Nostalgia & History > STOCKTON on the Santa Fe over the years

Here are several photos of trains at the Santa Fe station in Stockton, California over the years. First up: an excursion, steam powered. Fans were just as enthusiastic then as now. Note the traffic flagman and sign.

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Golden Gate streamliners stopped at Stockton station for many years. Two trains daily in each direction between Oakland and Bakersfield. Bus connections at Bakersfield ran to Los Angeles; and at Oakland (40th & San Pablo) to San Francisco. A timetable in my collection shows a speed limit of 95 mph for the Golden Gates in the San Joaquin Valley.

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Passenger service ended for a period of time. Then Amtrak's early San Joaquin began a revival of passenger train service in the valley. Amtrak service ran on SP rails between Oakland and Port Chicago; then Santa Fe for the remainder of the trip to Bakersfield. The switch between SP and AT&SF at Port Chicago was hand thrown. The Conductor would walk to a train register booth to sign in. Eventually, an interlocking was installed. Other major improvements have been made over the years since the days of this photograph.

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Stockton today. More trains, more riders. A success story. Photo shows a Bakersfield-bound train arriving the station. The railroad changed too: now it's BNSF.

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Bonus photo: a westbound on the Stockton Subdivision. Freight traffic has increased tremendously over the years. Note crane on other track for signal work or something.

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That's a fine look over the years.

stash Wrote:
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> Passenger service ended for a period of time. Then
> Amtrak's early San Joaquin began a revival of
> passenger train service in the valley.

This photo could be an advertisement for General Motors!
Africansteam