscription magazine covering a high level of craftsmanship in the hobby published monthly. Offers print, digital and combo subscriptions.
- Railfan & Railroad – Subscription magazine covering prototype railroads and railfanning topics published monthly. Offers print, digital and combo subscriptions.
- Model Railroad News – Print subscription magazine providing news and information for hobbyists that appears to be published monthly.
- Passenger Train Journal – Print subscription magazine covering passenger train railroading topics published quarterly.
- Trains & Railroads of the Past – Print subscription magazine that appears to be published quarterly focused primarily as the name implies on railroads that are no longer operating.
- Railroads Illustrated Annual – Yearly print subscription publication..
- On30 Annual – Yearly print subscription publication featuring hundreds of full color photographs.
- HOn3 Annual – Yearly print subscription publication with photographs, scratch building articles, and more.
Morton’s Media Group (via Classic Magazines) is a publisher of the following magazines:
- Heritage Railway – Subscription magazine published every 4 weeks offering print or digital subscriptions. Concentration is on Britain’s network of preserved steam, diesel, and electric railways.
- Rail Express – Monthly subscription magazine covering news about Britains current railway network available in print or digital editions.
- Railway Magazine, The – Long time monthly subscription magazine covering Britain’s railway industry and heritage railways both past and present available in print or digital editions.
World of Railways is an online Publisher featuring the following magazines:
- British Railway Modelling – Monthly British subscription magazine covering top notch layouts in all scales offering print or digital subscriptions. Each edition includes a DVD.
- Garden Rail – Monthly British subscription print magazine covering the entire garden railway spectrum across scales, gauges, genres. and methods of propulsion.
- Narrow Gauge World – Print subscription magazine published 9 times per year covering narrow gauge railroading past and present.
Other Model Railroad Publications:
- Australian Model Engineering – Bi-monthly subscription print magazine.
- BackTrack – Monthly print and digital historical railway journal in Britain published by Pendragon Publishing.
- Diesel Era – Subscription annual print publication from Withers Publishing forcused on diesel railroads.
- Engineers & Engines Magazine – Canadian traditional print magazine published bi-monthly.
- European Railway Review – Online free bi-monthly railway magazine.
- Hornby Magazine – Traditional monthly subscription magazine offering print or digital subscriptions including mobile app edition.
- Live Steam & Outdoor Railroading – Traditional bi-monthly subscription print magazine.
- Locomotives International – Traditional subscription print magazine that has varied over the years in publication frequency.
- Miniature Railway Magazine – Traditional quarterly subscription magazine offering print or digital subscriptions.
- Model Railroad News – Traditional monthly subscription print magazine.
- Modern Railways Magazine – Traditional monthly subscription magazine offering print or digital subscriptions.
- Motive Power Magazine – Australian traditional bi-monthly subscription print magazine.
- N Scale Railroading – Traditional bi-monthly subscription print magazine.
- N Scale Magazine – Traditional bi-monthly subscription print magazine.
- Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette – Australian traditional bi-monthly subscription print magazine.
- O Gauge Railroading Magazine – Traditional monthly subscription magazine offering print or digital subscriptions.
- Private Varnish – Print magazine published three times per year about privately owned rail cars.
- Railpace Newsmagazine – Monthly northeastern US monthly subscription print magazine.
- Railroad Explorer – Traditional subscription print magazine published 3 times per year focused on railroads in eastern US and Canada.
- Railway Digest – Monthly Australian subscription print magazine.
- Railway Herald – Weekly British subscription magazine available in print or digital formats.
- Railway Modeler – Monthly British subscription magazine available in print and degital editions published by PECO Publications.
- Railways Illustrated – Traditional monthly subscription magazine offering print or digital subscriptions.
- Steam Days Magazine – Traditional monthly subscription magazine offering print or digital subscriptions.
- Timber Times – Quarterly subscription print magazine focused on logging railroads.
- Trackside Model Railroading – Monthly digital magazine with both subscription and free versions focused on railfanning layouts of the masters.
- Ztrack Magazine – Bi-monthly print subscription magazine dedicated to Z scale model railroading.