Our Story
MNGPS was born out of necessity to preserve an underrepresented area of railroad history. First, the necessity—in 2020, one of our co-founders went for a drive and spotted two narrow gauge boxcars "in the wild" on a farm. After a couple of years, the boxcars were obtained, but that led to the discussion regarding the best course of action for their continued survival. That got our gears turning, and the idea of an organization that could both facilitate restoration/preservation and document the history of Midwestern narrow gauge railroads was born. The non-profit was started by a group of individuals who all had volunteered together prior at Midwest Central Railroad. Currently, the organization is seeking a more permanent location to serve as the space for the restoration of current projects. The plan, as of now, is to stay in Southeast Iowa.
Board of Directors
Kendall Osier
President
Kendall has been involved in railroad preservation for most of his life. When not at work, he can usually be found working in the shop, researching equipment for projects, or drafting plans in CAD for projects. In addition to his work for MNGPS, he is helping manage a variety of projects for Midwest Central Railroad, and is a fireman and engineer on their steam locomotives.
Ethan Raid
Director
Ethan has been involved in both volunteer and professional roles with many railroads and historical organizations. He has volunteered for the Midwest Central Railroad and has held internships in the mechanical departments of both BNSF and Canadian National railways. An Iowa native, Ethan currently lives in Pennsylvania working for the Strasburg Railroad as a mechanical engineer.
Matthew Warner
Treasurer
Matt has been volunteering with Midwest Central for 15 years. He has worked his way through the ranks and is a fireman/engineer. When he is not working at the hospital, he works on his Wood Brothers traction engine. Whether it be researching or putting it together.
Lauren Osier
Secretary
Lauren is currently pursuing a Master's of Library Science with an emphasis on Archives. She has worked with the Nevada Northern Railway Archive department and the State of Iowa. When she is not studying, she is an active volunteer with Midwest Central Railroad. At the railroad, she assists with social media and is on both train and engine crew.
Our Volunteers
Our dedicated volunteers collectively have over a hundred years of experience in various trades, from woodwork, machining, welding/fabricating, design, and research. Without our volunteers, none of this preservation work would be possible.