FORT MADISON (WGEM) - Hundreds of avid railroad watchers will be headed to Fort Madison, Iowa the next few days for the 5th annual River and Rail Weekend.

Organizers said they’ve already welcomed visitors from England and Canada for this year’s event.

The event is free and there will be river cruises, trolley rides, live music and railfanning.

Fort Madison Tourism Director Chi Eastin said the 60 to 80 trains that come through town daily have a regular audience.

Eastin said their Virtual Railfan cameras have reached more than 50 million views over the past five years.

“This is how our town started with the river and the trains, so this is becoming bigger than what I thought it was going to be,” said Eastin. “I mean it’s a slow grower; we’re used to the trains that go on here, but the p

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