Pacific RailNews(PRN), originally named Pacific News and later RailNews, was an American monthly magazine about railroads and rail transit, oriented for railfans. It was published from 1961[1] until 1999.[2] Although its coverage primarily concerned the western United States and western Canada, the magazine included less-detailed news on railroads and rail-transit from non-western states, as well as Mexico.
Founded in 1961[3] as Pacific News (ISSN 0030-879X), by the Pacific Locomotive Association, from its inception the magazine was originally published monthly by Chatham Publishing Company (of Burlingame, California), Karl R. Koenig, editor and publisher. Issue number 1 was published in September 1961.[1] By the third issue the magazine was independent and not produced by the Association. Pacific News was originally printed on uncoated paper, but coated paper was used starting with issue 32.[4] The magazine was acquired by Interurban Press in 1983, and the October 1983 issue was the first under the new publisher. Publication was then bimonthly for a time, but returned to being monthly in December 1984.
Starting with the October 1984 issue, the name was changed to Pacific RailNews (also informally written Pacific Rail News) (ISSN 8750-8486), so as to more clearly indicate its subject area to anyone not yet familiar with the magazine.[5] As of 1992, when Interurban Press was publishing the magazine, PRN had a circulation of about 10,000 and subscribers all over the world.[6]
In 1993, Mac Sebree, publisher of PRN and owner of Interurban Press, retired and sold the entire business to Pentrex.[7] Pentrex took over both PRN and Passenger Train Journal (PTJ) from Interurban Press, but discontinued PTJ in late 1996. The geographic coverage of Pacific RailNews was expanded to include all major U.S. railroads, rather than just those in the West and Midwest, and effective January 1997 the magazine's name became RailNews (ISSN 1091-2436). Pentrex eventually decided to discontinue publication of all of its magazines, and the final issue of RailNews was that dated August 1999.[2][3]
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Each issue of PRN had feature articles and several pages of news. Under Interurban Press, the news coverage was separated by railroad company (e.g., Rio Grande, Southern Pacific, Amtrak), with a regular columnist for each, but at the front of each issue there was also a general news section for national, miscellaneous or last-minute news. A "Short Lines" column covered the short-line railroads. Until 1989, coverage of urban rail transit was also presented in the form of regular locally compiled news columns covering the then-few light rail systems in the West Coast states, supplemented at the back of the magazine by a separate one-page column (by publisher Mac Sebree) giving briefer rail-transit news on the rest of the country; the latter was called "Interurbans Newsletter" in tribute to a previous newsletter which had given birth to Interurban Press, PRN's publisher. In fall 1989, the individual columns on west coast light rail systems and the "Interurbans" column were combined into a single, smaller news section for rail transit,[8] and other sections of the magazine were also reorganized at that time.[9] The magazine was expanded from 48 pages to 56 pages in January 1990. Pentrex's acquisition of PRN in 1993 eventually led to other format changes. Starting in January 1995, most issues had 82 pages, and the word "Pacific" was made much smaller than the words "RailNews" on the cover.[10] "Pacific" was dropped altogether from the magazine's name in 1997, as coverage was expanded to include the Eastern U.S. Along with the magazine's size, the proportion of photos and maps published in color also had been increasing, and by 1997 the only black-and-white images in the magazine were the occasional historical photo that had been shot on black-and-white film originally.
