Expansion to present day
In 1969, Flying Models magazine was acquired by the company, adding coverage of the model airplane hobby. In 1973, the company relocated to its current headquarters in rural Newton, New Jersey. The new Railfan magazine was established in-house in 1974, dedicated to the railroad enthusiast and the hobby of railfanning. In 1979, Carstens purchased the old Railroad magazine, which started publication in 1906, and combined it to form Railfan & Railroad magazine.
In 2006, Carstens Publications launched the successful On30 Annual, a special publication dedicated to the modeling of narrow gauge railways in O scale. This was followed up in 2009 with the establishment of the HOn3 Annual, which focuses on HO scale narrow gauge modeling. Both annuals are edited by Chris Lane. In 2010, the editors of Railfan & Railroad launched a special edition titled Great Railroad Photography, which was a showcase for innovative and creative photography both contemporary and vintage.
Henry Carstens was the company's last president and publisher, having taken over after his father Hal Carstens' untimely death in June 2009. He was assisted by his mother, Phyllis Carstens.
Railway modelling or model railroading is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale.
A scale model is a physical model that is geometrically similar to an object. Scale models are generally smaller than large prototypes such as vehicles, buildings, or people; but may be larger than small prototypes such as anatomical structures or subatomic particles. Models built to the same scale as the prototype are called mockups.
O scale is a scale commonly used for toy trains and rail transport modelling. Introduced by German toy manufacturer Märklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current O gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the United States and remained so until the early 1960s. In Europe, its popularity declined before World War II due to the introduction of smaller scales.
HO or H0 is a rail transport modelling scale using a 1:87 scale. It is the most popular scale of model railway in the world. The rails are spaced 16.5 millimetres (0.650 in) apart for modelling 1,435 mm standard gauge tracks and trains in HO.
A railfan, train fan, rail buff or train buff, railway enthusiast, railway buff, trainspotter or ferroequinologist is a person who is recreationally interested in trains and rail transport systems.
Railroad Model Craftsman is an American magazine specializing in the hobby of model railroading. The magazine is published monthly by White River Productions, which acquired the title from Carstens Publications in 2014. Its first issue in March 1933 was called The Model Craftsman because it covered other areas of scale modeling as well. Founded by Emanuele Stieri, it was second editor Charles A. Penn who helped grow the company and lead the publication towards the hobby of scale models. In April 1949 it changed its focus to model trains and changed its name to Railroad Model Craftsman to reflect this change in editorial content. While it can claim to be the oldest model railroading magazine in continuous publication in the United States, rival Model Railroader counters with the tagline "Model railroading exclusively since 1934." Over the years, several other titles have been folded into the publication, including Toy Trains, Electric Trains and Hobby Railroading, Miniature Rail Roading, Model & Railway News, and The O Gager.
Live steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam may be used to operate stationary or moving equipment.
A backyard railroad is a privately owned, outdoor railroad, most often in miniature, but large enough for one or several persons to ride on. The rail gauge can be anything from 2+1⁄2 in to 7+1⁄2 in or more. Smaller backyard or outdoor railroads that cannot be ridden are called garden railroads. Some backyard railroads use full-size rolling stock, such as the former 3 ft narrow gauge Grizzly Flats Railroad owned by railfan and Disney animator Ward Kimball.
HOn30 gauge is the modelling of narrow-gauge railways in HO on N gauge track in 1:87 scale ratio.
On30gauge is the modelling of narrow gauge railways in O scale on HO gauge track in 1:48 scale ratio by American and Australian model railroaders, in 1:43.5 scale ratio by British and French model railroaders and 1:45 by Continental European model railroaders.
The H0m gauge is designed for the reproduction of narrow gauge railways with a prototype gauge of 850 to 1250 mm in H0 scale. The letter m stands for metre prototype gauge with a track width of 1000 mm. It runs on 12 mm TT scale tracks. Modern H0m trains run on realistic-looking two-rail track, which is powered by direct current, or by Digital Command Control. It is a popular scale in Europe, particularly for trains of Swiss outline.
J. Anthony Koester, more commonly known as Tony Koester, is a well-known member of the United States model railroading community. Along with his friend Allen McClelland and his Virginian & Ohio, Koester popularized the idea of proto-freelancing with his HO scale model railroad, the Allegheny Midland. At Purdue University in the early 1960s, he studied electrical engineering, communication, and art. While at Purdue, he was also a member and president of the Purdue Railroad Club. In 1966, with Glenn Pizer he co-founded the Nickel Plate Road Historical & Technical Society to preserve the memory of his favorite railroad.
00n3 is the description given to modelling 3 ft narrow gauge railways in 4 mm scale with 12 mm gauge track. 3 ft prototypes were common in Ireland and the Isle of Man, but the scale is not generally used outside the British Isles. 12 mm gauge track is the same as that used in TT scale and HOm, so some components used for those scales can be used.
On2 gauge is part of the hobby of rail transport modeling. The name is based on the common USA model railroad O scale of 1:48 and refers to the gauge between the rails and the fact that it is narrow gauge, thus 'On2'.
Harold H. Carstens was president of Carstens Publications, publisher of Railfan & Railroad and Railroad Model Craftsman magazines. While attending Fairleigh Dickinson University at night, Carstens joined the staff of Railroad Model Craftsman in 1952. While in the Army, he studied art and journalism at the Philippine Institute for the Armed Forces. The position of managing editor opened up in 1954, and Carstens later advanced to Editor and Vice President in 1957. When owner Charles Penn retired in 1962, Hal Carstens became President. In 1973, Carstens moved the company to a new facility in Newton, New Jersey, where it remained until the magazines were acquired by White River Productions in September 2014.
Railfan & Railroad is an American monthly magazine that has been in publication since the 1970s. It was the first magazine title established in-house by Carstens Publications. As a magazine dedicated to trains and rail transportation, it stands out from its main competitor Trains as a publication focused on the enthusiast and related activities. Established in 1974 as Railfan magazine, it merged in 1979 with Railroad magazine, which Carstens purchased at that time. The magazine was renamed Railfan & Railroad, but the two former titles were listed separately on the masthead until 2015. The magazine was acquired by White River Productions in September 2014. The magazine is produced monthly, edited by Steve Barry.
Flying Models was an American monthly magazine dedicated to model aviation published by Carstens Publications. It was the oldest continuously published magazine dedicated to model airplanes, having started as Flying Aces in October 1928. Flying Models was acquired by Carstens Publications in 1969 and ceased publication in 2014. The headquarters of the magazine was in Newton, New Jersey.
White River Productions is an independent publishing company that specializes in books and magazines targeted to railroad enthusiasts and historians. Kevin EuDaly founded the company in 1992 to published the book Missouri Pacific Diesel Power, which he also authored. Several other titles followed, and the company became his full-time venture beginning in 1996. The company expanded when it took on publishing newsletters and managing membership databases for several railroad historical societies. The company is headquartered in Bucklin, Missouri.
