Midwest Electric Railway

Last updated
Midwest Electric Railway
Overview
Headquarters Mt. Pleasant, Iowa
Reporting mark MERA [1] [nb 1]
Locale Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Eastern Iowa
Dates of operation19xx (19xx)Present
Technical
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length2.5 mi (4.0 km)

The Midwest Electric Railway (initialized MERA, reporting mark MERA [1] [nb 1] ) is a non-profit trolley operation located on the grounds of the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, United States. It is home to 10 pieces of trolley history that are regularly operated on a 2.5 mile loop surrounding the organization's campgrounds.

Contents

Overview

The volunteer association runs a tourist railroad which operates electric trolleys around a 2.5 mile loop around the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion campground. Guest prices and hours of operation vary throughout the year based on the activities of the Midwest Old Threshers Association. The trolley operation is most active on the five days preceding Labor Day during the reunion. The trolleys operate on special holidays and when special organized groups reserve time. Visit the Old Threshers Reunion website for the latest information.

The campground's trolley tracks were originally constructed by the Midwest Electric Railway's volunteers and are still maintained today through volunteer efforts. Every year maintenance and reconstruction is organized and accomplished entirely through volunteer labor.

Location

The Midwest Electric Railway is located in the heart of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa on the campgrounds of the Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion sandwiched between Locust and S. Walnut Streets. The railroad crosses E. Thresher Road in two places. The main headquarters for MERA and trolley storage is in a silver-painted trolley barn which is located on S. Locust Road less than a half mile from south of Thresher Road.

History

The Midwest Electric Railway, a not-for-profit educational organization, was founded in 19xx . Its goal at that time was to preserve historic electric-powered passenger trolleys that had operated in Iowa and transport passengers around the campground during the Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion. The original trolley stops were the trolley depot, the trolley barn, and campers' gate.

Today, the purpose of the organization remains largely the same including the preservation of non-Iowa operated electric rolling stock. Trolley Stops currently include The Trolley Depot, the Trolley Barn, the Log Village, Lakeview, South 40, and Campers' Gate.

Equipment

Trolleys

Usage: City Streetcar/One-man Safety Car Circa 1930s – 1950s Operated: Knoxville, Tennessee; later Waterloo, Iowa From: Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Northern Railroad Builder: Perley Thomas, 1930 Notes: Last streetcar to run in an Iowa municipality; The “Safety Car”, a landmark design which eliminated all boarding and alighting mishaps as doors were open only when the car was stopped. Improved safety in one-man operation. A landmark design in which boarding and alighting mishaps were eliminated, since doors opened only when car was stopped and car could not start until doors closed

Usage: Lightweight City Car/One-man Safety Car Circa 1920s Operated: Milan, Italy From: Azienda Trasporti Municipale, Milan, Italy Builder: Carminati & Toselli, Milan, 1927; Running gear by Italian General Electric Notes: Lightweight for fast city service in narrow streets; Lightweight safety car: doors only open when stopped

Usage: City & Interurban, Open Cars/Open Bench Summer Cars Circa 1888-1940s Operated: From: Rio de Janeiro Tramway Builder: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1911 using the American design of J.G. Brill Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Running gear by Westinghouse Electric Co. Notes: Thousands of streetcars in America were of this patented “Naragansett” design, featuring a full-length upper side step for easy boarding; Favorites for summer travel

Usage: Suburban Passenger Service/Express Car Circa 1910s Operated: between Centerville, Albia, and Mystic, Iowa From: Southern Iowa Railway, Centerville, Iowa Builder: Barber Car Co., York, Pennsylvania, 1912 as a 4-wheel car (original); Southern Iowa Railway to an 8-wheel car (rebuilt) Notes: Street and intercity service; 4 wheels = rough riding

Usage: High-speed Heavy Interurban Car/Intercity and commuter travel Circa 1910s – 1940s Operated: Southern Iowa Railway From: Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad Builder: Jewett Car Company, Newark, Ohio, 1914 Notes: Heavyweight for high-speed long-distance travel (up to 80 MPH)

Structures

Car 1718 stopping at the Yarmouth depot and ticket office. Yarmouth Iowa Depot.jpg
Car 1718 stopping at the Yarmouth depot and ticket office.

