Difference between revisions of "South Pacific Coast Railroad"
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Revision as of 19:29, 18 June 2020
This page under construction
The South Pacific Coast Railroad was incorporated on March 20 1876.[1] It operated until May 21, 1887 when it and it's various leased lines were consolidated into the South Pacific Coast Railway.[2] The SPCRwy stock was sold and transferred to the Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker and Collis Huntington on August 1, 1887[3] . These gentlemen then leased the SPCRwy to the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. The information on this page is for the 1876-1887 South Pacific Coast Railroad.
Brief Description
A trip on the three foot narrow gauge South Pacific Coast Railroad began in San Francisco where two ferry slips on the south side of the ferry building at the foot of Market Street served the railroad. One slip was for passenger travel and the other was for freight. Three ferryboats, the Newark, Bay City, and Garden City operated between the San Francisco Ferry building and Alameda. Between 1878 and 1884 the Alameda ferry terminal was at Alameda Point. In March 1884 a new Alameda passenger ferry terminal opened out in the Bay via a 2.75 mile long trestle.[4] Freight continued to be handled at the Alameda Point freight ferry slip.
From Alameda the railroad went down the east side of San Francisco Bay to San Jose passing the communities of Alvarado, Newark, Alviso, and Santa Clara. From San Jose the railroad began its trek over the Santa Cruz Mountains with a gentle grade up Los Gatos Creek passing Campbell's and Los Gatos before traveling through the first tunnel and tackling the steeper grade to Wright's. At Wright's the railroad passed through a 6,157 foot tunnel to Highland (later Laurel) and through a 5,793 foot tunnel to Glenwood. Then traversing a short tunnel came out on Zayante creek where it traveled downgrade passing through another short tunnel before reaching Felton. Crossing the San Lorenzo River at Big Trees it joined the Santa Cruz and Felton Railroad for the trip down the narrow San Lorenzo River canyon to Santa Cruz passing through three more tunnels along the way. Two major branches were constructed. One between Felton and Boulder Creek to serve the redwood lumber industries and one between Campbell's and New Almaden to serve the Quicksilver Mines and the farmers and vintners along the way.
Corporate History
South Pacific Coast Railroad Company
Incorporated March 20, 1876, [1] Newark to Big Trees, 44.9 miles[5]
The South Pacific Coast Railroad was built upon the bones of the bankrupt Santa Clara Valley Railroad. The SCVRR was an attempt to create competition with the Southern Pacific’s peninsula line from San Francisco to San Jose. San Jose farmers were fed up with the SP’s monopoly and high freight rates. Attempts to build a railroad between San Jose and Alviso, with shipping via water to San Francisco, were unsuccessful as unbeknownst to everyone the Southern Pacific in 1871 had quietly purchased the shipping rights from all of the south bay landings.[6] The SCVRR was organized by the farmers with the help of outside capitalists to bypass the south bay landings and build a narrow gauge railroad between a landing at Dumbarton Point, on the east side of San Francisco Bay, and Santa Cruz via San Jose.[7] The initial construction between Dumbarton Point and Santa Clara began in October 1975 and continued through the fall and winter. As construction was started so did the law suits from local property owners. The suits included an injunction to stop construction of a drawbridge on Dumbarton Point.[8]As grading got underway a contract for ties was signed with a supplier in the Santa Cruz mountains dependent on the newly opened Santa Cruz & Felton Railroad. The winter of 1875-1876 was a wet one. In December numerous slides closed the SC&FRR and the tie order could not be shipped.[9] The rains also washed out the newly graded roadbed of the SCVRR. The Baldwin Locomotive that was ordered had arrived and payment was due.[10] The Carter Brothers had begun construction on rolling stock with payment due on delivery.[11] By the end of January 1875 it was clear that the SCVRR was bankrupt. Attempts for new financing had failed.
In steps some mysterious capitalists. Alfred E. Davis had recently completed a three year contract for supplying and managing a fleet of wagons and teams to haul charcoal and ore for the mines of Eureka, Nevada.[12][13] The completion of the Ruby Hill Railroad had made his freighting business obsolete. Just a year earlier he sold his stock in the Ophir mine in Virginia City. He was one of the original stockholders in 1862 [14]and sold the stock at a sharp increase in value.[15][16] Back home in San Francisco A. E. Davis was wealthier and looking for a new venture to invest in. The movement of freight was an interest of Mr. Davis ever since his arrival in San Francisco in May 1849 when he had to earn his living by renting a mule and cart to move freight around the city. What he later found out was that he could earn significantly more money moving freight than panning for gold.[16]
Bay & Coast Railroad Company
Incorporated Alameda to Newark 24.8 miles [5]
Oakland Township Railroad Company
Incorporated Alameda to Oakland 4.1 miles[5]
Santa Cruz & Felton Railroad Company
Incorporated Santa Cruz to Felton 7.1 miles[5]
San Francisco & Colorado River Railroad
Incorporated Alameda Mole to Alameda Point 3.0 miles[5]
Alameda & San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company
Incorporated survey only
Felton & Pescadero Railroad Company
Incorporated Felton to Boulder Creek 7.3 miles[5]
Almaden Branch Railroad Company
Incorporated Campbell's to New Almaden Station 9.6 miles[17]
Consolidation to the South Pacific Coast Railway Company
The Transfer to the Southern Pacific Railroad Company
Stations and Line Side Industry
San Francisco Ferry Building
Alameda Ferry Terminal
Alameda Point
Operation
Passenger
Commuter Service $.015 (1880 dollars) with inflation $3.77 (2020 dollars)
BART Embarcadero station from Lake Merritt station $3.70, from MacArthur station $3.95
Through train Parlor Car service an additional $0.50
Excursions
Freight
The Tunnels
Locomotives
Rolling Stock
Ferryboats
Newark
Bay City
Garden City
Freight boat, tracks on deck
Encinal
Passenger and Freight boat, tracks on deck Ordered by the South Pacific Coast Railroad and delivered to the South Pacific Coast Railway
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Proffatt, John; The Law of Private Corporations, 1876, pages 208-210
- ↑ Daily Alta California, May 26, 1887, page 6
- ↑ Daily Alta California, August 2, 1887, page 1
- ↑ Oakland Daily Evening Tribune March 15, 1884, page 5
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 South Pacific Coast Narrow Gauge R. R. Timetable No. 30, March 28, 1886
- ↑ San Jose Daily Mercury September 16, 1874, page 3
- ↑ San Jose Daily Mercury October 5, 1875, page 3
- ↑ Daily Alta California December 26, 1875, page 1
- ↑ Oakland Daily Evening Tribune December 4, 1875, page 3
- ↑ San Jose Daily Mercury January 23, 1876, page 4
- ↑ Daily Alta California November 6, 1875, page 1
- ↑ Eureka Daily Sentinel July 25, 1875, page 3
- ↑ Sacramento Daily Union June 19, 1872, page 3
- ↑ Sacramento Daily Union December 18, 1862, page 2
- ↑ The Daily Appeal January 14, 1875, page 3
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 California’s Representative Men, 1881, page 219
- ↑ South Pacific Coast Railroad Timetable No.33 April 2, 1887