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Welcome to the San Diego Electric Railway Association!

car 413 SDERy 413 on trestle in Balboa Park near Morley Field

The San Diego Electric Railway Association (SDERA)  is dedicated to the preservation of the history of the San Diego Electric Railway - San Diego's primary streetcar system which operated from the late 1800s to 1949. SDERA is also the operator of the National City Depot, an historic Santa Fe railroad station.  We operate a railroad and local history museum within the depot, and the depot is open Thursday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm.  A large model-railroad exhibit, operated by our 3-Rail model railroad group, is also included in the museum displays. All train buffs, local historians, and people looking for an interesting "day out" in the San Diego area are encouraged to visit the depot, join with us, and help us grow into a major destination within San Diego County

Monthly meetings are typically held at the National City Depot on the 2nd Saturday night of the month at 7:30pm. There is no charge to attend these meetings which cover interesting subjects relating to past, present, and future electric railways. Plan to arrive by 7 p.m. to chat, and peruse the Gift Shop. Join us at 5:30 for an optional no-host dinner before the meeting at The Barbeque Pit Restaurant - 920 E. Plaza Blvd, National City (directions from Mapquest).

Interested in having a Birthday Party or other public meeting in a Historic Streetcar? Our newly painted Birney car is available for daytime and evening special events. Contact us at the Depot for additional information.

San Diego Vintage Trolley Brings PCCs to the Streets of San Diego!

529 First Day  
Photo by SDVT Photographer Run Sutch.  

The volunteers of San Diego Vintage Trolley were proud to unveil car #529 on August 18, 2011. The Presidents Conference Committee (PCC) car made its first loop on the "Gold Line" in downtown San Diego. This car is the result of six years of volunteer labor where it was lovingly restored and painted as you might see running on the streets in the San Diego area. When you see this car, it is hard to believe it was built in 1949. Volunteers have five more cars waiting for a similar to chance to bring smiles to San Diego.

Check out the progress in our monthly Newsletter - Trolley Lines. Page 2 of each issue discusses the progress of this renovation project.

San Diego Vintage Trolley has a new website at www.sdvintagetrolley.com. Check them out for the latest operation times.

Are you interesting in volunteering some time to restore these classic PCC cars? There will be Tuesday / Thursday work sessions at the MTS yard in downtown San Diego. Please contact San Diego Vintage Trolley Project Manager Dave Slater () for details and to get authorization to be on the MTS property. 

Vienna Cars Get Repainted

Our Vienna N1 streetcars from Austria are getting a fresh coat of paint. Thanks to our donors, two of there have funds to complete their refreshed colors. We are still looking for $1,000 to complete the second car. If you are able to help, please contact us right away!

We have photos of their move to our Depot Yard a few years ago in the Photo Gallery.

Old Spaghetti Factory Birney Car Sports Historic San Diego Colors!

The Birney Car from the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant in Downtown San Diego was purchased and donated to the SDERA by Sam Judd, one of our members in memory of his father, long-time streetcar fan Lyle Judd.

This car now has the yellow scheme from the 1916's with the yellow body and brown roof. (photo to be updated shortly).

The car was removed from the building (quite a feat!) on Monday, February 14, 2005 from a hole on the 5th Ave side. The car is now in the Depot yard and has been set to be able to host small birthday gatherings. Photos of the move can be found in our Photo Gallery. For more information and picture of the car inside the restaurant, see our February 2005 Newsletter - Trolley Lines. For pictures of the move, see the April 2005 Newsletter.

  
     

About SDERA

The San Diego Electric Railway Association, Inc. (d.b.a San Diego Electric Railway) exists to:

  • Preserve the artifacts and equipment of the San Diego Electric Railway and other related local companies.
  • Establish and maintain an active railway museum, complete with an operating, historic streetcar line.
  • Serve as an educational resource showing the important roles streetcars, interurbans, and electric railways played in the development of the San Diego area.
  • Preserve past and present pictures, publications, and artifacts of the current San Diego Trolley.

We are affiliated with or are members of:

  • ARM - Association of Railway Museums
  • National City Chamber of Commerce
  • TRAIN - Tourist Railway Association, Inc.
  • San Diego Congress of History
  • The National Trust For Historic Preservation (Washington, D.C.)
  • SOHO - Save Our Heritage Organization
  • CAM - California Association of Museums

Financial and equipment gifts from people, corporations, and organizations interested in preserving San Diego's railway history make SDERA's work possible!