Spur Mystery II – Decline and the Deep Creek Coach

A northeast view in Chabot Canyon circa 1940 reveals remains of railroad track from another time, previously presented in “Spur Mystery I” without providing the exact location. The clues in this image are the EBMUD Chemical Laboratory and SN overpass at the extension of Golden Gate Ave. to the EBMUD facility.

L80-05-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 57068sn, (Image 1 of 13)

The location of the track in L80-05 as just west of the intersection with Golden Gate Ave. is provided in Louis Bradas’ west view from June 15, 1941 down Chabot Rd. But what of the passenger car on the spur? First some additional pictorial history.

L80-10-Louis Bradas, Jr Photo,Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives 67575sn, (Image 2 of 13)

Once the Western Pacific created the SN at the end of 1928 in part by its acquisition of the San Francisco-Sacramento Railway, there was little need for the rail yard to the south of the Chabot Elementary School berm. There was also opposition by the neighborhood to continue using the yard. 1935, east view, detail. The next image is an annotated detail of the spur.

L80-15-HJW Geospatial Inc, Pacific Aerial Surveys, Oakland CA, Courtesy East Bay Regional Park Distr, (Image 3 of 13)

In this east view, detail, 1935, the yellow arrow points to the spur's west end at the Patton St. grade crossing, the start of multiple tracks at the green arrow, and the end of the spur at Chabot Rd., to the west of the intersection with Golden Gate Ave., red arrow.

L80-20-HJW Geospatial Inc, Pacific Aerial Surveys, Oakland CA, Courtesy East Bay Regional Park Distr, (Image 4 of 13)

This aerial view with north at the top edge from Aug. 2, 1939 provides another view of the former rail yard, spur and its ending at the red arrow.

L80-25-USDA, AAA, Western Division Laboratories, BUT BUU-289-66, (Image 5 of 13)

For the remainder of the SN’s freight legacy, the western portion of the spur provided a way to switch-out motors required to prevent runaway freights down the long descent of the 4.6 per cent grade of from Lake Temescal via Rockridge Curve.

L80-30-William T Larkins Photo, Courtesy William T Larkins, (Image 6 of 13)

Beyond serving the switching of motors, the spur provided no other use for SN operation. SN 605 on rear of extra-661, northwest view, August 3, 1940.

L80-35-Ted Wurm Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 72615sn, (Image 7 of 13)

For the most part, images of the spur circa 1940 only highlighted its neglect, here in an northeast view with SN 1015 leading a two-car train above on the mainline.

L80-40-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 74949sn, (Image 8 of 13)

The spur did receive some notoriety as the resting place for a coach from the Deep Creek Railroad. This image, and the three to follow, were taken by Ralph Demoro, who at one point had hoped to convert the car into a museum. East view, circa 1940.

L80-45-Ralph Demoro Photo, 24429, Courtesy John Harder , (Image 9 of 13)

The Deep Creek Railroad served copper and gold mines at the western border of Utah from 1916 until 1939. All the details can be found at http://utahrails.net/utahrails/deep-creek.php. North view, circa 1940.

L80-50-Ralph Demoro Photo, Demoro Collection, 14972, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 10 of 13)

The former Central Pacific passenger car made it to the Deep Creek’s end, July 1, 1939, after the railroad received federal approval to abandon its line as part of a larger reorganization of its parent company, the Western Pacific. It is not clear how the coach made it to the SN spur, but it was a constant target of vandalism and never became a museum. North view, circa 1940.

L80-55-Ralph Demoro Photo, Demoro Collection, 14971 Courtesy John Harder, (Image 11 of 13)

Here boarded up in a northeast view circa 1940, this image matches closely with L80-05, with a portion of the EBMUD Chemical laboratory in view along the left edge.

L80-60-Ralph Demoro Photo, Demoro Collection, 14973,Courtesy John Harder, (Image 12 of 13)

The Deep Creek car eventually disappeared, specifics lacking, and as seen in this northeast view from Mar. 1957, so did the access to the spur when the SN mainline was abandoned.

L80-65-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 13 of 13)