The museum features exhibits of railroad equipment and memorabilia from the Pacific Southwest Railway era.
The Pacific Southwest Railway museum also features a small collection of vintage and veteran buses.
The San Diego Railroad Museum
The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum La Mesa Depot is located at 6945 La Mesa Boulevard in La Mesa, California 91942. The collection has over 80 pieces of railroad equipment and memorabilia from the Pacific Southwest Railway era.
The railroad museum also showcases historic buses, murals, and artifacts from San Diego’s transportation and railroad history. The San Diego Railroad museum building was originally home to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum (PSRM) from 1962 to 1991 when they relocated to Carlsbad.
A Big Part Of San Diego Railroad History
The La Mesa Depot Museum is an independent non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors with membership categories for individuals, corporations, and industry representatives. A full-time staff maintains the facility.
The PSRM is a member of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) and supports many local community organizations through their volunteer efforts.
Collection of Locomotives
The southwest railway museum features a collection of historic railroad equipment from the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, Arizona & California Railroad, San Diego Electric Railway, National City Lines Bus Company, and others that operated in southern California and northern Baja California. Exhibits include:
A 90-horsepower (67 kW) 1890s vintage steam locomotive originally built by Baldwin Locomotive Works as No. 20
The engine was donated to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum by Dick Probert of Ramona, California in February 1978. Some of the roundhouse tracks are out-of-service to accommodate the engine.
A three-ton Manitowoc Model 808 crane built in 1942 by American LaFrance is displayed in a corner of the yard near a 1910 70-foot (21 m) steel water tank car.
A model locomotive and mock caboose are also displayed on the yard track.
A 1910 70-foot (21 m) steel water tank car was donated to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in February 1978 by Dick Probert of Ramona, California and is displayed near a three-ton Manitowoc Model 808 crane built in 1942 by American LaFrance.
A model locomotive and mock caboose are also displayed on the yard track.
The museum houses a collection of historic electric railway equipment from San Diego’s National City Lines (NCL) and San Diego Electric Railway (SDERy). Additional exhibits include:
A 1965 Alco S1 9017 locomotive is displayed in front of the museum building. A 1952 and 1953 General Electric (GE) 44-ton centercab diesels and a 1946, 1947 and 1950 Alco S1 9010 locomotive are stored in the yard.
The museum is working to restore these locomotives for active display, but lack of funds has hindered progress.
The exterior mural was created by artist Dave Chapman in July, 1984. The painting depicts scenes of railroad activity in the city of San Diego and is based on photographs from the museum archives.
The PSRM opened a new wing to its facility in November 1991 after relocating operations from Carlsbad to La Mesa under its present name. The museum’s administrative offices were located at this site in 1962 and remained in the same location throughout the PSRM years. The new wing houses a 1950s-1960s vintage transit bus collection, which includes:
A collection of historic railroad cars from San Diego’s Pacific Electric Railway and San Diego Electric Railway occupy an outdoor display yard adjacent to the museum building. A former Pacific Electric red car is located in the yard with a model electric locomotive.
La Mesa’s has a great train museum near downtown.
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