White River Productions

Last updated
White River Productions
White River Productions logo.gif
StatusActive
Founded1992
FounderKevin EuDaly
Country of origin United States
Headquarters location Bucklin, Missouri
Publication typesBooks, magazines
Nonfiction topics Railfanning, rail transport, Rail transport modeling,
Official website www.whiteriverproductions.com

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. [1] The company is headquartered in Bucklin, Missouri.

Contents

Magazine Titles

Railroad Model Craftsman

Established in 1933, Railroad Model Craftsman was published by Penn Publications until purchased by Hal Carstens and Carstens Publications in the 1960s. White River Productions acquired RMC from Carstens Publications in September 2014. This monthly magazine focuses on projects and research for active scale model railroad enthusiasts. Stephen Priest was named editor starting with the January 2015 edition, succeeded by Otto Vondrak in May 2019.

Railfan & Railroad

Railfan was the first title established in-house by Carstens Publications in 1974. Originally scheduled as a quarterly, frequency increased to bi-monthly in 1977 and monthly in 1987. Carstens merged it with Railroad Magazine in 1979. White River Productions acquired Railfan & Railroad magazine from Carstens in September 2014. The magazine covers railroad topics throughout North America, including freight and passenger lines. Heritage railways, preservation, and historical topics are featured as well. Steve Barry is the editor.

Model Railroad News

Launched in 1995, Model Railroad News is a monthly publication dedicated to the latest model railroad new product announcements, product reviews, and industry news. The magazine temporarily ceased publication in October 2011. White River Productions acquired the title and resumed publication with the March 2012 issue. The magazine is edited by Tony Cook.

Railpace Newsmagazine

Railpace Newsmagazine focuses on railroad news and photos from around the Northeastern United States and Maritime Canada. The publication was founded in 1982 by Tom Nemeth, Denis Connell, and Bill Chaplik. On January 20, 2020, White River Productions acquired Railpace Newsmagazine, retaining Tom Nemeth as Editor. [2] Carl Perelman continues to perform his duties as News Editor. All of the content in the magazine is contributed by readers.

Passenger Train Journal

The original Passenger Train Journal was founded in 1968 as a quarterly publication, increasing to monthly frequency in 1979. Acquired by Interurban Press in 1987, it was later sold to Pentrex in 1993. Publication ended in 1999. White River Productions resurrected Passenger Train Journal in 2006, with Mike Schafer as editor. The magazine is produced quarterly, and focuses on passenger train and rail transit development past and present in North America. With Mike Schafer retiring, Kevin J. Holland was named editor in 2022.

Trains & Railroads of The Past

White River Productions acquired The Railroad Press from the publishing company of the same name during the summer of 2014. Founded in 1989 as The Railfan Photographer, it later morphed into The Railroad Press. The quarterly publication was renamed Trains & Railroads of The Past, with a focus on the late postwar era in North American railroading between 1960 and 1980. Jaime Serensits is the editor.

HO Collector Magazine

The first new title launched in-house by WRP, HO Collector is a new quarterly magazine dedicated to the history of HO scale 1:87 model trains. Not only will feature content trace the lineage of popular and obscure models, but will also focus on collecting, repairing, and operating vintage model trains. The magazine debuts with the Spring 2017 issue. Tony Cook is the editor, with Tony Lucio as associate editor.

Railroads Illustrated

Dating back to a mimeographed leaflet first distributed in 1970 as CTC Board, the publication later transferred to a more traditional magazine format. White River Productions acquired CTC Board: Railroads Illustrated from Hundman Publishing following the production of the May 2006 issue. A new editorial focus was chosen for the magazine, and it was renamed Railroads Illustrated with the first edition dated February 2007. Cinthia Priest has been editor of the magazine during its entire run. The final monthly edition of Railroads Illustrated was published in December 2014, with news and some feature content consolidated into an expanded Railfan & Railroad magazine. Future editions of Railroads Illustrated will be released on an annual special edition basis. Steve Jessup was named editor in 2019.

On30 Annual

The only annual publication dedicated to O scale narrow gauge model railroading, the first On30 Annual was produced in 2006, published by Highlands Station, the publishers of Model Railroading magazine. With the closure of Highlands Station, the publication moved to Carstens Publications starting with the 2008 edition. White River Productions acquired the On30 Annual from Carstens Publications in September 2014. This annual publication is dedicated to narrow gauge model railroading in O scale (1:48), as well as product news and reviews. The annual is edited by Chris Lane.

