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National Railway Historical Society Inc

EIN 23-7053004 · Moorestown, NJ

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak15 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE NATIONAL RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PROMOTES RAILWAY HERITAGE PRESERVATION AND EDUCATES ITS MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT RAIL TRANSPORTATION, ITS HISTORY AND IMPACT, WITH A FOCUS ON NORTH AMERICA.

Income
$455,908
Spending
$534,882
Spent on programs
62%
Reserves
-0.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 65%
Employees
0
Volunteers
40

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 15 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 98% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 17% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    62% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $78,662 spent. CONVENTION: A NATIONAL CONVENTION IS HELD ANNUALLY AT A LOCATION OF RAIL HISTORY SIGNIFICANCE AND ATTENDED BY SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE. CONVENTION ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SEMINARS, FIELD TRIPS TO VISIT RAILROADS, HISTORICAL RAILROAD SITES, INSPECT RAIL FACILITIES, OBSERVE OPERATION OF PRESERVED RAILROAD EQUIPMENT AND RAIL EXCURSIONS, OFTEN ON RAIL LINES WHICH RARELY HAVE PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICE. THE SOCIETY'S CONVENTIONS ARE OPEN TO MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC INTERESTED IN RAILWAY HISTORY. THE 2024 CONVENTION WAS HELD IN HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA AND WAS ATTENDED BY 250 PEOPLE.
  2. $46,261 spent. RAILCAMP: THE SOCIETY OPERATES TWO (2) ONE-WEEK SESSIONS OF RAILCAMP, A TRAINING PROGRAM OF SEMINARS AND FIELD TRIPS OPEN TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM 9TH TO 12TH GRADE, TO PROVIDE A BACKGROUND IN RAILROAD HISTORY PRESERVATION, RAILROAD HISTORY INTERPRETATION, WHICH INVOLVES LEARNING HOW TO TELL THE STORY OF RAILROAD HISTORY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, ALONG WITH RAILROAD OPERATION AND TRANSPORTATION CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
  3. $135,750 spent. GRANTS: SINCE 1994, THE NATIONAL RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS AWARDED GRANTS FOR PROJECTS THAT PRESERVE, RESEARCH, EDUCATE, OR PUBLISH RAILWAY HISTORY. EXAMPLE PROJECTS INCLUDE RAILROAD STRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT STABILIZATION, MECHANICAL REPAIRS, PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION, BOOK PUBLICATION, CATALOGING OF ARCHIVAL MATERIALS, AND ORAL HISTORY PRODUCTIONS. THE PROGRAM IS OPEN TO NRHS CHAPTERS AND OTHER 501(C)(3) TAX EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS. THE MAXIMUM AWARD IS $5,000 PER YEAR PER PROJECT.
  4. $72,440 spent. PUBLICATIONS: NRHS ISSUES TWO (2) PUBLICATIONS. FOUR PRINTED ISSUES OF THE "NRHS BULLETIN" WERE DISTRIBUTED TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. THIS PUBLICATION PROVIDES HISTORICAL DATA AND INFORMATION NOT LIKELY TO BE COVERED IN SIMILAR PUBLICATIONS AND PROVIDES A SHOWCASE FOR NEW WRITERS IN THE FIELD OF RAILROAD HISTORY. SIX ISSUES OF "NRHS NEWS" WERE DISTRIBUTED ELECTRONICALLY TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY AND POSTED THE SOCIETY'S WEB PAGE. THREE PRINTED ISSUES OF THIS PUBLICATION WERE ALSO DISTRIBUTED. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLICATION IS TO KEEP THE MEMBERS ABREAST OF CURRENT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE IN THE SOCIETY AND IN THE FIELD OF RAILROAD HISTORY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1969.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

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