Training Day

Last week we highlighted car-related activities in the city, so this week we thought we'd continue with the transportation theme with a post dedicated to trains and trolleys.  Considering southern California has a reputation for being car-obsessed, we have some amazing mass transit options for getting around.   Whether you are a Ferroequinologist (yes, there is a word for people who study trains) or just a fan of seeing the sites without worrying about parking, we've got you covered with train-related fun in San Diego.

Starting off small, really small, you can pay a visit to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park.  Although everything here is tiny, and the museum is a small space located on the lower level of Casa de Balboa Building, this is the world's largest accredited model railroad museum.  It's filled with intricate scenes of not just trains but of the bridges they cross and canyons they traverse.  There is a detailed version of the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Train Line that is 1/87th of the actual size, and the Pacific Desert Lines that is 1/160 of the actual size, one of the largest miniature train scenes in the world (talk about oxymorons!).   The museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday.  Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6 for children (14 to 6), $5 for military (with ID), and kids 5 and under are free.  The impressive tiny details and computer-controlled trains will keep kids and kids-at-heart enthralled.  

The shiny Red Trolley that bips around downtown is not just a great way to get around they're also an entertaining way to take in the city while you sit back and relax.  Three different trolley lines cover over 51 miles of tracks and with 53 stations to stop at getting around town is both convenient and easy.  We're fans of the nifty green line which will take you from Gaslamp Quarter up to Seaport Village then onto to Old Town and to the Fashion Valley Mall; all great destinations that allow you to avoid parking in these normally busy areas.  Single Rides for adults are $2.50 and multiple-stop day passes start at $5.  

Located 30 minutes north of Mission Bay is the Poway Midland Railroad, a vintage railroad station that is owned by the city and run by community volunteers.  Adults can take rides for $1.50 and kids for $0.50 on Saturday and Sundays, check out their Facebook Page for updated train schedules.  There is an electric mix of different trains you can take for a spin, like an electric trolley from the 1890s, a San Francisco street cable car from 1906, and a 1950 Fairmont Speeder Train.  It's evident that the volunteers running it love what they do, and the little ones will enjoy the short rides around this small historical gem.  

San Diego has a sophisticated commuter train system that runs east and west (the SPRINTER inland rail) and north and south (the COASTER), and rivals any cosmopolitan city.  The difference with our commuter train is that the ride comes with stunning views as it hugs the California coast.  For a fun half day trip, we recommend hopping on the COASTER at the Santa Fe Depot downtown and taking it up to the Oceanside Transit Center, a few blocks from the ocean and their lovely pier.  Walk along the water and then have lunch at Ruby's at the end of the pier for delicious burgers and shakes, and keep your eyes open for dolphins and whales.  

The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum pays tribute to San Diego's rich railroad history with two original antique train stations.  Twenty minutes east of Mission Bay in La Mesa is a small train depot that dates back to 1894.  It's run by volunteers and features a vintage locomotive, box car, and caboose that you can walk in and explore on Saturdays from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.   The PSRM has a larger outpost in Campo, 60 miles east of San Diego, which is also run by volunteers who are passionate about trains and their history.  Trains run out of a restored depot, which seems to appear out of nowhere as you drive up to the desert location.  You can book rides on the weekends, with tickets starting at $19 for adults and $9 for children.  Train enthusiasts will love getting a closer look at the different train cars at the yard, and kids will love climbing onto the massive vehicles for a ride through the desert.  If you get there early enough, the train conductor usually offers peaks inside the engine car and gives a little tutorial about how they run.  

San Diego has something for 'railfans' (yes, another official word for train enthusiasts) and those who just love convenient transportation.  But, once you get a look at the elaborate details and sheer power of these machines (both in miniature and actual size), you might feel the urge to break out the books and study ferroequinology.  Use Mission Bay Vacation Rentals as your home base, and start mapping out your different locomotive trips and stops all within San Diego.