IRON MOUNTAIN RAILWAY SEEKS NONPROFIT STATUS

With events planned through the end of the year, the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway is chugging along while seeking nonprofit status.

"Fall is always a busy time for us," said Danny Davis, president of the financially ailing tourist line that takes riders from Jackson to Gordonville in vintage railroad cars.

Stockholders decided Aug. 6 to forfeit their stock in the profit corporation and seek status as a nonprofit corporation.

"In trying to save the railroad, stockholders are giving up their stock to turn this into a not-for-profit working museum," Davis said.

Trisha Wischmann, a stockholder and longtime volunteer at the railway, said stockholders had never made money on their stock any way.

Davis said the paperwork to change the structure of the organization is about 90 percent complete and the change to nonprofit status should be completed by early November.

Nonprofit status will enable people to write off donations made to the train and allow the train to apply for federal and state tourism grants, including federal transportation grants that only recently became available.

Riders of the train shouldn't notice a difference once the railroad goes nonprofit, Davis said.

Until the paperwork is completed, it's business as usual for the train, said Davis, who just last weekend took a ride on the railroad.

The Bollinger County Sheriff's Posse posed as the James Gang and "robbed" the train. "They put on an excellent show," Davis said. "People loved it."

Another good program is coming up next weekend, Davis said. A representative from the Paducah & Louisville Railroad will present "Operation Life Saver," a talk and slide show about railroad safety. The program will be presented during the runs at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

There are also murder mystery dinner trips, fall foliage breakfast runs, a hot air balloon show and Halloween activities that include a costume party.

"The murder mystery trips are booking up fast, and the fall foliage tours are usually popular," said Wischmann.

While drought has caused foliage to be less than spectacular this year, Wischmann said the run being offered at 9 a.m. Sunday and Oct. 31 is still a nice way to spend a fall morning.

New this year is a haunted coach at the station, which Wischmann said should be popular with children.

Wischmann said trips are scheduled through the end of the year and plans for 2000 should be finalized in the next two weeks.

"Even if you are not sure of the future, when people ask for reservations months in advance, you have to have something to tell them," Wischmann said.

IRON MOUNTAIN RR SCHEDULE

October schedule for the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway

Saturday, Sunday

Operation Life Saver, a program on railroad safety, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; $12.50 for adults, $6 for children ages 3-12.

Saturday and Oct. 16, Oct. 30

Murder Mystery, which includes dinner, 5 p.m., $37 for adults.

Sunday and Oct. 31

Fall foliage breakfast runs, 9 a.m., $22.50.

Oct. 16, Oct. 17

Hot air balloon show, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Oct. 16, and 1 p.m. Oct. 17; $12.50 for adults, $6 for children ages 3-12.

Oct. 23, Oct. 24, Oct. 30, Oct. 31

Halloween Express, costume party and storytellers, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Oct. 23 and Oct. 30; 1 p.m. Oct. 24; and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Oct. 31; $12.50 for adults, $6 for children ages 3-12.

Oct. 23

Dinner run, 5 p.m.; $24.50 for adults, $17 for children ages 3-12.

Oct. 27 through Oct. 31

A haunted coach will be parked at the station at Jackson Boulevard and Hope Street during the evenings. Admission is $2.

Reservations are required for all murder mystery, dinner and breakfast trips. For reservations, call 243-1688.