Ames Area Railfans

04/09/2026

Our next scheduled meeting of the Ames Area Railfans will be held on 14 April at the BSVR Museum in Boone. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Our presenter, Paul Michelson will present his program, "Differences in Decades". He will show images from 1985-86, 1995-96, and finally 2005-06. The program will feature scenes from Iowa, with various short side trips to other areas of interest. Paul is a first time presenter and we hope to have a large crowd for Paul.

04/02/2026

The James H. Andrew Railroad Museum invites you to a presentation by historian and author Don Hofsommer, focusing on the enduring legacy of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad.

Don’s Railroad – The M&StL in Iowa

• Date: Saturday, April 4, 2026
• Time: 2:00 PM
• Location: James H. Andrew Railroad Museum (Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad)
• Address: 225 10th St., Boone, IA
• Admission: Free

About the Program

Don Hofsommer’s connection to the M&StL began at the age of four, sparking a lifelong dedication to documenting the line. His presentation offers an in-depth look at the railroad's role in Iowa’s economic development and its history from the 1930s through its 1960 merger with the Chicago & North Western Railway.
Highlights include:
• Personal Archives: Photos and stories collected over decades of study.
• Regional History: Insights into how the M&StL shaped the growth of Iowa communities.

How to Join

Whether you prefer to attend in person or from the comfort of your home, there are two ways to participate:
• In-Person: Join the live audience at the museum in Boone.
• Virtually: To receive the ZOOM connection details, please email [email protected].

This program is partially sponsored by Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

03/05/2026

The next scheduled meeting of the Ames Area Railfans will be held on 10 March at the BSVR Museum in Boone. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Our presenter, Dave Kroeger will show his "2025 Year in Review." This will consist of trips and outings he took last year that covered many locations.

02/12/2026

This coming Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 2:00 PM, author, historian, and speaker Gene Stevens will present at the James H. Andrew Railroad Museum, located at 225 10th Street in Boone, Iowa.

Gene’s free PowerPoint and Zoom program, "The Train Robbery That Shook the Nation: A Fiendish Crime," tells the story of the first train robbery in the West, committed by the infamous James Gang at Adair, Iowa, in 1873. Gene will provide little-known visual information about this unusual piece of Iowa history.

Stevens has studied and reenacted the American Civil War, the Black Hawk War, and Wild West periods of American history. He is also a member of the John Wayne Birthplace Society and the Western Writers of America, as well as the founder of the Central States Lawmen and Outlaws Historic Association blog. His books include Red Flag of Defiance, Navy Signalmen in Their Own Words, and The Battle of Apple River Fort, among others.

Be sure to attend this special program either in person or via Zoom! For Zoom connection info, email Mike Wendel at [email protected].

02/06/2026

Our next scheduled meeting of the Ames Area Railfans will be held on 10 February at the BSVR Museum at Boone. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Our presenter, Doug Harding will show "Images of the Colorado & Southern Railway, narrow gauge as seen through the camera lens of John Maxwell."
While many are black & white, a significant number are in color. Most photos date from 1940-41.
Please join us for this unique program. Hope to see you next week.

01/06/2026

The next scheduled meeting of the Ames Area Railfans will be held on 13 January at the BSVR Museum in Boone. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m..
Our presenter, Andrew Elges will show his "2025 year-in-review" from his travels throughout 2025. Many outings are from Central Iowa, as well as Red Oak, Galesburg, and Eastern Iowa. Please join us for this interesting program.

12/09/2025

UPDATE: December meeting is POSTPONED to next week, 16 Dec, on account of the weather.

The next scheduled meeting of the Ames Area Railfans will be held on 9 December at the BSVR Museum in Boone. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
It will be Members Night which usually consists of short presentations by the membership. So, if you have a short program you would like to share, this is the time.
Should there be inclement weather, we will show the following Tuesday. Hope to see you next week!

12/02/2025

The next scheduled meeting of the Ames Area Railfans will be held on 9 December at the BSVR Museum in Boone. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
It will be Members Night which usually consists of short presentations by the membership. So, if you have a short program you would like to share, this is the time.
Should there be inclement weather, we will show the following Tuesday. Hope to see you next week!

11/07/2025

The next scheduled meeting of the Ames Area Railfans will be held on 11 November at the BSVR Museum in Boone. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Our presenter, Dennis Hovland will be showing slides from trips he took back in the 60's and 70's.

9 December will be Members Night, so if you have a short program or something to share, this is the night for this.

10/10/2025

The next scheduled meeting of the Ames Area Railfans will be held on 14 October at the BSVR Museum in Boone. The meeting will begin at 7p.m.
Our presenter, Dave Kroeger will be showing "Fallen Flags" images in and around Iowa. He will cover most of the railroads that are now extinct.
Please join us as this will be an informative presentation.

Next month Dana Grefe will present. December will be Members' Night, where members are welcome to bring short presentations to show.

09/09/2025

Meeting tonight at 7

Our next scheduled meeting of the Ames Area Railfans will be held on 9 September at the BSVR museum in Boone. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
The presenter will be Stewart Buck, showing mainline steam excursions and other special trains.