Difference between revisions of "South Pacific Coast Railroad"

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A trip on the 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.<ref>4 <i>Oakland Daily Evening Tribune</i> March 15, 1884, page 5</ref> Freight continued to be handled at the Alameda Point freight ferry slip.
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.<ref>4 <i>Oakland Daily Evening Tribune</i> March 15, 1884, page 5</ref> 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.
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.
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====South Pacific Coast Railroad Company====
====South Pacific Coast Railroad Company====
 
Newark to Big Trees
====Bay and Coast Railroad Company====


====Bay & Coast Railroad Company====
====Bay & Coast Railroad Company====
Alameda to Newark


====Oakland Township Railroad Company====
====Oakland Township Railroad Company====
Alameda to Oakland


====Santa Cruz & Felton Railroad Company====
====Santa Cruz & Felton Railroad Company====
Santa Cruz to Felton


====San Francisco and Colorado River Railroad====
====San Francisco & Colorado River Railroad====
Alameda to Alameda


====Alameda & San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company====  
====Alameda & San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company====  
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====Felton & Pescadero Railroad Company====
====Felton & Pescadero Railroad Company====
Felton to Boulder Creek


====Almaden Branch Railroad Company====
====Almaden Branch Railroad Company====
Campbell's to New Almaden Station


====Consolidation to the [[South Pacific Coast Railway]] Company====
====Consolidation to the [[South Pacific Coast Railway]] Company====
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===Stations and Line Side Industry===
===Stations and Line Side Industry===
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====San Francisco Ferry Building====
====Alameda Ferry Terminal====
====Alameda Point====


===Operation===
===Operation===
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====Freight====
====Freight====


===The Tunnels===
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===Locomotives===
===Locomotives===
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====''Garden City''====
====''Garden City''====
====''Encinal''====
====''Encinal''====
Under construction
Ordered by the South Pacific Coast Railroad and delivered to the [[South Pacific Coast Railway]]
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<br>
Four years in construction, due to the long tunnels, the railroad opened to through service on May 15, 1880. From the first the passengers, freight, and mail provided significant profits for the railroad's investors. Powered by Baldwin locomotives with railcars from Carter, Jackson and Sharp, and others, the 98.4 mile railroad served its area well moving people and products such as lumber, lime, paper, sugar, bricks, oil, beer, gravel, and explosives. Branch lines were constructed to Centerville, Boulder Creek, New Almaden, and Berkeley with number short spurs serving various industries.
 
A fleet of ferryboats moved passengers from San Francisco to the trains at Alameda including a daily commuter service between Alameda/Oakland and San Francisco with two boats crossing the bay every 30 minutes; one in each direction. Local commuter trains met each boat.
 
In July 1887 the Southern Pacific assumed control of the South Pacific Coast and continued the narrow gauge service for 15 more years. SP began to standard gauge the railroad by adding a third rail while continuing to operate narrow gauge trains. This first started in 1893 when the Santa Cruz Union depot was constructed using dual gauge track. In 1895 the segment between San Jose and Los Gatos was converted, followed by the San Jose engine facility at Lenzen Avenue in 1899. In 1902 the streets of Alameda received dual gauge track, followed by the segment between Los Gatos and Wrights in 1904. Between 1904 and 1906 the remainder of the line was converted only to be interrupted by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The collapse of the tunnels in the Santa Cruz Mountains delayed the opening of the standard gauge line until May 29, 1909 when the first through standard gauge train reached Santa Cruz from Oakland.
 
Portions of the original alignment are still in use today. The Union Pacific operates the sections of track from San Leandro to San Jose and San Jose to Vasona Junction near Campbell. The Santa Cruz, Big Trees & Pacific Railway operates along the 1875 segment of the line from Felton to Santa Cruz.
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Revision as of 11:25, 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[2] when it and it's various leased lines were consolidated into the South Pacific Coast Railway. 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 it to the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. Information on this page is for the 1876-1887 South Pacific Coast Railroad.

Route of the SPCRR

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.

Corporate History


South Pacific Coast Railroad Company

Newark to Big Trees

Bay & Coast Railroad Company

Alameda to Newark

Oakland Township Railroad Company

Alameda to Oakland

Santa Cruz & Felton Railroad Company

Santa Cruz to Felton

San Francisco & Colorado River Railroad

Alameda to Alameda

Alameda & San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company

survey only

Felton & Pescadero Railroad Company

Felton to Boulder Creek

Almaden Branch Railroad Company

Campbell's to New Almaden Station

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 with inflation $3.77 2020 BART from Lake Merritt $3.70 MacCarther $3.95

Freight

The Tunnels


Locomotives


Rolling Stock


Ferryboats


Newark

Bay City

Garden City

Encinal

Ordered by the South Pacific Coast Railroad and delivered to the South Pacific Coast Railway



  1. 1 Proffatt, John; The Law of Private Corporations, 1876, pages 208-210
  2. 2 Daily Alta California, May 26, 1887, page 6
  3. 3Daily Alta California, August 2, 1887, page 1
  4. 4 Oakland Daily Evening Tribune March 15, 1884, page 5