Midwest Electric Railway

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Midwest Electric Railway (MERA)

Overview
The Midwest Electric Railway is a nonprofit, volunteer‑run heritage trolley operation at the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. It preserves and operates about 10 historic electric trolleys on a 2.5‑mile loop around the reunion campground, giving visitors a ride on vintage streetcars and interurban cars.

Location
MERA is located on the grounds of the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. The trolley fleet is stored and operated from a trolley barn on S. Locust Road, with tracks looping around the campground and crossing nearby streets.

History
MERA was founded in 1971 as a not‑for‑profit educational group to preserve historic electric passenger trolleys and to transport campground visitors during the reunion. The fleet includes historic cars from Iowa and other places. Regular trolley stops around the loop include the Trolley Depot, Trolley Barn, Log Village, Midway, South 40, and Campers’ Gate. Maintenance and operation are carried out entirely by volunteers.

Equipment
The MERA fleet comprises a mix of early 20th‑century interurban and streetcars. Examples include various historic cars built by manufacturers such as Barber Car Co., Jewett Car Company, Perley Thomas, PCC streetcars, and cars with ties to other cities and countries. Cars range in age from the 1910s to mid‑20th century and are maintained and operated by dedicated volunteers.

Special events
During the five days before Labor Day, MERA runs the 2.5‑mile loop to ferry campground visitors around the reunion. The operation is expanded on holidays and when groups reserve time. Additional events include a Haunted Trolley Ride around Halloween and a Trolley School in June to teach people how to operate a trolley.

See also
- Heritage railroads in the United States
- List of Iowa railroads
- List of railway museums

For more information, check the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion site or MERA’s volunteer pages for schedules and visiting details.