Nostalgia & History > Traction Action, Oakland, Calif. at Piedmont Station

Here's an exhibit panel created for a kiosk at 41st & Piedmont in Oakland, California. This was designed for the Piedmont Avenue Merchants Association by Premier Graphics and will be posted sometime later this week. Most photos are from John Harder's vast collection and I'm certain that I have posted all of them to Trainorders at one time or another. (Search "stash" or "traction action" and you can find hundreds.) This display is about 20x32 inches in real life; let's see how good it shows here on T.O. as a JPG file.

This signboard provides a quick history of rail transportation that at one time served the neighborhood. In fact, the Key Route tracks built that neighborhood. Not much evidence left from the Key System unless you know where to look.

BTW, John and I have been working on a large exhibit for the Western Railway Museum titled "Wartime Railway Operations in the Bay Area 1942-1945" and that display should be ready to view at the museum very soon. It is in final production now; printing, mounting and laminating. Go to wrm.org for info about the Western Railway Museum.

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Wonderful photos of a long distant time, I well recall riding my bike to meet my father in the evenings at Piedmont station when he worked in the City. Look forward to seeing the WWII exhibition. Thank you.

Great stuff from an era in my home town that I never knew.

Best regards,

Rob L.

Ken;

Thanks for posting these. The photo of the War Bonds car was taken a block from my house. I pass the intersection every day.

Mike