South Pacific Coast Railway
This page is under construction
In May 1887 the South Pacific Coast Railway was formed by a consolidation[1] of the South Pacific Coast Railroad, the Bay & Coast Railroad, the Oakland Township Railroad, the Santa Cruz & Felton Railroad, the San Francisco and Colorado River Railroad, the Felton & Pescadero Railroad, and the Almaden Branch Railroad for the purpose of transferring the consolidated railroad to the ownership of Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, and Collis Huntington who later leased the SPCRwy to the Southern Pacific Railroad. The information on this page is for the Southern Pacific leased line, the 1887-1932 South Pacific Coast Railway.
Brief Description
Corporate History
The Narrow Gauge Years
1887-1909
Conversion to Standard Gauge
1893 - 1908
Crossings
The SPCRwy crossed Southern Pacific railroads five times. At each crossing the South Pacific Coast was required to stop before crossing.
- In Oakland
- Seventh Street - SPC/SP Double track crossing double track
- First Street - SPC/SP Double track crossing double track.
- In Alameda
- Pacific Avenue - SPC/SP Double track crossing single track
- In Santa Clara
- Single track crossing SPC/SP
- In Santa Cruz
- Two single track crossings SPC/SP
Mention crossing protections
The Tunnels
In 1887 a total of ten tunnels existed between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz. In 1893 the Wright's tunnel portal was rebuilt following a massive slide. In 1902 tunnel No. 1 just outside of Los Gatos was day lighted after the third rail was installed to Wright's.[2]
Locomotives
South Pacific Coast Railroad Locomotive Roster
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
References
Reference Material Available Online
Photographs
Collected South Pacific Coast Railroad Photographs. Images collected from private collections, libraries and historical societies.
Maps
The South Pacific Coast Railroad ca. 1886 for Google Earth By John Hall
Trackage
South Pacific Coast Track Status Timeline by John Hall.
A timeline of track life, including: construction, service dates and gauge changes.
Color Cards
Color swatches using PMS color representing the paint layers found on the carbody.
Color Card: South Pacific Coast - Coach #39: Body PDF icon 1.48 MB
Color Card: South Pacific Coast - Caboose #47: Body PDF 0.88 MB
Color Card: South Pacific Coast - Coach #42 circa 1904. by Andrew Brandon PDF 0.97 MB Drawn to Southern Pacific Common Standards, using paint samples taken from Coach #39 by Randy Hees, Dimensional Data from Mike Collins and Bruce MacGregor.
Organizations
Society for the Preservation of Carter Railroad Resources. Dedicated to the preservation of equipment built by the Carter Brothers and other car builders of the west coast.
Further Reading
MacGregor, Bruce A., South Pacific Coast, Howell-North 1868
MacGregor, Bruce A., Narrow Gauge Portrait South Pacific Coast, Glenwood 1975
MacGregor and Truesdale, A Centennial South Pacific Coast, Pruett 1982
MacGregor, Bruce A., The Birth of California Narrow Gauge, Stanford 2003
MacGregor, Bruce, The Centennial History of Newark, Newark Days 1876
Holmes, Norman W., Prune Country Railroading, Shade Tree 1985
Hamman, Rick, California Central Coast Railways, Pruett 1980
Shaw, Fisher, Highland, Oil Lamps and Iron Ponies, Bay Books 1849
Ford, Robert S., Red Trains in the East Bay, Interurban 1977
McCaleb, Charles S., Surf, Sand & Streetcars, Interurban 1977
Harlan, George H., Ferryboats, Howell-North 1967
Bruntz, George G., History of Los Gatos, Valley 1971