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Outlet profile

Trains

U.S. railroad trade/enthusiast, industry-oriented

Owned byFirecrown Media, a privately held specialty media company based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, founded by Craig Fuller; acquired from Kalmbach Media in May 2024
FundingPrimarily subscriptions (roughly 90% of revenue); remainder from advertising; no government or nonprofit funding
On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

Trains was founded in 1940 by Al C. Kalmbach and editor Linn Westcott as part of what became Kalmbach Publishing (later Kalmbach Media), based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. For over eight decades it served as the flagship rail publication in North America, covering freight and passenger railroads, rail history, and industry news for both enthusiasts and professionals. Kalmbach also published related titles including Model Railroader, Classic Trains, and Classic Toy Trains. In May 2024, Kalmbach Media sold Trains and its entire railroad and astronomy portfolio to Firecrown Media, a specialty media company founded in 2021 by Craig Fuller, who had previously built FreightWaves into a major freight-industry media platform. Under Firecrown, the magazine expanded its industry-facing digital coverage through a professional news site called TrainsPRO, targeting railroad career professionals. Trains has no known political affiliation and does not endorse candidates or parties; its editorial record focuses on rail operations, industry trends, and policy as it affects railroads. Coverage of Trump administration railroad policies — including deregulation moves and infrastructure funding — has been reported matter-of-factly, with some articles noting potential risks to passenger rail funding, reflecting an industry rather than ideological viewpoint.

Sources

  1. Trains (magazine) — Wikipedia
  2. Kalmbach rail magazines, Trains.com sold to Firecrown Media — Trains
  3. Firecrown Media grows again with addition of Trains, Astronomy — FreightWaves
  4. Firecrown Acquires Multiple Brands From Kalmbach Media — A Media Operator
  5. How Firecrown Media Got Traction with Partnerships — FirstMRR
  6. Challenges ahead for passenger rail under Trump, GOP Senate: Analysis — Trains
  7. Executive Team — Firecrown
  8. Publishers Daily: Firecrown Media Acquires Railroad Fan Magazines From Kalmbach Media — MediaPost

Profile compiled 2026-07-23; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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