HOn3 Annual

The only annual publication dedicated to HO scale narrow gauge model railroading, the first HOn3 Annual was launched in 2009 by Carstens Publications. White River Productions acquired the HOn3 Annual from Carstens Publications in September 2014. Using the same successful formula as the On30 Annual, the HOn3 Annual features narrow gauge model railroading in HO scale (1:87) exclusively. Chris Lane is the editor.

Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette

Published continuously since 1975 by Benchmark Publications, the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette caters to active model railroaders with an interest in building models of narrow gauge railways and equipment. The magazine was sold to WRP in 2017, with Bob Brown remaining as editor. The magazine is published six times a year. [3]

O Scale Trains

Founded by Joe Giannovario in 2002, O Scale Trains Magazine was one of the first magazines dedicated to the two-rail O scale modeling community. Upon Giannovario's passing in June 2013, his wife Jaini continued publication until the title was sold to WRP in 2018. The magazine is published six times a year with Martin Brechbiel as editor. [4]

Garden Trains Annual

Garden Trains Annual was launched in 2021 to cater to the garden railway enthusiast, combining the hobbies of model railroading with outdoor gardening. The annual publication features tours of home layouts, tips and techniques to build your own models, as well as ideas for landscaping and plantings. The editor is Chris Lane. [5]

Diesel Era

Diesel Era was founded in 1990 by publisher Paul Withers to document the history of diesel locomotive development in North America. The title was acquired from Withers Publishing in April 2021. The magazine will change from a bi-monthly to a quarterly publication, increased to 64 pages. The editor is Tony Cook. [6]

Other publishing

White River publishes books [7] that focus on fine railroad photography, with a particular focus on postwar railroad history. The company also produces magazines for a number of railroad historical societies and the NMRA Magazine.

Related Research Articles

<i>Model Railroader</i> American rail transport magazine

Model Railroader (MR) is an American magazine about the hobby of model railroading. Founded in 1934 by Al C. Kalmbach, it is published monthly by Kalmbach Media of Waukesha, Wisconsin. Commonly found on newsstands and in libraries, it promotes itself as the oldest magazine of its type in the United States, although it is the long-standing competitor to Railroad Model Craftsman, which - originally named The Model Craftsman - predates MR by one year.

<i>Railroad Model Craftsman</i>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Live steam</span> Steam-powered models and toys

Live steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam is used to operate stationary or moving equipment.

<i>Railroad Magazine</i>

Railroad Magazine was a pulp magazine founded by Frank Anderson Munsey and published October 1906 to January 1979. It was the first specialized pulp magazine with stories and articles about railroads. The magazine merged with Railfan to form the new Railfan & Railroad, published by Carstens Publications beginning after the final Railroad issue in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backyard railroad</span>

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+12 in to 7+12 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad</span> United States historic place

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, often abbreviated as the D&SNG, is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge heritage railroad that operates on 45.2 mi (72.7 km) of track between Durango and Silverton, in the U.S. state of Colorado. The railway is a federally-designated National Historic Landmark and was also designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strasburg Rail Road</span> Heritage railroad in Pennsylvania

The Strasburg Rail Road is a heritage railroad and the oldest continuously operating standard-gauge railroad in the western hemisphere, as well as the oldest public utility in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Chartered in 1832, the Strasburg Rail Road Company is today a heritage railroad offering excursion trains hauled by steam locomotives on 4.02 mi (6.47 km) of track in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, as well as providing contract railroad mechanical services, and freight service to area shippers. The railroad's headquarters are outside Strasburg, Pennsylvania.

HOn30 gauge is the modelling of narrow-gauge railways in HO on N gauge track in 1:87 scale ratio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arcata and Mad River Railroad</span>

The Arcata and Mad River Railroad, founded in 1854, was the oldest working railroad in California. It operated on a unique narrow gauge until the 1940s when standard gauge rails were laid. Service ceased in 1983 due to landslides. It is California Historical Landmark #842.

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.

<i>Railroads Illustrated</i>

Railroads Illustrated, formerly known as CTC Board, was a monthly magazine, published by White River Productions (WRP), devoted to railroad photography. WRP purchased CTC Board magazine from Hundman Publishing after the May 2006 issue, and rebranded the magazine as Railroads Illustrated, and used the CTC Board name for the news section. December 2014 marked the final monthly issue, with future expanded editions to be released annually. The news section and some feature content now appears in an expanded Railfan & Railroad, which was acquired by WRP in 2014.

<i>Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette</i>

Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette, subtitled Accurate Information for Fine Modelbuilding, is a magazine published bimonthly in the United States. It was published by Benchmark Publications, Ltd. of Mountain View, California, until the title was acquired by White River Productions in 2017. The editor and publisher is Robert W. Brown. As of 2007, the listed regular columnists include Gene Deimling, Mallory Hope Ferrell, Charlie Getz, Boone Morrison, Lane Stewart, and Jim Vail. The magazine is distributed to hobby shops by Kalmbach Publishing. The first issue of the magazine was March/April 1975, and the magazine has been published continuously since then.

Interurban Press was a small, privately owned American publishing company, specializing in books about streetcars, other forms of rail transit and railroads in North America, from 1943 until 1993. It was based in the Los Angeles area, and specifically in Glendale, California after 1976. Although its primary focus was on books, it also published three magazines starting in the 1980s, along with videos and calendars. At its peak, the company employed 10 people and generated about $2 million in business annually.

<i>Passenger Train Journal</i>

Passenger Train Journal(PTJ) is an American magazine about passenger rail transport and rail transit past and present, oriented for railfans and rail passenger advocates and published currently by White River Productions. Founded in 1968, it was published continuously until 1996, and monthly from 1979 onward, but then ceased publication. After a 10-year absence, the title was revived in 2006 by a different publishing company, as a quarterly magazine. PTJ deals exclusively with passenger rail, not freight. Although focused on North America, each issue includes at least a small amount of content on overseas—usually European—passenger rail. The magazine is headquartered in Bucklin, Missouri.

<i>The New Electric Railway Journal</i>

The New Electric Railway Journal was a quarterly American magazine primarily about electric urban rail transit in North America, published from 1988 to 1998, with an international circulation. Its name was a tribute to a much earlier magazine with similar coverage, the Electric Railway Journal, established in 1884 and published until 1931.

Carstens Publications, Inc. was a publisher of books and magazines related to the railroad and airplane hobby fields until its permanent closure on August 22, 2014. Many of the titles published by Carstens were older than the company, and have long established histories in their respective markets. Carstens was the chief competitor to Kalmbach Publishing in the scale model hobby and enthusiast field. What made Carstens stand out from the competition was the in-depth detail and active voice of the books and magazines. The company's list of monthly magazine titles included:

<i>Railfan & Railroad</i>

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.

<i>Model Railroad News</i> American rail transport modeling magazine

Model Railroad News is an American magazine specializing in the hobby of model railroading. It is the only monthly magazine dedicated exclusively to announcing news of upcoming model releases and reviewing new products in all popular scales. It was founded in 1995 by Mike Lindsay and Lamplight Publishing. During this period it was headquartered in Merlin, Oregon. The magazine temporarily ceased publication in October 2011. The magazine has been published monthly by White River Productions since they acquired the title in 2012. The editor is Tony Cook, who also serves on the editorial staff of Railroad Model Craftsman and as editor of HO Collector magazine.

Mike Schafer is an American author of books on railroading. He contributed to The Complete Book of North American Railroading.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GE 25-ton switcher</span> Type of switcher locomotive produced by General Electric

The GE 25-ton switcher is a model of diesel-electric switcher locomotive that was produced by GE Transportation at their Erie, Pennsylvania, facility between 1941 and 1974. Most examples were produced for industrial customers or the United States Armed Forces, although a number of examples were purchased by freight railroads as well. The majority of production was for customers in the United States and Canada, but export models were produced for buyers on five continents. Production totaled approximately 550 units over 33 years, making it one of the most widely produced switchers in American history.

References

  1. "About Us". White River Productions. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  2. "White River Productions acquires Railpace Newsmagazine". Railpace Newsmagazine. 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  3. "Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette joins WRP Family" . Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  4. "O Scale Trains Magazine Joins WRP Family" . Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  5. "Welcome to the new Garden Trains Annual" . Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  6. "White River Productions Acquires Diesel Era Magazine" . Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  7. "White River Productions: Railroading Books" . Retrieved 2019-11-19.