CHISAGO CITY, Minn. – Railroad preservationist and author Richard E. Thompson, 72, died Feb. 4, 2014. Born on July 8, 1941, Thompson and his twin brother Robert (who passed away in 2001) were lifelong fans of steam railroads, particularly the Northern Pacific, St. Paul & Duluth, and the Colorado narrow gauge.

Thompson was a railroader for more than 40 years, hiring out as a fireman on the Milwaukee Road in 1961. After a tour of duty in Vietnam he was promoted to engineer, and worked for both Soo Line and Canadian Pacific before retiring in 2002.

In 1965 Richard and Robert, along with their friend Doug Alexander, founded the private Ironhorse Central Railroad Museum at Richard’s Ironhorse Farm near Lindstrom. They went on to acquire and restore, with help from friends and family, several wooden passenger and freight cars and the 1895 NP depot from Groningen. The centerpiece of the collection, former Dresser Trap Rock 0-4-0 No. 4, was restored to operating condition for trips over the Ironhorse Central’s three-quarter mile loop, which was completed in 1984. Over the years the museum has grown to include more than 20 pieces of equipment, including Northern Pacific 0-6-0 No. 927, Soo Line 2-8-0 No. 2425, and Baldwin S-4300 diesel No. 2, the final locomotive manufactured by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton in 1956.

Thompson is survived by his wife, Caroline; daughter Melissa, and son, Erik. Erik owns some equipment at the museum, has managed the tourist train operation since the museum first opened to the public in 2005.