The Rail Heritage Trust
The Rail Heritage Trust, officially known as The John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust, is a private 501(c)(3) foundation based in Paola, Kansas. The organization operates as a tax-exempt grantmaking foundation established to support the preservation and restoration of historic American rail passenger equipment and operations. The Trust is administered by First Option Bank in Paola, Kansas and operates with no paid employees, relying instead on an unpaid volunteer advisory committee.
Key facts about The Rail Heritage Trust
- EIN
- 46-4327372
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $250,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- Average grant
- $13,889
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (9 of 18, 2025)
- Total assets
- $6,553,386
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (27% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Rail Heritage Trust funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Rail Heritage Trust's 18 itemized 2025 grants were Pennsylvania (27%), New Jersey (16%) and Indiana (12%). None of its 18 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support.
Is The Rail Heritage Trust open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 18 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 33% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 29% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Rail Heritage Trust
- How to evaluate The Rail Heritage Trust as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Rail Heritage Trust with AI
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.6M
+2.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$250K
+0.0% YoY
Grant Count
18
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
+0.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Rail Heritage Trust reported a distributable amount of $327K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust was created to help recreate and preserve the rail passenger travel experience as it existed in the United States from approximately 1920 through 1960. The organization's funding priorities include:
- Preserving and restoring to working order rolling stock and other working artifacts from the "Golden Age" of U.S. rail passenger service
- Supporting organizations that offer the general public opportunities to ride historically significant equipment over historic rail lines
- Funding restoration or rebuilding of ancillary facilities essential to the operation or extension of working passenger operations, such as trestles, grade crossings, and electrical facilities
- Supporting the restoration of historic depots when used to support ticket sales, souvenir sales, or other functions directly related to passenger operations
The Trust emphasizes support for working demonstration passenger railroads and does not fund cosmetic restoration of structures or equipment for static display only.
Grantmaking
The Trust makes annual grants to nonprofit organizations supporting rail heritage preservation. In the most recent fiscal year (ending April 2025), the organization made 22 grants totaling $374,792 in expenses against $532,482 in revenue.
Ready to take the next step with The Rail Heritage Trust?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Trust funds rail heritage preservation projects across the United States, with recent grants supporting organizations in Oregon, Tennessee, Maryland, and other regions.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 18 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (Ending April 2025):
- Total Revenue: $532,482
- Total Expenses: $374,792
- Net Income: $157,690
- Total Assets: $6,553,386
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Number of Employees: 1
The Trust maintains substantial assets to support its ongoing grantmaking activities.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,553,386 | $6,394,817 | $6,283,185 |
| Revenue | $532,482 | $458,333 | $-243,319 |
| Expenses | $374,792 | $361,714 | $354,195 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $311,596 | $307,359 | $301,886 |
| Net Investment Income | $480,899 | $408,785 | $252,678 |
| Distributable Amount | $326,928 | $311,888 | $297,191 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
101 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Rail Heritage Trust
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation ($27,000), Railway Restoration Project #113 ($25,000), Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Inc ($20,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| OREGON RAIL HERITAGE FOUNDATION Portland, OR | GRANTS, DONATIONS, HOLIDAY EXPRESS TRAINS | $27,000 |
| RAILWAY RESTORATION PROJECT #113 Minersville, PA | PRIVATE & PUBLIC DONATIONS, TICKET SALES, NRHS | $25,000 |
| TENNESSEE VALLEY RAILROAD MUSEUM INC Chattanooga, TN | TICKET SALES, SPONSORSHIPS AND DONATIONS | $20,000 |
| COLEBROOKDALE RAILROAD PRESERVATION TRUST Boyertown, PA | PULLMAN ROOF REPAIR | $15,000 |
| FORT WAYNE RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC New Haven, IN | GRANTS, FOUNDATIONS & TICKETING | $15,000 |
| IRON HORSE SOCIETY AT STEAMTORN INCORPORATED Scranton, PA | EXCURSION/EVENT TICKET SALES | $15,000 |
| NICKEL PLATE HERITAGE RAILROAD INC Noblesville, IN | TICKET SALES, FOOD & BEVERAGE SALES, FEES | $15,000 |
| TRI-STATE RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC BN, NJ | DONATIONS, MEMBERSHIP DUES, EXCURSIONS, NRHS | $15,000 |
| UNITED RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF NJ INC Boonton, NJ | HUDSON RIVER RAIL EXCURSIONS | $15,000 |
| WESTERN MARYLAND SCENIC RAILROAD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Cumberland, MD | MARYLAND BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Rail Heritage Trust was founded by John Henckel Emery (1937-2012), a Chicago native and accomplished businessman, investor, and writer who was an avid train enthusiast. Emery traveled to over 125 nations and was passionate about preserving the historic passenger rail experience. The organization is currently administered by a volunteer advisory committee of three members.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Option Bank | Trustee | 2 | $102,104 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Trust announced grants for 2026, continuing its annual grantmaking cycle. The organization actively solicits donations from individuals and encourages donors to consider the Trust in estate planning and for Required Minimum Distributions from IRAs for those over 72 years old.
Emery Rail Heritage Trust announces 2026 grants (corrected) - TrainsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Rail Heritage Trust fund?
The Trust was created to help recreate and preserve the rail passenger travel experience as it existed in the United States from approximately 1920 through 1960. The organization's funding priorities include: • Preserving and restoring to working order rolling stock and other working artifacts from the "Golden Age" of U.S. rail passenger service • Supporting organizations that offer the general public opportunities to ride historically significant equipment over historic rail lines • Funding re…
How do I apply for a grant from The Rail Heritage Trust?
The Trust makes annual grants to nonprofit organizations supporting rail heritage preservation. In the most recent fiscal year (ending April 2025), the organization made 22 grants totaling $374,792 in expenses against $532,482 in revenue. Recent grantees include: • Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation ($27,000) • Railway Restoration Project 113 ($25,000) • Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum ($20,000) • Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Development Corporation Grant applications can be submitted up to F…
Where does The Rail Heritage Trust make grants?
The Trust funds rail heritage preservation projects across the United States, with recent grants supporting organizations in Oregon, Tennessee, Maryland, and other regions.
What size grants does The Rail Heritage Trust award?
In 2025, The Rail Heritage Trust awarded 18 grants totaling $250K — an average of about $14K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Rail Heritage Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Rail Heritage Trust reported a distributable amount of $327K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Rail Heritage Trust's EIN?
The Rail Heritage Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4327372. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Rail Heritage Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.