Trains in San Diego?

You need to stop by the ATSF San Diego Depot. It's beautiful. There's also a railroad museum in the area, but I don't know the specific location. The guys at SDMRM would know where it is.

The one train place you have to go to is the Train Museum at Balboa Park.  It is a must, with the major railroad clubs, including O gauge, in the area having their layouts on public display.  I followed a 6 ft long N gauge train meander through the layout for 20 minutes and it was fantastic......huge layouts.

Steve, Lady and Tex

1.  Email me when you are going to be in town and I'll arrange for you to be our guest At our layout in the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, san Diego 3-Railers.  Www.sd3r.org

2.  i'd also recommend a visit to the National City City Depot, a historic Santa Fe Depot and now home to the San Diego Electric Railway Association. Www.sdera.org

3.  And I always encourage visitors to actually ride the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner.  From the Downtown Santa Fe Depot to San Juan Capistrano is about a 1hr20 minute ride and you'll get to see some beautiful sights along the way as it makes its way North hugging the coastline.  Well worth it.  A seat on the upper deck/west side of train ensures the best views.  Tickets can be purchased online, at the station or on board.  

4. make time to check out the Chula Vista Live Steamers, www.chulavistalivesteamers.com.  The name says it all! 

5.  Last but not least a favorite of kids of all ages, the Miniature Train Ride in Balboa Park.  I take my kids there 2-3 times per month.  i can't get enough if riding it.  

11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
All aboard! The Balboa Park Miniature Train is operated by the San Diego Zoo. The train pulls out of the station for 3-minute rides around a portion of Balboa Park. The train station is located outside the Zoo’s exit. Obtain a hand stamp at the Zoo's exit for same day re-entry. Train tickets are $3 for ages 1 and older; younger than age 1 is free. Ages 5 and younger must ride with a paying adult.

note:  YOU DO NOT NEED TICKETS TO THE ZOO TO RIDE!!!

The Chula Vista Live Steamers run days are on the 2nd weekend of each month only, so the ability to ride depends on when you plan to be in San Diego.

There is also the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum located out in Campo, which is about an hour's drive east from San Diego.  They're open on weekends (Summer schedule has trains running on Saturdays only except for the engineer for an hour programs).  Check the schedule on their website for more information.

There is also the San Diego Trolley that you can ride (featured in the climax of the 1988 movie "Little Nikita" starring River Phoenix & Sidney Poitier).  On select times Tuesdays & Thursdays in addition to weekends they have the Silver Line special where you can ride one of the recently restored vintage trolleys from the late 1940s.  There's more information on that here.

We don't have much here in regards to LHS; the only two in the immediate area is Frank the Trainman not far from Balboa Park & the Zoo, and Reed's Hobbies in La Mesa.  Frank's has been around since the 1940s, a small store, mostly Lionel & American Flyer.  They also have an automobile museum with an interesting collection of rare vintage vehicles (you have to pay an admission to go into that part of the building, I think it's $5 per person or thereabouts)  Reed's is a few blocks up from old Downtown La Mesa (lot of antique stores) and the Trolley/old La Mesa Depot on La Mesa Boulevard.

Great information but you might want to try these links for the vintage trolley:

http://www.sdmts.com/vintagetrolley.asp

http://www.sdvintagetrolley.com/

I sure had a grand time in S.D. Ca. if only I had more time before my cruise this past April. Maybe next time i'll plan ahead to spend a extra day or two. Enjoy the pic's, Bruce

if you are at the museum on a Tuesday ask for bigdodge and I will also give a behind the scenes tour.

I will echo John K's recommendation of the SD County rail museum out in Campo. It's an easy and somewhat scenic drive from the city, and well worth the trip. Also, across the street from the entrance there is a small museum commemorating a local black National Guard unit. Small, but interesting and worth visiting if you're there for the rail museum. 

You have to go to see the San Diego 3-Railers! I stopped in there this past spring on a business trip and the guys were all super friendly and the behind the scenes tour was fantastic. They have a great club and huge layout with tons to see. Here are few shots from my phone to give you an idea of the detail (not the best quality, but you get the idea).

Enjoy the trip!

Spoke with the social/trip planner (re: wife) and we'll be there on Tuesday!

see you then.

Fridays are good also !

If you happen to be here at the end of month, the last Saturday to be specific, you'll have an oppourtunity to see our Kid's Club in action.

Thank you so much for the wonderful time at the San Diego 3 Railers!   You know it's good when my 3 year old has a melt down about leaving and my 7 year old has talked non-stop about running trains and the fun he had there.   He has talked more of the 3 Railers then he has about LegoLand!   :-)

Thank you for coming, we enjoyed having you.

The invitation is always open to all of you out there!!

Next time you go make the short trip up to Poway to ride their Park loop pulled by their 30" gauge 0-4-0 Porter steam engine. Two loops around the park for $1. The set up seems very like a model train set. Some relocated historic buildings in the middle of a loop, a water tower, engine shed, gallows turntable and a creek runs through it. A nice little set up and if you are real nice you could talk your way into a cab ride.

San Diego is a great place to visit and I echo the advice to ride the Amtrak Surfliner to San Juan Capistrano - the stop there is just a short block walk to the historic Mission.