pacific, railnews, originally, named, pacific, news, later, railnews, american, monthly, magazine, about, railroads, rail, transit, oriented, railfans, published, from, 1961, until, 1999, although, coverage, primarily, concerned, western, united, states, weste. Pacific RailNews PRN originally named Pacific News and later RailNews was an American monthly magazine about railroads and rail transit oriented for railfans It was published from 1961 1 until 1999 2 Although its coverage primarily concerned the western United States and western Canada the magazine included less detailed news on railroads and rail transit from non western states as well as Mexico Pacific RailNewsCover of December 1986 issueCategoriesRail transportFrequencyMonthlyCirculation10 000 1992 First issueSeptember 1961 as Pacific News 1 Final issueNumberAugust 1999 2 No 429Company1961 83 Chatham Publishing Co 1983 93 Interurban Press1993 99 PentrexCountryUnited StatesISSN8750 8486 Contents 1 History 2 Format 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory editFounded in 1961 3 as Pacific News ISSN 0030 879X by the Pacific Locomotive Association from its inception the magazine was originally published monthly by Chatham Publishing Company of Burlingame California Karl R Koenig editor and publisher Issue number 1 was published in September 1961 1 By the third issue the magazine was independent and not produced by the Association Pacific News was originally printed on uncoated paper but coated paper was used starting with issue 32 4 The magazine was acquired by Interurban Press in 1983 and the October 1983 issue was the first under the new publisher Publication was then bimonthly for a time but returned to being monthly in December 1984 Starting with the October 1984 issue the name was changed to Pacific RailNews also informally written Pacific Rail News ISSN 8750 8486 so as to more clearly indicate its subject area to anyone not yet familiar with the magazine 5 As of 1992 when Interurban Press was publishing the magazine PRN had a circulation of about 10 000 and subscribers all over the world 6 In 1993 Mac Sebree publisher of PRN and owner of Interurban Press retired and sold the entire business to Pentrex 7 Pentrex took over both PRN and Passenger Train Journal PTJ from Interurban Press but discontinued PTJ in late 1996 The geographic coverage of Pacific RailNews was expanded to include all major U S railroads rather than just those in the West and Midwest and effective January 1997 the magazine s name became RailNews ISSN 1091 2436 Pentrex eventually decided to discontinue publication of all of its magazines and the final issue of RailNews was that dated August 1999 2 3 Format editEach issue of PRN had feature articles and several pages of news Under Interurban Press the news coverage was separated by railroad company e g Rio Grande Southern Pacific Amtrak with a regular columnist for each but at the front of each issue there was also a general news section for national miscellaneous or last minute news A Short Lines column covered the short line railroads Until 1989 coverage of urban rail transit was also presented in the form of regular locally compiled news columns covering the then few light rail systems in the West Coast states supplemented at the back of the magazine by a separate one page column by publisher Mac Sebree giving briefer rail transit news on the rest of the country the latter was called Interurbans Newsletter in tribute to a previous newsletter which had given birth to Interurban Press PRN s publisher In fall 1989 the individual columns on west coast light rail systems and the Interurbans column were combined into a single smaller news section for rail transit 8 and other sections of the magazine were also reorganized at that time 9 The magazine was expanded from 48 pages to 56 pages in January 1990 Pentrex s acquisition of PRN in 1993 eventually led to other format changes Starting in January 1995 most issues had 82 pages and the word Pacific was made much smaller than the words RailNews on the cover 10 Pacific was dropped altogether from the magazine s name in 1997 as coverage was expanded to include the Eastern U S Along with the magazine s size the proportion of photos and maps published in color also had been increasing and by 1997 the only black and white images in the magazine were the occasional historical photo that had been shot on black and white film originally See also editRailnews monthly British newspaper List of railroad related periodicalsReferences edit a b c Pacific RailNews issue 300 November 1988 p 3 a b c Magazine Subscriber Information Pentrex 2000 Archived from the original on November 28 2010 Retrieved May 19 2019 a b Pacific News Pacific Rail News PN PRN Utah Rails Retrieved June 28 2016 Koenig Karl R issue 200 June 1978 Inside Chatham editor s column Pacific News p 3 Walker Jim January 1989 A Note from the Editor Pacific RailNews p 3 Interurban Press Klein Karen E April 26 1992 Flood Brings a Deluge of Book Orders Los Angeles Times Retrieved September 30 2013 Ryll Thomas November 29 1994 Felida man tracks light rail profile of former PRN publisher Mac Sebree The Columbian p A3 Gulbrandsen Don September 1989 A Note from the Editor Pacific RailNews p 3 Interurban Press Gulbrandsen Don October 1989 We ve made your favorite rail magazine even better Pacific RailNews p 2 Interurban Press Pacific RailNews January 1995 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pacific RailNews amp oldid 1216326286, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
