Plans to restore the city's retro street cars could be  derailed after the city puts them up for sale. 

"I was upset," said Ron Dawson, president of El Paso Del Norte Street Car Preservation Society. The organization has had a contract with the city for more than, 40 years to keep the streetcars. The contract runs through 2015. 

Dawson said he found out the city put the cars up for sale because street-car companies in other cities called him to ask why they city was selling the vintage cars. 

"No one told us," he said. Dawson said after much persuasion and public outcry to keep the old cars, the city is holding off on the sale. 

Dawson said he and others from the group met with city leaders and the deputy city manager of mobility, Jane Shang, on the project. 

Shang said her research shows it would be more cost effective to purchase new replica cars rather than modernize the vintage cars. But she is willing to consider any proposals put forth, that would show the cost benefit of refurbishing the cars. 

Companies will come give an estimate of the cost of modernizing the old PCC cars on Tuesday and help present a proposal to the city. 

The city appraises each car at $6,000 for museum use.