CENTRAL ELECTRIC RAILFANS' ASSOCIATION

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

Upcoming Programs

What's new at CERA?

CERA 4th Friday In Person and

Possible Zoom Presentation

(awaiting permission from presenter)


CERA In Person Meeting

and

Possible Zoom Presentation

(awaiting permission from presenter) 

 April 24, 2026

at 7:00 p.m. CT

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

Chicago, IL

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


Norman Krentel

Midwest Interurban Freight Service

The major interurban railways of Ohio, Indiana and Michigan had used their connecting network of lines to develop through freight service via the Central Electric Railway Traffic Association.  Though short lived because of the early demise of these interurban railways, their member companies did manage to establish a freight car standard whose cars were able to navigate 35 foot radius curves when coupled in trains.  We'll also discuss a few other Midwestern interurbans who also handled freight service.


This program may also be presented on Zoom (CERA members only) for those members unable to attend the meeting in person, pending permission from the presenter.


CERA 2nd Friday Zoom Presentation

CERA’s May , 2026 Zoom Presentation

Newer Short Link to Zoom

https://tinyurl.com/2ndFridayCERA

Link to Zoom Meeting


Matthew Nawn

The Baltimore Streetcar Museum

Older Longer Link to Zoom:

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

Meeting Number 889 2931 8526  Passcode  022656


There will also be a short In The News program preceding the regular program.

This program is open to all CERA members, their guests and the public.

Mark this date on your calendar!



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



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

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software