Nostalgia & History > More ol' Key System photos

Somewhere on the Trestle Glen right of way in Oakland (Calif.) comes the B train for San Francisco. Captioned "near Underhills" I know it's not Underhills station, but am curious as to exactly what station is in this photo. (If you know the answer, please post.) The railway ran behind back yards then; those yards were extended or new homes built on the right of way after service was discontinued. A few artifacts remain in 2005, not many, however.

Thanks for John Harder for sending these historical and interesting photos.

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South Berkeley (Calif.), specifically the intersection of Alcatraz & Adeline, was traction heavy at one time. From left to right this photo shows a Key System streetcar running on the Grove Street line; the transbay F train; and the K car which connected with trains and ran to the UC campus via College Avenue. What you can't see are the SP rails (double track) that are between the Grove Street streetcar tracks and the Key train tracks. Steam engines would ply those former interurban rails to access the freight station a short distance away at Ward Street. Prior to abandonment SP interurbans stopped here, too. Those Red Trains operated by SP's Interurban Electric Railway ended service in 1941.

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The Sacramento St. H line of Key System was gone after 1941 and the Westbrae shuttle went with it. This view shows both a San Francisco-bound train and the "dinky" behind it. I think the rails and overhead wire on these Key routes was put into use on the Richmond Shipyard Railway, a line built in record time from scrap to move workers to and from the Kaiser shipyards during WW II.

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An old 500-series Key car used from beginning of service until finally replaced by articulated units in the late 1930s. Both old and new could MU together. Note the tripper arm on the roof; tripped by a red signal on the Key pier the train would make an emergency stop. The guts of these ancient cars were used on the "new" articulated units. Lots of mileage out of that old equipment.

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Ah, the 500's...

IIRC, there were two types. The longer ones were nicknamed apartment houses.

Depending on who was telling the tale, there was supposed to be one somewhere that had been made into a house. Never seen photos to prove it, though.

Stash: THAT is the BEST closeup shot of a KEY 500 wooden car I have ever seen anywhere. Fantastic clarity!! Great..

I'm still trying to get you to respond as to WHO "John Harder" is.. I asked Chas.Smiley but he wouldn't tell me.. An old KEY official, maybe ??

By the way, regarding
Mr. Pullman's comments about a 500-class being built into a HOUSE...
Where did THAT happen ??
I never heard THAT story until now.. However, ONE wooden 500-class car was SOLD according to company records... KEY # 524...

No one seems to know what really ever happened to it... If BAERA//WRM has the Bill of Sale in their Archibves, "maybe" you could track it down... But I doubt it..
If you could find it in half decent condition, it would be a REAL find!!

KRK

Well, Ken, I heard it at the Junction years back... Can't recall who said it though.

How I miss KeyRouteKen.  He had outstanding Key System bridge railway train photos.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/20 08:04 by goldcoast.

goldcoast Wrote:
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> How is miss KeyRouteKen.

He was a TO treasure, and a great guy too.
AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA