Resources - Magazines
This page provides complete information about all the magazines that cover S-scale solely, routinely, or occasionally, in alphabetical order. We have separated the currently-active listing from the old listings. The old listings are still very useful, and you may be able to find them in your local library or on the secondary market. You may also wish to visit the NASG's Mobley Library page as that contains information about magazine indexes and how NASG members might be able to get copies of articles.
Active Magazines
Classic Toy Trains
Kalmbach Publishing publishes this monthly magazine. It was started in 1988 and still continuing today. Its target audience is the toy train enthusiast, covering mostly O-scale, but it occasionally has S articles in it.
Model Railroader
Kalmbach Publishing publishes this monthly magazine. It was first published in 1934. As a general magazine, Model Railroader will, occasionally, have an S-scale article in it.
Model Railroad Hobbyist
Model Railroad Hobbyist was started in 2009 as a free, digital magazine, covering all aspects of model railroading. In recent years they have added the Running Extra digital magazine that is not free, but also contains no advertising. There have been no S-scale articles published in this magazine, but their content is driven by what is submitted.
Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette
This magazine was started by Bob Brown in 1975 and is now continuing to be published by White River Productions. It is a bi-monthly magazine that focuses on both narrow-gauge and shortline modeling. It therefore features S-scale articles fairly regularly.
NMRA Magazine
This is the official monthly magazine of the National Modal Railroad Association. As S-scalers are involved in the NMRA, you will find occasional photos and articles in this magazine. If you are looking into older copies of this magazine, it was previously named Scale Rails Magazine, and before that the NMRA Bulletin.
Railroad Model Craftsman
This magazines as started in 1933, and is continuing to be published by White River Productions on a monthly basis. In addition to the occasional S-scale article in the magazine, the NASG has the inside-the-front-cover ads, promoting S-scale modeling.
The NASG Dispatch
With the closure of the S Gauge Herald in 1978, in which the NASG had a regular column reporting on its activities, then-president of the NASG, Dick Cataldi, started the NASG Newsletter as a separate entity. The following year, Ernie Horr took over the NASG Newsletter, and renamed it The Dispatch. It is published every other month, and covers all topics related to S as well as NASG-specific news. It requires NASG membership, and is an automatic benefit to all active NASG members.
The S Scale Resource
This magazine was started in 2014, and is published by The Model Railroad Resource. It comes out every other month. It is available in digital format only and it is free. It predominantly focuses on "scale" modeling.
Trackside Model Railroading
Trackside Model Railroading is a subscriber-based digital magazine that covers all scales. Their typical format is to delve deeply into two model railroads in each issue. For most of those they will also provide an online and a DVD/Blu-ray video tour of the layout. In 2016 they did a tour of well-known S-scale modeler Dick Karnes' layout.
Historical Societies' Magazines
Chicago & North Western Historical Society Modeler
Started in 2008 by the Chicago & North Western Historical Society, this digital modeling guide is used to promote prototype and modeling information about the C&NW and its predecessor roads. S-scale content has been covered in the past.
Nickel Plate Road Modeler's Notebook
This freely available digital magazine published by the Nickel Plate Road Historical & Technical Society was started in 2010.
NYCentral Modeler
Published quarterly by the New York Central System Historical Society was started in 2011. S-scale content has been covered in the past.
The B&O Modeler
First published in 2005 by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Historical Society, this digital modeling guide is used to disseminate prototypical information about the B&O Railroad along with modeling tips and information. S-scale content has been covered in the past.
The Keystone Modeler
One of the first, if not the first, online digital historical society modeling magazines, was started in 2003 by members of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society to model the PRR. It is published on a quarterly basis and is freely available to all. S-scale content has been covered in the past.
Past Magazines
1:64 Modeling Guide
Published by DEBenLLC Publications from 2003 through 2008. Four issues per year. Richard Bendever bought "S/Sn3 Modeling Guide" from Billy Wade, and renamed it.
Published by RLN Publishing from 2008 through 2012, also at four issues per year. Robert Nalbone bought the magazine from Richard Bendever, eventually converting it to a digital-only format, but it was financially un-sustainable. The issues remain available for sale online.
3/16 'S'cale Railroading
This magazine was created and published by Ed Loizeaux from 1989 through 1992, every other month. In the end, the magazine was financially un-sustainable.
All Scale Rails
All Scale Rails was started in 2015 and closed in 2021. It occasionally contained photos of S-scale displays taken at local train shows.
Canadian S Scale Quarterly
status: dormant
This magazine/newsletter has had several stewards over time, with the "current" one being Charles Hicks. It was started in 1991 and actively published until 2013, at four issues per year. Since that time, the magazine is now officially dormant.
Essence
This magazine was created and published by Ken D. Mackenzie, who is no longer with us. It ran from 1985 through 1989, at 12 issues per year. Its target audience was "scale" modelers, who were also NMRA members.
S Gauge Herald
This magazine was started by David Bulkin in 1960. In 1961 Wally Collins took it over and ran it until 1978. Frank Titman was the magazine's editor. The magazine was shut down due to the high printing costs. Wally personally funded the entire run of the magazine.
Rollie Mercier re-starts the magazine with the July issue of 1986. Then in 1987, with the February issue, he renamed it to "The Herald", with the intent to cover more than just S-scale (which he never actually did). The October 1988 issue was the last one published in this run of the magazine.
Rollie Mercier again re-starts the magazine with its original name with the October 1994 issue, but it seems that that was the only issue he managed to get out.
S Gaugian
Donald Heimburger started this magazine in 1962 when he was 14 years old! Eventually it became part of the Heimburger House Publishing company that he ran. In 2019 Don announced his retirement, and the closing of Heimburger House Publishing. The magazine was published on a bi-monthly basis. It was the longest-running S-only magazine.
S/Sn3 Buyers Guide
In 1993 Billy Wade started this magazine after the closing of the 3/16 'S'cale Railroading with which he was involved. The S/Sn3 Buyers Guide was renamed to the S/Sn3 Modeling Guide in 1995, and was published bi-monthly until 1999.
Slim Gauge News
The publisher of this magazine is unknown, but it was started in 1970 covering Sn3 only. Over time it started covering more general narrow-gauge topics, and morphed into The Narrow Gauge and Shore Line Gazette. This magazine was closed in 1974.
Sn3 Modeler
In 1984 Donald Heimburger started this magazine covering only Sn3 topics, and published by his Heimburger House Publishing company. It ran until 2018 when Don announced his retirement. This magazine was published twice per year.