Steam & Excursion > After This Natural Disaster Railroads Of All Types Came To Help!

Without a doubt, the April 1906 San Francisco Earthquake was one of the most extensive natural disaster to ever strike a metropolitan part of this Country.  While the railroads of San Francisco suffered extensive damage as well, those that survived were quickly called upon to join in the clean-up effort.

In this rare old photo taken shortly after the earthquake, we see motive power from 2 different railroads in The City called upon to assist in clearing the thousands of tons of debris left over from the thousand of destroyed buildings.

On the right we see the North Shore RR electric motor "Electra" ready to couple on to Western Meat Packers 0-4-0T #1 to haul out more flatcars loaded with tons of brick and stone from buildings collapsed in the big quake.  This process would continue all over the City until finally the debris was cleared and the rebuilding could commence.

This old Rogers-built tank engine would complete this reconstruction work in San Francisco and later be sold to Willet & Burr Contractor to serve on many other construction projects over the years following the San Francisco Earthquake.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/17 03:12 by LoggerHogger.

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What a historical treasure!
Bob

If you Google "1906 earthquake debris", it comes up with some interesting places the debris was dumped - including, of course, the area that became Bayshore yards...  And a contract between SF and the railroads to haul it off.

As if anyone were interested...

Walter​​

I find it amazing they restored power so quickly to get the electric working.

 

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

The electricity was restored in hours or days, depending on the neighborhood, after the great 1989 earthquake in the Bay Area, which I'm sure was far quicker than back then. But the rubble seen here could have been months later. San Francisco damage in 1989 was repaired much faster with its better economic base. Oakland had more extensive damage and areas of rubble (not as bad as in the photo) that remained that way long after SF was cleaned up and the news media had gone on to other stories.

SP's only damage of major consequence in 1989 was the classic passenger depot on Wood Street, used by Amtrak and then vacated forever, and the General Office (corporate headquarters) on Market Street in SF. 

webmaster Wrote:
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> I find it amazing they restored power so quickly
> to get the electric working.

drumwrencher Wrote:
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> If you Google "1906 earthquake debris", it comes
> up with some interesting places the debris was
> dumped - including, of course, the area that
> became Bayshore yards...  And a contract between
> SF and the railroads to haul it off.
>
> As if anyone were interested...
>
> Walter​​

Didn't some of the debris get dumped into the Marina area with subsequent building which ironically contributed to collaspe of structures in 1989?

webmaster Wrote:
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> I find it amazing they restored power so quickly
> to get the electric working.
>
> 
They didn't have to do an EIR first.
 

drumwrencher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you Google "1906 earthquake debris", it comes
> up with some interesting places the debris was
> dumped - including, of course, the area that
> became Bayshore yards...  And a contract between
> SF and the railroads to haul it off.
>
> As if anyone were interested...

Well yes, I did wonder about that.

Just have to add these two of the ELECTRA which seems to have had a longer life.
After her cleanup duties the electric was obtained by SP and was stored for many years in the Sacramento shops.
​Pacific Electric bought the motor in 1917 and used it for many more years including a role in building
​PE's Subway terminal. Retirement came in 1952 while in use as the shop switcher at Torrance followed by
​donation to Travel Town at Griffith Park. The first photo is of the motor in April 1960 while stored outside in the elements.
Today she resides inside a barn-like building along with some of her mates. Photo 2-10-2014.

Charlie

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We saw the Electra last time at Travel Town, what an interesting history.  Martin, you have an amazing photo collection, I've never seen this one before.  Any idea where in The City this would have been?

That sir, is an amazing picture. What a scene and what a story!

A poor copy of this photo was in Ira Swett's Interurbans PE Books.
I understand that the Current Draw on the locomotive was quite heavy and Pacific Electric didn't use it mush except for Shop Switching.

This is the best rendition of the photo that I have ever seen.
Thanks  Martin,

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA