CENTRAL ELECTRIC RAILFANS' ASSOCIATION

A not-for-profit technical & educational society, established in 1938

Upcoming Programs

What's new at CERA?

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2nd  Friday, June 26, 2026

Zoom Presentation

Newer Short Link to Zoom

https://tinyurl.com/2ndFridayCERA

Older Longer Link to Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88929318526?pwd=ICg6ZpFwsa6fpHIQ7PDvgowdyzD1HV.1 

Meeting Number 889 2931 8526  Passcode  022656

William Edwards

Riding Trains in Europe: From Trams to TGV's

Part II

Bill Edwards has made 18 trips to Western Europe, mostly for business, and made sure to ride as many trains as possible along the way.  This presentation covers the second part of a trip in June, 2016 - this part in France and Spain.  In this episode, we ride multiple TGVs at 180 mph (smoothest train ride ever), tiptoe along the Mediterranean coast, experience the wonders of Talgo gauge-changing / voltage changing equipment, ride on Spain's multi-gauge mainline trackage, and grab the Madrid subway a couple of times.  Bill's programs often include images of the infrastructure, a walk inside the train, and a look inside the stations to provide a glimpse of what it is really like to ride a variety of trains - from trams to TGVs - across Europe.

4th Friday, June 26, 2026 In Person and Zoom Presentation

400 E. Randolph St., 7th Floor Hospitality Room, Chicago, IL

In Person and

Easy Link to ZOOM Here

https://tinyurl.com/4thFridayCERA

Or

Older longer link to Zoom

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84655931559?pwd=CJDX4VulLCzaLufaL7cEvQiZ6d8EXQ.1 

Zoom meeting Number 846 5593 1559    Passcode  214592


MATTHEW NAWN

An Overview of Baltimore Streetcar History and the Exciting Future of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum

Matt Nawn, Executive Director of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, will present a detailed overview of Baltimore streetcar history, from the horsecar era to the streetcar's demise in 1963 and later return in the form of light rail transit.  Matt's presentation will also explore the creation of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, its 60-year history, and its exciting future.

Matt Nawn is the Executive Director of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, an educational and cultural institution that provides a living history experience by operating a demonstration streetcar line in downtown Baltimore, Maryland.  Before becoming the Executive Director of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, Matt was Chief of the Technical Services Division at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).  For over two decades, Matt has also served as an independent consultant on the utilization of historic rolling stock for both transit and museum use. He is also an Adjunct Instructor at Frederick Community College in Frederick, MD.  Matt is a licensed professional engineer in Maryland and Pennsylvania and a certified Project Management Professional.  

This program will also be presented on Zoom (CERA members only) for those members unable to attend the meeting in person.


If you have not yet paid your 2026 CERA Membership dues please do soon or contact me

for more information: Elmer Haneberg

elmer@corpevent.com

(773) 972-0470


Mark this date on your calendar!

Still time to Join our Fan trip to East Troy Railroad Museum

Saturday, June 6, 2026


If you have not yet paid your 2026 CERA Membership dues please do soon or contact me

for more information: Elmer Haneberg

elmer@corpevent.com

(773) 972-0470

DONATE

RENEW NOW

2026

Click  2026 Membership Renewal Form.docx to get a hard copy of the 2026 Membership Form for mailing


Click   2026 Membership Renewal On Line Credit Card to renew with a credit card


Please consider donating to CERA. Our members and non-members alike help us keep providing monthly programming, annual books, periodic trips and events and more. Simply click on the donate button.


JOIN OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY

Renew Membership On Line Here

Renew at above link

Year In Review: Since 1938,  Central Electric Railfans’ Association has presented programs, published books, and hosted fan trips. In 2025 CERA Published B153, The Illini Trai, and continued its successful online programs on Zoom, offering both “open-to-all” Zoom programs and programs marketed exclusively to members and prospective members. We also returned to our in-person programming at a new location and hosted a fan trip to the Minneapolis St. Paul, Minnesota where we had personal guided tours of two Trolley Museums and conducted our Fourth Friday In Person meeting and dinner. In On June 6, 2026 we have a Fan Trip planned for the East Troy Railroad Museum.

Publications: Since falling behind schedule in 2020 due to the Corona virus issues, we have been strenuously  striving to get caught up with our membership entitlements issuing B153, The Illini Trail, to our 2020 Membership, distributing three Shore Line Dispatches (a $90 value) to our 2021 Members and publishing B154, The Pittsburgh Harmony Line for our 2025 Members, scheduled to be mailed out in early 2026 and yet another entitlement for our 2022 Members before September of 2026.  That means we will have made FOUR entitlement commitments in the space of less than a year.

Historical Slides: The board has authorized exploring digitizing our extensive CERA Historical slide collection at considerable expense. Please consider an extra donation to help cover this or consider a one year bump up in your membership level .















B153 The Illini Trail

available now

CLICK HERE



Copyright 2018 Central Electric Railfans' Association. All Right Reserved 

Central Electric Railfans' Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  P.O. Box 503, Chicago, IL  60690

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