American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation

Our Mission

The American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation (APRHF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and promote the role that passenger rail played in the building of this nation.

Become a member today to support our mission!

What We Have Achieved So Far

The American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation since its inception in 2007 has created the below venues and services that further our efforts to preserve and promote passenger rail heritage:

• APRHF exhibition of Amtrak history
• APRHF exhibits on display in the Depot Inn & Suites
• APRHF Rail Lookout Cabin & Deck
• APRHF Let's Talk Trains nationwide weekly talk radio show
• APRHF Rail Rangers interpretive programs on private rail cars & excursion trips
• APRHF funding and display of railroad wood carvings by Jackie Hadnot
• APRHF Silver Rails Gallery
• APRHF Silver Rails Memorial Library
• APRHF Silver Rails Annual Model Train Show
• APRHF Silver Rails Country Concept and Free Map
• APRHF Silver Rails Country Visitor Information Center
• APRHF Silver Rails Shop
• APRHF.COM website / APRHF.ORG blog / Facebook Page / Twitter Feed

In addition, the APRHF also maintains the historic Santa Fe Depot & Amtrak Station in La Plata, Missouri, and supports our sister organization, the Passenger Train Historical Society. The APRHF also provides preservation and display of the complete collection of the Amtrak Historical Society. (The Amtrak Historical Society is currently inactive). Volunteers to the APRHF manage and provide almost all of the railroad related content of the TrainWeb.com and TrainWeb.org websites.

Your membership in APRHF will help support these efforts as well as help the APRHF to accomplish its future goals. Join the APRHF today!

What We Plan

The American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation has the following venues and projects on its adjenda to further its efforts to fulfill its mission:

• Walk Through Diorama of Passenger Rail History.
• Online Resource of Passenger Rail History.
• Brick walkway to the APRHF exhibition of Amtrak history.
• Quarterly Print Journal of Passenger Rail History.
• Trail Connecting All of the APRHF Venues.
• Extend Existing Rail Sidings and Create a Museum by the Amtrak Station.
• Establish Local APRHF Chapters Nationwide.
• APRHF Annual Convention.

How You Can Help

You can help preserve and promote passenger rail heritage. Though the APRHF headquarters and exhibits are in La Plata, Missouri, the organization and mission is national in scope. Whether you visit La Plata frequently or rarely, your help is welcome and needed to help preserve and promote passenger rail heritage, including the history of Amtrak.

• Become a member.
• Volunteer.
• Donate.
• Start a local chapter.
• Shop at AmazonSmile.com

Creation and History of the APRHF

The very first venue of the APRHF was the exhibition of Amtrak history inside two ex-Amtrak Mail Handling Cars (MHC) which opened to the public on February 23, 2008. Click here for more information on how these railcars ended up in La Plata and additional history of why and how the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation was created.

Additional Information: