Nostalgia & History > Rairoad Magazine

Hello All:

What exactly was Railroad Magazine like? I have never had a copy in my hands. Was it railfan or industry oriented?

Thanks,

Genevasub

I have every issue going back to around 1960 It never was too much for content in the late 60s it became pretty cheesie rag with sort of psuedo girlie pictures It only became a quality magazine after becoming Railfan &Railroad to the point where itis an excellent quality magazine today far better than Trains

They always ran a railroad fiction story which I enjoyed. Eddie Sand, a lightning slinger, was one character I sort of recall. Boomer brakemen, and tales of the rail. Traction topics, too. An enjoyable magazine, pretty much handled by one guy: Freeman Hubbard, from what I heard.

I still have some copies.

I bought Railroad Magazine at the local newsstand in the late 30’s and early 40’s. It was a black and white pulp magazine with mostly stories and some photos. One section, edited by Steve McGuire, was called “Traction Topics”. In December 1941, I noticed a new glossy magazine on the stand called Trains. After reading both thoroughly I purchased Trains as I could not afford both. From then on Trains was my railfan magazine.

Photo reproduction was a joke, very amateurish

I don't think "amateurish" is the quite the right word to describe the photo reproduction. I think it was more a case of the photo quality being limited by the pulp format. What I dislike like the most about the photo reproduction - at least in various 1940s and 1950s back issues I've purchased at railroad shows - was the extensive use of air brushing in photos.

The original target audience for the magazine was the railroad worker but by the 1960s, the magazine had become more railfan-orientated.

Thanks everyone. I thought that today's Railroad and Railfan was a "merger" of the old Railroad mag. I think I'm sticking with TRAINS, though