Primary exempt purpose - to educate and promote knowledge and enjoyment of model railroading for all ages; to establish and operate a railroad museum to build, display and operate interactive scaled railroad layouts to depict different timelines in the growth of railroads in our nation; to display railroad memorabilia, artifacts and photos; and to invite the public, scouts, schools, community organizations and other model railroading enthusiasts to visit, tour, observe and participate in the corporation's operations.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
99¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 20 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2026 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2026
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2026, this tax year; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $344K a year · 68% of revenue · last 2 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 2 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
99%
of spending
Looks good: 99% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $75
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$314K
30% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 30% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$733K
+167% vs prior year
Spent
$208K
To programs
99%
Net assets
$732K
By yearFY2021–FY2026
Revenue
$733K
FY2026▲ +167%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$169K
FY2022$170K
FY2023$189K
FY2024$148K
FY2025$275K
FY2026$733K
Expenses
$208K
FY2026▲ +87%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021Not on file
FY2022Not on file
FY2023Not on file
FY2024Not on file
FY2025$111K
FY2026$208K
Net assets
$732K
FY2026▲ +254%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021−$73K
FY2022−$13K
FY2023$45K
FY2024$43K
FY2025$207K
FY2026$732K

From the FY2026 Form 990 (year ending February 2026) · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2026. IRS ruling in May 2015.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

99 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 99% · $206K Management & general 1% · $3K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2025); the FY2026 filing did not itemize Part VII
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Iron Spike INC executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Promote model railroading knowledge and enjoyment for all ages.

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1 program · $206K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Education and promotion of knowledge and enjoyment of model railroading for all ages.

$206Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$75

By the numbers

The FY2026 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$733K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$673K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$36K
Other incomeLn 4–11$22K
Money outPt IX
$208K
Ln 25
Programscol B$206K
Managementcol C$3K
Owns and owesPt X
$732K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$85K
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$314K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$673K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$584K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$36K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Other incomeLn 4–11$22K
Gains on assetsLn 7$1K
Total revenueLn 12$733K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$85K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$85K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$495K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$463K
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$314K
Net assetsLn 32$732K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderFebruary
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY26End FY26
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$73K$85K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$495K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$542K$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$335K$314K
Net assetsLn 32$207K$732K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$0
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$72$72
Accounting feesLn 11c$685$685
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$2K$139$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1K$1K
Office expensesLn 13$467$467
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$136K$136K
TravelLn 17$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$11K$11K
InsuranceLn 23$10K$10K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$47K$47K
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$208K$206K$3K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2026 Latest Viewing $733K$208K$525K$732K 990 PDF
FY2025 $275K$111K$164K$207K 990 PDF
FY2024 $148K$43K 990 PDF
FY2023 $189K$45K 990 PDF
FY2022 $170K−$13K 990 PDF
FY2021 $169K−$73K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2026 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $733,387 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $210,950$673,468
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $36,948$35,605
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $23$2,233
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $26,981$22,081
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $274,902$733,387
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$0
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $111,222$208,381
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $111,222$208,381
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $163,680$525,006
Part VI · Governance 9 of 10 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $733,387 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $19,084 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$673,468
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$583,911
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$673,468
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $35,605$35,605
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $1,222$1,222
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $1,011$1,011
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $2,997$2,997
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $37,838 · Excluded from tax $22,081$733,387
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $208,381 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staff$0
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wages$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxes$0
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $72$72
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $685$685
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $139 · Management $2,050$2,189
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,490$1,490
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $467$467
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $135,997$135,997
IX-17 Travel$0
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $10,887$10,887
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $9,619$9,619
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $46,975$46,975
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $205,574 · Management $2,807 · Fundraising $0$208,381
Part X · Balance sheet $1,045,294 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $73,458$85,057
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $500$2,542
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,975$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$494,918
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $461,937$462,777
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $541,870$1,045,294
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $230$648
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $335,230$313,648
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $206,640$731,646
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $206,640$731,646
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $541,870$1,045,294
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $731,646 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$733,387
XI-2 Total expenses$208,381
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$525,006
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$206,640
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$731,646

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2026 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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