La Mesa Depot Museum
La Mesa, CA
Free
By Simir Shah
★★★★★4.5(35 Google reviews)
What parents say
AI summary of 5 Google reviews — not a first-hand visit. How we write these
Tiny. Reviewers describe a few train cars, a caboose and a small depot with limited hours, right beside the trolley stop and a clanging level crossing. Good for a train-obsessed child and a photo, and not much longer than that. Street parking, with shops and food nearby to make the trip worth it.
A restored 1894 railway depot with a steam locomotive and rolling stock parked outside. The trains can be seen at any hour, but go during docent hours if you want the kids inside the depot hearing the stories.
Good for
- Restrooms
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4695 Nebo Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941, USA
Hours via Google — confirm before a special trip.
Map
What visitors say
- Ethan's Adventures★★★★★
The La Mesa Depot is a small but charming railroad museum that houses an iconic train in the area. It features the Mojave Northern Railroad (MNRR) No. 3, a Pacific Fruit Express refrigerator car (now used for storage), and an old Southern Pacific Caboose. Although the depot is small and doesn’t have much inside, train lovers will still appreciate the opportunity to see this historic set up close. In addition to the depot, this hidden gem is located next to the La Mesa Trolley Station and a railroad crossing with a Safetran Hybrid Bell on its left signal, which surprised me since it hasn’t been replaced with an E-Bell yet. I find it amusing that the depot refers to the MNRR No. 3 as the “American Thomas,” since the saddle tank locomotive has a 0-6-0 wheel configuration like Thomas the Tank Engine, and both locomotives carry their own water without the need for a tender.
2 years ago
- Alex ll★★★★★
Just stop by to take some pictures, it's really worth it, 👌🛵
a year ago
Showing 2 of 5 Google reviews · Read them all on Google Maps
Nearby places
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Eat nearby in La Mesa
- Farmer's TableBurgers & American · $$ · kids menu
- Mario's De La MesaMexican & Tacos · $