Ted and Jim, we finally get around to presenting the Sacramento Northern. These pictures are for you! They were all taken by W. C. Whittaker and have dates and locations (except for the 605) on the backs, which is fortunate because I would have no idea where any of these scenic places might be.
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| SN 603 and 604 Montclair 2-8-44 |
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SN 605 8-18-43
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SN 1006 6-15-40 Valle Vista
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SN 1008 Broadway Terrace 2-19-39
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SN 1008 and 224 Sacramento
(Note: that's what the print says, but it's actually Oakland) |
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SN 1011 Havens 6-19-39
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7 comments:
Having discovered the SN later in life, it has been fun to see a few remnants that existed (at least for a while) such as up at Yuba City. I think there are still some mainline remnants on the south side of the Carquinez straight, besides the restored and preserved line north of it. These photos you have are largely in the Oakland foothills, which have been extensively covered in dozens of blog posts at this site below... which has been basically dormant for quite a while. - O. Anderson https://eastbayhillsproject.org/
Thanks, that's a very impressive coverage of the line. I noticed that several pictures show that the third rail was not mounted on extended ties, as one would expect, but the supports were planted in the ground alongside the track somehow. That seems rather strange to a CA&E fan.
Is there going to be a look into the IC Electric cars and how they were prepped for heading to the South Side? Or is that going to be a Rail & Wire feature showcasing the "Escape from IRM"?
Thank you for sharing these pictures since the SN is one of my favorite interurbans. For reference, Montclair is a neighborhood on the far east side of Oakland, California and many parts of the SN ROW in this area are now a trail. In addition, modern day BART trains runs along the former SN between Walnut Creek and Martinez, further to the east.
The variety along the SN is fascinating where parts would feel at home in the Midwest, yet it also had mountain grades, a carfloat, and for one year direct access to San Francisco across the Bay Bridge.
Tony Gura, another IRM member now living in Sacramento Northern territory.
Hi. The photo of SN 1008 and 224, labeled as Sacramento, is actually about one block from the Key System interchange at 40th and Shafter St. in Oakland. One hint of this is that 1008’s pantograph is up. The SN did not use pantographs on passenger cars on their own line. They were only used on the Key, either to or on the pier or bridge, depending on the date. The SN passenger cars pantographs did not have air operated up or down. When a train arrived at 40th and Shafter that was going onto the Key, an electrician climbed onto the roof and raised the pan. He would also change the voltage change switches to 600 volts in pier years and install a headlight if dark was coming on.
As for the third rail on the NWP not sitting on the ends of the ties, the third rail was added to an already busy steam railroad. Only the commutator operation was electrified. Mainline freight and passenger trains and the narrow gauge continued as steam operations. I think by adding third rail that did not interfere with the track allowed them to continue train service uninterrupted. The cars were just the steam coaches with electric equipment added. The steel cars came along later. The NWP is the only third rail operation in Northern California, I can think of, that does not sit the third rail on the end of ties.
David Johnston
Thanks for the additional information! I find it surprising that the motorman did not have any easy way to drop the pans in case of an emergency. But I take it that the pans were only used over a relatively short distance.
Thank you David for including a major Interurban. It was a combination of the third rail Northern Electric and the overhead wire Oakland, Antioch & Eastern. A 22 mile section is preserved by the Western Railway Museum. TM who likes the Sacramento Northern and the Western Railway Museum
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