South Pacific Coast Railway
California / Common Carrier / South Pacific Coast Railway
History
In May 1887 the 36 inch gauge 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 & Colorado River Railroad, the Felton & Pescadero Railroad, and the Almaden Branch Railroad for the purpose of transferring the consolidated railroad to new owners. The information on this page is for the Southern Pacific leased line, the 1887-1937 South Pacific Coast Railway.
At the time of consolidation the stockholders of the South Pacific Coast Railway were: James G. Fair, 44,844 1/2 Shares; Charles S. Neal, 10,048 shares; Alfred E. Davis, 4900 1/2 shares; Charles Stewart, 79 shares; E. J. Coleman, 25 shares; L. B. Benchley, 23 shares; E. J. Swift, 20 shares; R. H. Hall, 20 shares; Henry Skinner, 20 shares; E. J. Cox, 15 shares; S. V. Mooney, 1 share; Seth Cook, 1 share; E. S. Pillsbury, 1 share; V. W. Gaskill, 1 share; and Luther Fillmore,1 share.[2] A total value of $6,000,000 or 60,000 shares at a par value of $100 each.
The consolidation was made to facilitate the transfer of the South Pacific Coast Railroad and its leased lines to new owners. The new consolidation was debt free. To pay for the transfer to the new owners the South Pacific Coast Railway, right-of-way, rolling stock, track, buildings, etc., was mortgaged for $5,500,000. The mortgage was guaranteed by the Southern Pacific Company. The mortgage company, The Farmers' Loan and Trust Co. of New York, then issued Bonds to the stock holders of the SPCRY. Finally, after an additional cash payment of $500,000 the stock holders then transferred their shares to Leland Stanford, C. P. Huntington, and Charles Crocker.[3]
On August 1, 1887 a new Board of Directors of the SPCRY was elected. The Directors were Leland Stanford, C. P. Huntington, Charles Crocker, Charles F. Crocker, Timothy Hopkins, W. V. Huntington, and N. T. Smith. Leland Stanford was elected President and Charles F. Crocker Vice-President.[4] The Board then leased the SPCRY to the Southern Pacific Company.
Reference Material Available Online
Rosters
- South Pacific Coast Railway Locomotive Roster compiled by John F. Hall
- South Pacific Coast Railway Ferryboat Roster compiled by John F. Hall
- Tunnels of the South Pacific Coast Railway 1887-1909 compiled by John F. Hall
Trackage
- South Pacific Coast Track Status Timeline by John F. Hall.
- A timeline of track life, including: construction, service dates and gauge changes.
Photographs
- Collected South Pacific Coast Railroad/Railway Photographs.
- Images collected from private collections, libraries and historical societies.
Maps
- The South Pacific Coast Railroad ca. 1886 for Google Earth by John Hall
Color Cards
- Color swatches using PMS color representing the paint layers found on the carbody.
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