The 2026 contest theme is: The Unexpected
Trains Magazine and the National Railway Historical Society are teaming up again to present the 2026 photo contest.
This year’s theme: The Unexpected. A railroad photography adventure is much like a day fishing — you never know what you’re going to catch. You were expecting a pair of six-axle GEs on the morning hot intermodal train. Instead you got a trio of SD40s from the railroad’s reserve fleet. The time slot normally occupied by the local freight was taken over by an inspection train of gleaming passenger cars. A thunderstorm darkens the afternoon sky and you are lucky enough to frame the lightning and lead locomotive against the moody landscape. It’s time to share your unexpected moments.
What is your interpretation of The Unexpected? As always, you can illustrate the theme however you like. We are seeking the most creative illustrations of The Unexpected through photographs of exceptional technical quality. Although examples are given here, they are far from the final thoughts on The Unexpected. Find something unexpected, capture it, and be ready to provide a creative explanation telling the story.
Please submit no more than three high-resolution images (3,000 pixels on the longest edge). Do not alter your images beyond minor color corrections, burning, dodging, and levels adjustments. Send JPEGs to TrainsContest@nrhs.com no later than June 1, 2026. Please include your full name and phone number. We do not accept mailed submissions.
Photos must be accompanied by a brief narrative describing the scene and why it is unexpected. Be sure to include the date the image was taken, the location, notes on camera equipment, and exposure details.
Winners will be announced in the November 2026 issue of Trains.
Enter your photos at: TrainsContest@nrhs.com
Grand Prize
Winner will receive: $1,000 from the National Railway Historical Society
First Prize
Winner will receive: $500 from Trains
Second Prize
Winner will receive: $250 from Trains
Runners-Up (five)
Winners will receive a three-year subscription to Trains Magazine.
Plus …
All winners will also receive a complimentary, one-year membership in the NRHS.
Rules
- Enter up to three (3) digital images at TrainsContest@nrhs.com.
- Contestants must include their name, a daytime phone number, email address, a brief narrative detailing how the image fits the theme, and basic caption information in the digital image’s metadata (date the image was taken, the location, notes on camera equipment, and exposure details).
- All entries must be submitted by June 1, 2026.
- Winning photos will be published in November 2026 issue of Trains.
- Trains and NRHS reserve the right to retain electronic copies for future publication, use as a contest gallery exhibition on their respective websites, Facebook walls, X (formerly Twitter) feeds, other social media, or for public exhibition. In all cases, the photographer retains the copyright to the image.
- A committee of NRHS members and Trains staff will judge photos on a “blind” basis, meaning the judges will not know the identities of the entrants.
- Multiple prizes will not be awarded to any individual.
- Employees of Firecrown Media Co., or their families are not eligible to enter. NRHS photo contest committee members and their families are not eligible to enter.
- By entering the 2026 Trains photo contest, you agree to share your name and contact information with the NRHS and Trains.
- Photographs of model railroads will not be accepted.
Trains Magazine and the National Railway Historical Society are pleased to continue this annual railroad photo contest. The NRHS is a nonprofit that promotes the interest and study of the railroad industry, a mission shared by Trains. The NRHS, which was established in 1935, is an excellent partner for a magazine that’s been around since 1940. Both groups celebrate railroad history and present-day operations. The two organizations believe that supporting and encouraging photography fosters a greater interest in the art and encourages creativity and further study of railroad subjects.
Enter your photos at: TrainsContest@nrhs.com.
