Your Museum Needs You!

Founded April 16, 1961 and sustained by the drive and determination of it's volunteers, the Museum is dedicated to the preservation of our nation's rich railroad heritage. Please join us in helping to preserve and protect the history of railroading.

Museum memberships fund the continuation of on-going restoration projects, special programs and new development. PSRM is a non-profit corporation. All donations are tax deductible. Memberships are renewable annually except as noted.

Volunteer Information

Volunteering at PSRM can be fun and educational for most everyone, especially if you've never worked around historical equipment or railroads. Learn the history of the SD&A Railway and why it was built. Learn how Diesel-electric and steam locomotives work. Learn new skills like locomotive mechanic, brakeman, or even cashier. All that is necessary is that all volunteers be members of the Museum. See the VOLUNTEER CALENDAR to see what is happening when.

Brief job descriptions for some of our available jobs follow. For more detailed information, contact the listed person. We do ask all volunteers to come out at least one day per month.

Ticket Agent
Sells tickets, along with snacks and souvenirs at Campo Depot. Uses a bar- code scanner and electronic cash register. Processes credit cards. Most hours are 8:30 - 5:30 on days that trains are running; some late evenings in the Summer and December. Contact: Ticketmaster

Docent/Train Host
Talks to our visitors to tell them railroad history, and about the equipment that is on display. Answers questions about our train rides. Docents spend the day in our Display Building; Train Hosts ride on the train with the passengers. Some days the same person does both jobs. Hours: 9:00 to 5:00 Saturdays and Sundays, and other days that the Museum may be open to visitors. Contact: Museum Services

Library Assistant
The Museum maintains an extensive library of historical materials, primarily related to the SD&A, and historical publications, such as parts catalogs and operating manuals published in the early to mid-20th century. Job involves cataloging and sorting these materials in our air conditioned library at Campo. Hours: One or two Saturdays per month. Contact: Museum Services

Facilities Assistant
Our Facilities Department is responsible for maintaining our physical plant. Work includes everything from painting to plumbing, carpentry, and road grading. Hours: weekends and some weekdays. Contact: Facilities

Mechanical Assistant
Assist in keeping our trains running. Jobs include Federally-required inspections, minor and heavy repair work on diesel-electric locomotives and on railroad cars. Certainly mechanical experience is a plus, but not required, You WILL get dirty. Hours: Weekends. Contact: Mechanical

Exhibit Cataloging
Large numbers of small artifacts need to be tagged, inventoried, and cataloged. Hours: variable. Contact: Museum Services

North Pole Limited Train Extra Help
Need cocoa makers, cookie packagers, parking lot attendants, electricians, elf supervisors, extra gift shop ticket agents, car packers, car cleaners. Hours: Friday and Saturday afternoons, and Sunday mornings, Nov. 23 to Dec. 23. Contact: North Pole

Steam Locomotive Restoration
Get in on the ground floor of restoring a 1929 steam locomotive. Hands-on learning how a locomotive is put together. Mostly really dirty grunt work. This is a long-term project. Hours: The second Friday of each month and the next day (Saturday). Contact: Steam

Depot Restoration
Our 1917 depot is being restored to be more like the historic place it is. While the majority of the heavy work is completed, lots of "finishing touches" are needed. Hours: variable. Contact: Depot

Brakeman
This is the entry position for being on the operating train crew. Brakemen (and women) can advance to the other positions of Conductor (takes several months) and Engineer (takes several years). Classes are offered once or twice per year - the next one will be a two-day hands-on class on Sept. 21 and Sept. 28 2013. Training requires a minimum of ten-days. Hours: 8:00 to 5:00 (or longer) on days that trains are running. Contact: Training

La Mesa Depot Docent
For people unable to travel to Campo regularly, docents are needed for the La Mesa Depot, located in the center of Downtown La Mesa. Hours: 1:00-4:00 Saturdays. Contact: La Mesa Depot

Other Positions
Other positions can include Volunteer Coordinator, Grant Writer, and Bookkeeper. Write your own job description!