Nostalgia & History > Traction Action: Berkeley, Calif. more F-train

Long before the neighborhood became Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto the Key System ruled the center of Shattuck Avenue. However, its time is about up with this photo taken during the final month of operation, April 1958. Here a San Francisco-bound F train passes Cedar Street. There was light traffic on Shattuck Avenue in those days with a mix of commercial and residential property. Berkeley Hills Chapel at right was a landmark; the funeral home was demolished years ago. Downtown, the American Trust Building sticks out like a sore thumb. Today there are multiple tall buildings. BART trains provide the transbay service these days and their station is next to that tall downtown building in the photo. BART runs fast. Key was a leisurely ride.

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I know very little about the Key System,but didn't have have a freight operation and would it have used these tracks?

Key System did have a freight operation from the early 1900s until 1943 when it was sold to Western Pacific and Santa Fe (i.e, Oakland Terminal Railway). That served west Oakland.

The tracks in the photo were passenger only, built by Southern Pacific for their electric trains and used by Key from 1941-1958.


mopacrr Wrote:
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> I know very little about the Key System,but didn't
> have have a freight operation and would it have
> used these tracks?

Amazing how open the place was without all the street trees we have nowadays.

Best regards,

Rob L.

Wonderful photo. Thanks for posting. The same corner today: http://goo.gl/maps/GRort

Today AC Transit still operates bus line F on Shattuck but only to Hearst. I know-it's not the same!

Paul Ramer
Cincinnati, OH