Railroad Heritage

The Center publishes the journal Railroad Heritage® as well as books. Publication of Railroad Heritage began in 2000 and has grown steadily, expanding to a quarterly production schedule in 2012 and the current 68-page format in 2021. Members receive the journal by mail every March, June, September, and December.

Proposals and submissions

The Center welcomes article ideas for Railroad Heritage, particularly for the series “Railroads and the Art of Place.” Also of interest are articles that draw on images from the Center’s collections as well as articles about railroad art other than photography (such as paintings, drawings, sculpture, and other forms of visual media). The current lead time for submissions to Railroad Heritage is about one year. Please send a brief summary (a paragraph or so is a good starting point) by email to info [at] railphoto-art.org.

Please note that the following issues of Railroad Heritage are out of print and unavailable for purchase: nos. 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 40, 45, 46, 47, 54, 57, and 80. In most cases, we can provide electronic copies as PDF files. Please send an email to info [at] railphoto-art.org for more information.

Railroad Heritage news

  • Fall 2014: Young Photographers, St. Louis

    Examining the future of railroad photography, writer David Lester answers the question of whether the younger generation is losing interest in railroad photography with, “Not a chance.” Lester interviews six photographers ranging in age from 18 to 30 in his cover feature, which assesses their interests and priorities, and displays the great passion they bring…

  • Summer 2014: Feininger in Utah, Grohmann’s railroad art, Chicago exhibition

    The Summer 2014 issue’s cover feature by BYU professor James Swensen profiles photographer Andreas Feininger’s work at the Utah Copper Company’s railroads in November 1942 for the Office of War Information. It also includes an in-depth look at the railroad art in the permanent collection of the Grohmann Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, written by James…

  • Spring 2014: Kooistra’s photography, Gloff’s art, railroads in musical theater

    The Spring 2014 issue begins with a cover feature on Blair Kooistra, a railroad photographer who is currently a BNSF Railway dispatcher and previously worked for twenty years in newspaper photojournalism. His work focuses on the American West from the 1970s to the present. Kevin P. Keefe, Center board member and vice president of publishing…

  • Issue 35, Victor Hand’s photography, Awards, Chicago train crews

    Profile of world-traveling steam photographer Victor Hand, a presenter at the 2014 Conversations about Photography conference. Hand pioneered international travel and steam photography among American rail enthusiasts. Stunning imagery from the winners of the 2013 John E. Gruber Photography Awards Program, including a two-page spread of Ronald Olsen’s jaw-dropping view from a Chinese steel mill.…

  • Issue 34: Railroad Art Today

    Expanded, 36-page issue featuring an in-depth look at current trends among railroad artists by Alexander Craghead. The article includes interviews with and sample work from twenty-three artists as well as analysis and context from arts editors and museum curators. Center member Richard “Dick” Neumiller shares a gallery of historic and colorful photographs depicting Kansas City’s…

  • Help Us Showcase More Art

    Results from our artists’ survey are already impressive, with more than 150 responses to date. You can help us feature more of these artists’ work by making a special donation to expand the next issue of Railroad Heritage. Our budget allows for a twenty-four-page issue, with fourteen pages slotted for the art feature. With an…