Where was the Canyon Road SN Overpass?

After passing John R. Allen’s home on the way to Moraga from Oakland, the the SN right-of-way and Canyon Rd. were funneled through a corridor too narrow for both to accommodate. The solution was to build an overpass for the road over the SN. North view, 1935.

L95-05-Pacific Aerial Surveys, Courtesy East Bay Regional Park District, USNPS-11-D, (Image 1 of 15)

Again, 1935, but here a west view, with the yellow arrow denoting the SN right-of-way, the orange arrow Canyon Rd. The road rose above the railway cut and swung to the east at the overpass, purple arrow.

L95-10-Pacific Aerial Suveys, Courtesy East Bay Regional Park Dstrict, USNPS-11-E, (Image 2 of 15)

Now side-by-side, before-and-after northwesterly-directed aerial views showing the location of the overpass. The date of overpass removal was sometime in or after 1970 as shown next. Refs: 1958, Contra Costa County Planning Department, left.

L95-15-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society and Google Maps, (Image 3 of 15)

Documentation of the realignment and grading of Canyon Rd. is provided in this document from Jun. 23, 1970. Detailed view follows ...

L95-16-Courtesy Contra Costa County Department of Public Works, (Image 4 of 15)

Detail of the realignment document from Jun. 23, 1970.

L95-17-Courtesy Contra Costa County Department of Public Works, (Image 5 of 15)

The predecessor to Canyon Rd. existed prior to the railway, such as in 1908, but the date of bridge construction is not documented. The yellow circles correspond to the Canyon Rd-Pinehurst Rd. intersection. The position of the road to the railway leaving Pinehurst in the 1914 map is inaccurate; check images in the Landmark “Half Mile to Pinehurst ...” Full Refs: G4363.C61908.M3, left; G4363.C61914.W4, right.

L95-20-Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 6 of 15)

A south view with a rare look at the road surface of the overpass from the west side circa 1950.

L95-25-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 81317sn, (Image 7 of 15)

Next for a series views passing under the bridge starting from the Oakland-side. An east view of the rear of the last SN train east of Lafayette with SN 653 as pusher heading to Moraga on Feb. 28, 1957. Note the south-side retaining wall for the right-of-way cut.

L95-30-Louis L Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 75319sn, (Image 8 of 15)

Continuing east, catching another rear of a freight, this time 1948 with SN 660 helping push military equipment toward Moraga. Good view of the north retaining wall for the railway cut.

L95-35-Roger Heller Photo, from the collection of the Moraga Historical Society, Moraga, CA, NN-3, (Image 9 of 15)

Finally back in time to the passenger era, June 15, 1940, SN 1006 brings us close to the overpass in this east view.

L95-40-Wilbur C Whittaker Photo, Courtesy Arnold Menke and Garth Groff , (Image 10 of 15)

From the Moraga side, this west image points out that the overpass was a popular spot for excursion outtakes, this one with MW 302 and SLU 751 from the late 1940s.

L95-45-R Jenevein Collection, Ken Kidder Photo, Courtesy BAERA, WRM Archives, 75636sn, (Image 11 of 15)

Further east, this undated west view of the right-of-way from the rear of a parlor car reveals the significant dip in the road east of the overpass.

L95-50-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 59246.4sn , (Image 12 of 15)

More to the east, this west view of SN 1014 ca. 1940 provides a expansive view of the north flank of the right-of-way.

L95-55-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 75632sn, (Image 13 of 15)

Back again to the last freight led by SN 652, Feb. 27, 1957, as the right-of-way straightens in this west view.

L95-60-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 77376sn, (Image 14 of 15)

With a sweeping view of Valle Vista to the southwest, this west view of a tunnel maintenance-of way train pulled by SN 605 also reveals a switch of the catenary poles to the south of the rails, block signals, and a last peak of the overpass. A bonus shot for Wilbur Whittaker from Jun. 15, 1940 with L95-40 taken the same day.

L95-65-Wilbur C Whittaker Photo, Courtesy Arnold Menke and Garth Groff , (Image 15 of 15)