Nostalgia & History > Pleasanton, Ca. - Then and Now pt. 2 - (downtown)

More WP/SP stuff here from 25 years ago...

First up, Western Pacific Bernal Ave. crossing, photo 1. Here we have an eastbound (likely San Jose Turn) with GP40 3542 and three F's early in 1980.

Signal note - these old Union Switch and Signal highway flashers were used throughout the WP line until the 60's and early 70's. These were special because of the cast iron crossbucks and "teardrop" style bell. Almost all were gone when this was taken in 1980.

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Photo 2, not much changed a few months later, but the signals have been replaced. It was rare as hell to catch 917 on the point and this was one of the few photos I have of that.

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Much has changed today. This taken today (5/31/05) - and Bernal Ave crossing is an ACE platform now. The crossing was closed in 1986 when the underpass was put in (more on that later). You can compare the poles - they are still the same...

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Westbound "going away" shot with U-30-B trailing. This was in 1980 just west of the Bernal crossing.

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6 years later they are just getting started on the new Bernal undercrossing. In the meantime all UP trains are rerouted over SP's Altamont line between Livermore and Sunol while three underpasses were built (2 new, one rebuilt).

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And now, lots of trees and a bridge over the "new" Bernal Ave.

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One more comparison from Bernal Ave...

Here we are looking east at a westbound with GP40 3508 in "New Image" paint on point.

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And now - a place to wait for the ACE trains.

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Moving over to the SP side we see a short East Pleasanton Turn heading east to Radum in 1986. This was the last year SP used this line before Livermore and Pleasanton's long planned rail consolidation plans were in place. This was a couple years before the depot was "restored".

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Funny thing about the restoration of the Pleasanton depot. First, in my opinion, it was way overdone with so many additions that it hardly resembles its former self. Secondly, they originally attempted to paint it in SP's yellow/brown depot scheme, then recently repainted back to green. Go figure...

And again, what's up with all the trees? Pleasanton is relly getting treed in.

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Turning around from the last shot (and going back 6 years) we see another EPT heading east to Radum in 1980.

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And now...

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Anyone have any info on this? Is the depot even part of the plan?

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This is my favorite comparison as this was one of my favorite crossings in town (and least photographed). This is where Stanley Blvd meets First St. This was taken in 1980. Train is Eastbound for Radum.

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Stanley Blvd was re-graded to eliminate the hump when you went over the tracks. The burned out trestle bridge is still standing in the background. Other than that, (to quote a certain Bob) it's all crap now.

I'm done for now...

-Dan

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I really enjoy these THEN and NOW photos. (Of course, it was more interesting THEN.)

These are GREAT! I love your then and nows. More if ya got'em.
Lynn

Excellent record of how the SP slowly disappeared from the area.

Here's one of the last passenger trains over the line, the April 12, 1975 PLA Oakland-Tracy circle trip. The train is eastbound on the Arroyo Valle Creek bridge just east of the Pleasanton station, heading for the still-active East Pleasanton yard.

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The same train entering Livermore a few minutes later. Power was Amtrak 117, 122, 163, 119, and 113. All xSP

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6 Amtrak f-units in the Tri-Valley - that's priceless!

What I would kill for is a copy of the photo of a certain excursion on the San Ramon Branch (back in the 60's) as it crossed the HWY 50 (now 580) grade crossing. I saw this at Winterail a few years ago and nearly fell out of my seat...