Nostalgia & History > Railroading in ALAMEDA, CA...

Here are THREE old photos that were taken on April 8, 1956 in Alameda, CA.. Some of been shown before, a long time back.

Let's see if any of you can identify the neighborhood this SP 2-6-0 Mogul is traversing...

KRK

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Another ALAMEDA view of SP 1796..

All three photos courtesy: Marvin Maynard Collection..

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SP 2-6-0 Mogul # 1796 in ALAMEDA, CA..

The occasion was an excursion sponsored by BAERA...

April 8, 1956..

Photos courtesy of Marvin Maynard Collection..

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KeyRouteKen Wrote:
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> Let's see if any of you can identify the
> neighborhood this SP 2-6-0 Mogul is traversing...

Crossing Grand, near Penzoil.

Other shots: along side Webster by the drive in theatre and, lastly, next to Buena Vista Av. west of Grand.

Used to enjoy the nightly trains rolling along Clement in front of USNR for Del Monte.

Another view of the special rolling along the Alameda Belt Line. Clement Street never looked so good!

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As an aside, one rail-length has now been removed from the "Alameda Main" just south of the Blanding Avenue crossing.

Not that there was any prospect of any traffic returning, but that pretty much seals the fate of the Fruitvale drawbridge ever seeing rail traffic again.

Regarding the "John Harder" photo of the "Special of April--1956 submitted by another 'John'--(STASH)...
Let's get the facts CORRECT--PLEASE!!!

April 8, 1956 was a railfan special chartered by the Bay Area Electric Railroad Association (BAERA).. It utilized SP 2-6-0 # 1796..

Like a similar trip in 1954, it was basically dubbed: "The Last Run Over The Old Electric Lines" ... Predominately former IER trackage that was originally SP Steam local suburban routes..

I was on those trips-- we covered The Alameda Belt Line, the SP-IER trackage on Lincoln Avenue in Alameda, the IER trackage thru East Oakland, the IER trackage on 9th Street in Berkeley, the IER trackage on Stanford Avenue and Adeline Street in Berkeley.. The IER trackage on Bancroft Avenue in Oakland and at Chevrolet and Havenscourt, the Stonehurst Branch, the Mulford Line and old ex-SPC trackage to the Oakland Airport's North Field, along Doolittle Drive, and on and on..
It was also run across the Fruitvale Bridge of course, to connect at Fruitvale Junction with the SP and IER tracks..

It was a great day, starting out from Oakland Pier, but I just wanted to clarify that this was NOT strictly an Alameda Belt Line excursion.
Thank you for your attention..

KRK

crossing grand st i was on the midnight hauler from homestead to belt yd from 71 till mid eighties more than anybody it seems and enjoyed it even when we had to stop get the lineup and then a running start around that curve with seventy car or more.