Midwest Electric Railway facts for kids

The Midwest Electric Railway (MERA) is a special railway that runs historic trolleys, also known as streetcars. It is a non-profit group, which means it uses the money it makes to preserve these cool old vehicles.

You can find this railway on the grounds of the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. It has 10 historic trolleys that you can ride on a 2.5-mile track that goes around the campgrounds.

A Trip Back in Time

The Midwest Electric Railway is run by volunteers who love trolleys. They operate a tourist railroad where you can ride electric streetcars around the large campground of the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion.

Ticket prices and opening times can change during the year. The busiest time is during the five days before Labor Day for the big reunion event. The trolleys also run on special holidays or for private groups. It's a good idea to check the Old Threshers Reunion website for the most current information.

All the tracks were built and are taken care of by dedicated volunteers. Every year, they work together to maintain and repair the railway.

Where to Find the Railway

The Midwest Electric Railway is located in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, on the grounds of the Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion. The main building, where the trolleys are stored and fixed, is a silver-painted trolley barn on S. Locust Road.

History of the Railway

The Midwest Electric Railway was started in 1971. It was created as a non-profit group to save historic electric trolleys that once ran in Iowa. The goal was to let people ride them around the campground during the Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion.

Today, the mission is still the same, but now they also save trolleys from outside of Iowa. The trolley stops include The Trolley Depot, the Trolley Barn, the Log Village, Midway, South 40, and Campers' Gate.

The Trolley Collection

The railway has a fascinating collection of trolleys from different places and times.

No.	Image	Type	Built	Former Operator	Acquired	Notes
9		Suburban Passenger Car	Barber Car Co.	1912	Albia Interurban Railway, Southern Iowa Railway	1968	This car was originally built with 4 wheels but was later rebuilt to have 8 wheels.
320		High-speed Interurban Car	Jewett Car Company	1914	Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad	1968	This heavy car was built for long-distance travel and could reach speeds of 80 MPH.
381		City Streetcar	Perley Thomas	1930	Knoxville Power & Light, Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Northern Railway	1971	This was the last streetcar to run in a city in Iowa. It was a "Safety Car," a special design where the doors only opened when the car was stopped, making it safer for passengers.
3		Snow sweeper	McGuire-Cummings Manufacturing Company	1911	Iowa Traction Railway	1973	This snow sweeper is now preserved at the Rockhill Trolley Museum.
1718		Open-Bench Summer Car	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	1911	Rio de Janeiro Tramway	1973	These open cars were perfect for summer travel and had a side step that ran the full length of the car.
1779				1970
4476		PCC streetcar	St. Louis Car Company	1949	Toronto Transportation Commission	1982	These cars were acquired by the Gomaco Trolley Company in 2002.
3093			Pullman-Standard	1944	Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority	1992
3226				1945
3279		Line Car	Boston Elevated Railway	1912	Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority	1995	A line car is used for maintaining the overhead electrical wires.
1100		Freight Car	American Car Company	1917	Keokuk, Iowa	2002	This is a flat car used for carrying freight.
1705		PCC streetcar	St. Louis Car Company	1949	Pittsburgh Railways		This car was sold in 2018 to be restored for a new park in California.
1811		Peter Witt streetcar	Carminati & Toselli, Milan	1927	Azienda Trasporti Milanesi	2025	These lightweight cars from Milan, Italy, were designed for fast service on narrow city streets.
1945				2002

Historic Buildings

The railway also has some interesting historic buildings.

The old train depot from Yarmouth, Iowa, was moved to the fairgrounds. It was once used as the ticket office and gift shop. Today, it is used as a ticket office again and adds to the old-time feel of the railway.

The Trolley Barn was built in the 1970s to store the trolleys. It has a maintenance pit underneath the tracks, which makes it easier for volunteers to work on the streetcars.

Fun Events

Midwest Old Threshers Reunion

Every year before Labor Day, volunteers operate the trolleys to take visitors around the campground. You can ride to the Log Village to see what life was like on the Iowa prairie in the 1800s. Campers also use the trolleys to get to the main fairgrounds.

Haunted Trolley Ride

Around Halloween, the railway hosts a spooky haunted trolley ride for some scary fun.

Trolley School

Once a year in June, the Midwest Electric Railway holds a Trolley School. This is a special class where you can learn how to operate a real trolley and even get to drive some of the historic streetcars.

See also

• List of United States railroads
  • List of Iowa railroads
• List of heritage railroads in the United States
• List of railway museums