ON TRACK INTO 10TH YEAR

The St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway is in its 10th year of operation.

Trish Wischmann, marketing and coach operations director, said she got involved with the train because she started a bed and breakfast in Jackson in 1988 and her first customers came because of the train.

In 1989, there was talk of the train being sold and leaving town. Wischmann got involved to keep the train in Jackson, she said.

At that time, a study was done by Southeast University that concluded more special events would bring about more interest in the novelty railway.

"I got involved developing special events for the train," Wischmann said.

In 1993, improvements were made to the depot. A restaurant was added. Later, that restaurant was leased to Nicky's Whistle Stop.

Wischmann was hired as a salaried worker in February of this year.

"It has been a very delicate balance to try to coordinate stockholders, volunteers and employees," Wischmann said.

"So far, knock on wood, I've never known a train not to run because of a lack of a crew."

"Locomotives are very expensive."

"Fortunately, there are enough interested people to keep it going," Wischmann said.

Wischmann, who still operates her bed and breakfast in Jackson, said that it is a very difficult business. "The tracks are old."

When the train operation began in 1986, everyone said it wouldn't make it, according to Wischmann.

There are discussions going on now on whether or not to make the train a non-profit business.

The train gets some help from a non-profit organization named Friends of Steam Railroading.

There will be a fund-raiser trip on June 28 for the non-profit group, according to Wischmann.

That trip is entitled, "Far Out Train to the Sixties." Dinner will be served as well as groovy music.

Wischmann said that she is always adding special events to the list of excursions for the train.

There is a "Bonnie & Clyde Robbery," "James Gang Robbery," "Civil War Reenactment," "Civil War Era Fashion Show," and many other special excursions to take on board the train.

The St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway is located at the intersection of Highways 61 and 25 in Jackson.