The Chicago Burlington and Quincy depot from Yarmouth, Iowa, was donated and moved to Old Thresher's fairgrounds; it was originally used as the trolley ticket office and gift shop. The building was used for storage and the aesthetic appearance of having an old building near a trolley stop, but again serves as a ticket office.

The Trolley Barn was built in the early 1970s to store the growing stock of equipment. While the building has no real antique value, it provides a well-used maintenance pit for trolley maintenance, room for trolley storage, and a health & welfare room for volunteer operators and conductors.

Special events

Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion

Every year during the week leading up to Labor Day weekend, volunteer operators and conductors regularly operate the trolleys to ferry campground dwellers and rail enthusiasts around the 2.5 mile campground loop. The Log Village at the south end of the loop provides the tourist a view of 19th century life on the Iowa prairie. Camper's use the trolley's to commute to the main fairgrounds to visit daily attractions.

Haunted Trolley Ride

Every year near Halloween, the Midwest Electric Railway operates a haunted trolley ride.


Trolley School

Once a year at in June, Midwest Electric Railway holds a Trolley School to teach anyone to operate a Trolley, then allowing them time to operate some of the fleet.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heritage railway</span> Railway used for heritage/historical/tourism purposes

A heritage railway or heritage railroad is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period in the history of rail transport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Electric Railway</span> Mass transit system (1892–1949)

The San Diego Electric Railway (SDERy) was a mass transit system in Southern California, United States, using 600 volt DC streetcars and buses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. G. Brill Company</span> Rolling stock manufacturer

The J. G. Brill Company manufactured streetcars, interurban coaches, motor buses, trolleybuses and railroad cars in the United States for nearly 90 years, hence the longest-lasting trolley and interurban manufacturer. At its height, Brill was the largest manufacturer of streetcars and interurban cars in the US and produced more streetcars, interurbans and gas-electric cars than any other manufacturer, building more than 45,000 streetcars alone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connecticut Trolley Museum</span> Railroad museum in East Windsor, Connecticut

The Connecticut Trolley Museum, also known as the Warehouse Point Trolley Museum, is the oldest incorporated museum dedicated to electric railroading in the United States. Founded in October 1940, the museum is located in East Windsor, Connecticut and is open to the public April through December. The museum features static and moving displays, and self-guided tours of the state's trolley history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Pueblo Trolley</span> Aspect of Arizona transit history

Old Pueblo Trolley is a non-profit, educational corporation based in Tucson, in the U.S. state of Arizona, that is dedicated to the preservation of Arizona's mass transit history. The name also commonly refers to the heritage streetcar line which OPT began operating in 1993, on which service is currently indefinitely suspended. OPT consists of three divisions that each fill a specific role in preserving the state's mass transit history. The divisions are the Street Railway Division, Motor Bus Division and the Museum Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Railway Museum</span> Museum in Union, Illinois, U.S.

The Illinois Railway Museum is the largest railroad museum in the United States. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area at 7000 Olson Road in Union, Illinois, 55 miles (89 km) northwest of downtown Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streetcars in Washington, D.C.</span> Streetcars that existed in Washington until 1962

Streetcars in Washington, D.C. transported people across the city and region from 1862 until 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midwest Central Railroad</span> Heritage railroad

The Midwest Central Railroad is a 3 ft narrow gauge heritage railroad operating within the confines of Mount Pleasant, Iowa's McMillan Park, site of the Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion. The railroad is a registered, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The mainline track is a 1 mile loop with traffic moving in a clockwise direction regulated by an electrically signaled block system. The mainline loop features two stations: at the north end, the original Hillsboro, Iowa, depot along with a Milwaukee Road signal tower; and at the south end, a newer wood frame/metal sided building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M-Line Trolley</span> Heritage streetcar line in Dallas, Texas

The M-Line Trolley is a heritage streetcar line in the Uptown neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. The trolley line, which has been in service since 1989, is notable for its use of restored historic streetcar vehicles, as opposed to modern replicas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baltimore Streetcar Museum</span> Streetcar museum in Baltimore, Maryland

The Baltimore Streetcar Museum (BSM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit museum. It is located at 1911 Falls Road in Baltimore, Maryland. The museum is dedicated to preserving Baltimore's public transportation history, especially the streetcar era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cincinnati Car Company</span>

The Cincinnati Car Company or Cincinnati Car Corporation was a subsidiary of the Ohio Traction Company. It designed and constructed interurban cars, streetcars (trams) and buses. It was founded in 1902 in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1928, it bought the Versare Car Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver Trolley</span> Heritage streetcar line in Denver, Colorado

The Denver Trolley, formerly known as the Platte Valley Trolley, is a heritage streetcar line in Denver, Colorado, operated by the Denver Tramway Heritage Society. It began service on July 1, 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Trolley Museum</span> Railway museum in Washington, Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum is a museum in Washington, Pennsylvania, dedicated to the operation and preservation of streetcars and trolleys. The museum primarily contains historic trolleys from Pennsylvania, but its collection includes examples from nearby Toledo, New Orleans, and even an open-sided car from Brazil. Many have been painstakingly restored to operating condition. Other unique cars either awaiting restoration or that are incompatible with the 5' 2-1/2" Pennsylvania trolley gauge track are on display in a massive trolley display building. Notable examples of static display include a J.G. Brill “Brilliner” car, locomotives, and a horse car from the early days of Pittsburgh’s public transit systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streetcars in Washington, D.C., and Maryland</span>

Streetcars and interurbans operated in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., between 1890 and 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third Avenue Railway</span> Streetcar system in southern New York (1852–1952)

The Third Avenue Railway System (TARS), founded 1852, was a streetcar system serving the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx along with lower Westchester County. For a brief period of time, TARS also operated the Steinway Lines in Long Island City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Thresher's Reunion</span>

The Midwest Old Threshers Reunion is an annual event that takes place in the small town of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, United States, and runs for five days, ending on the Labor Day weekend. It was first held in 1950, and has taken place every year except 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it first started, it focused on steam engines and antique agricultural equipment, but has developed into an entertainment event with a wider remit. The tiny town of less than 10,000 inhabitants receives thousands of visitors from around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewett Car Company</span> Early 20th-century American industrial company that manufactured streetcars and interurban cars

The Jewett Car Company was an early 20th-century American industrial company that manufactured streetcars and interurban cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lehigh Valley Transit Company</span>

The Lehigh Valley Transit Company (LVT) was a regional transport company that was headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The company began operations in 1901, as an urban trolley and interurban rail transport company. It operated successfully into the 1930s, but struggled financially during the Great Depression, and was saved from abandonment by a dramatic ridership increase during and following World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astoria Riverfront Trolley</span> Heritage streetcar line in Oregon

The Astoria Riverfront Trolley is a 3-mile (4.8 km) heritage streetcar line that operates in Astoria, Oregon, United States, using former freight railroad tracks along or near the south bank of the Columbia River, with no overhead line. The service began operating in 1999, using a 1913-built streetcar from San Antonio, Texas. As of 2012, the service was reported as carrying 35,000 to 40,000 passengers per year and has been called a "symbol" and "icon" of Astoria. The line's operation is seasonal, normally during spring break and from May through September.

References

  1. 1 2 , Illinois Railroad Information System, Department of Transportation (ILDOT) Association of American Railroads Alpha Codes; pp. 158–159, C-2{{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  1. 1 2 Direct sources from the AAR/NMFTA cannot be publicly accessed/located, although such markings have been second-handedly verified via the FRA, ILDOT, and visual wise; however, these marks may be considered expired, reassigned, or unofficial as of 2009.
External images
Searchtool.svg RailPictures.Net Search for Midwest Electric Railway photographs at RailPictures.Net.
Searchtool.svg RR Picture Archive Search for Midwest Electric Railway photographs at RRPictureArchives.net.

40°57′15″N91°32′50″W / 40.9541°N 91.5472°W / 40.9541; -91.5472