Lost Views – Berkeley Avenue, Concord Mercantile and the City Limit

SN 652 has left the SN Concord depot, crossed Clayton Rd., and is seen heading to Oakland to drop off its freight on Feb. 16, 1957, two weeks prior to the termination of SN service west of Lafayette. The house to the right or east sits on former Railroad Ave., and two large buildings and a boarded-up shelter sit to the left or west.

L131-04-Victor Dubrutz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 78494sn, (Image 1 of 28)

A review of maps from 1960 to 1971 shows the progression in 1968 to the BART test track, blue arrow at its north terminus, to the elimination of Berkeley Ave., red arrow, in preparation of completion of the BART elevated right-of-way to Clayton Rd. Full Refs (L to R): G4364.M38. 1960 C3; G4364.M38. 1968 C3: G4364.C72. 1971 C3

L131-05-Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library, University of California, Berkeley , (Image 2 of 28)

This 1939 north-oriented aerial provides the present names of key streets with the post-WWII names in parentheses. Farmland enveloped most of the SN right-of-way, yellow arrows, as it entered central Concord, with a small parallel street, then called Railroad Ave., starting just south of Clayton Rd. at the orange arrow as the line reached the SN Concord depot, white arrow.

L131-10-Courtesy Google Earth , (Image 3 of 28)

The post-WWII period impacted this section with the addition of homes and industry on either flank of the SN right-of-way. See next image for greater detail. East view, Mar. 1947.

L131-15-RL Copeland Photo, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society 7378, Detail, (Image 4 of 28)

A closer look at this east view from Mar. 1947 shows the area between what is today Cowell Rd., blue arrow, and Clayton Rd., orange arrow. At this point in time, Railroad Ave., red arrow, followed the SN right-of-way, yellow arrow, for two blocks south or right of Clayton Rd. with a small segment to the farm further south.

L131-20-RL Copeland Photo, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society 7378, Detail, (Image 5 of 28)

Now ahead to circa 1956, a similar east view between Cowell and Clayton Rds., as the boom continues, Railroad Ave. has been extended further south to the newly created Mt. Diablo St., the intersection marked by the green arrow. Ref: brk00017177_24a

L131-25-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 6 of 28)

By 1956, the area south of the Railroad Ave.- Mt. Diablo St. intersection, green arrow, and north of Cowell Rd., blue arrow, was populated with homes along Mesa Ct., now Mesa St., purple arrow, whose backyards faced the SN. There is no evidence for SN spurs to the industry along what is today Galindo St, black oval, or Laguna St. - Mt. View St., yellow oval, the latter street since replaced by Concord Police Headquarters. East view. Ref: #4 brk00017179_24a

L131-30-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 7 of 28)

By Mar. 3, 1969, north view, the homes on the west side of Mesa Ct., purple box, were the casualty for the preparation of BART construction, although the industry to the west of the SN right-of-way outlined in L131-30 was spared.

L131-35-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-37, Detail, (Image 8 of 28)

Images of the SN right-of-way along the Mesa Ct. corridor during SN electric freight operation were not identified, but this Jan. 1, 1969 northeast view shows this section during preparation for BART construction.

L131-40-Louis L Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100608sn, (Image 9 of 28)

Further north relative to L131-40, this southwest view from Aug. 1970 taken atop a pre-construction BART berm shows the intersection of Mt. Diablo St. with the southern end of Berkeley Ave., the new name for Railroad Ave. based on maps in the 1960s.

L131-45-Louis L Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 101967sn , (Image 10 of 28)

Time is short for the existence of Berkeley Ave., here shown in Feb. 1970 in a southeast view as the changes for BART are in motion.

L131-50-Louis L Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100607sn, (Image 11 of 28)

Now back to circa 1956 and an east view of Railroad Ave., here shown along the SN’s east flank between Mt. Diablo St., upper right, and Clayton Rd, lower left. Ref: brk00017181_24a

L131-55-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 12 of 28)

Riding upon a rear SN motor, Reg McGovern took this south image circa 1952 to highlight the SN track alignment south of Clayton Rd. along Railroad Ave. To the right, or west, is one of the SN’s most photographed customers, Concord Mercantile Co. Building Materials.

L131-60-Reginald McGovern Photo, Courtesy Reginald McGovern, (Image 13 of 28)

Here a two-car train led by SN 1026 has switched to the eastern-most track heading for the SN Concord yard. This was possibly done to assemble the school train. Undated, pre-1941 south view.

L131-65-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100987sn, (Image 14 of 28)

SN 660 with freight is heading to central Concord while 602 is involved in industrial switching “in the hole for freight”. South view, circa 1940.

L131-70-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100981sn, (Image 15 of 28)

As the passenger era came to a close, seen here in a southeast view, June 27, 1941, the “City Limit” was just that, with very little to show on Railroad Ave.

L131-73-Louis Bradas, Jr, Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives 67941sn, (Image 16 of 28)

Another south view of a freight, heading for the depot being led by SN 603 and 604, circa 1950.

L131-75-Dave Gumz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100973sn, (Image 17 of 28)

A truck waits at the Clayton Rd. grade crossing for SN 653 and freight to pull by the depot in this northeast view from May 18, 1948.

L131-80-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 97262sn , (Image 18 of 28)

SN 653 has almost completed the crossing of Clayton Rd. and probably awaits the choice between sending it to the west, our right, and the depot passenger or freight loading, or to the east, our left, and the depot by-pass track. Note the Concord city limit sign. South view, circa 1950.

L131-85-Dave Gumz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 101965sn, (Image 19 of 28)

Next, a similar image at the Clayton Rd. grade crossing turned more to the southeast, SN 670 on the rear of a freight heading to Oakland on June 30, 1952. Note the windmill along Clayton Rd.

L131-86-McDonald Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 161015sn, (Image 20 of 28)

The edge of the city limit sign shifts the action to the east side of the Clayton Rd. grade crossing as a three-car train with combo car SN 1019 at the rear is heading to Oakland, southwest view, July 1940.

L131-88-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 97908sn, (Image 21 of 28)

An excursion train from mid-1956 with the borrowed Western Pacific open car has left the Concord depot and speeds toward Oakland in this southeast view.

L131-90-Dave Gumz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100954sn, (Image 22 of 28)

What has been presented so far can now be summarized in this previously shown north view aerial from Mar. 3, 1969. Once built up in the 1950s, the area around the SN has been cleared to make way for the extension of the test track to central Concord, the original terminus of the Pittsburg-Bay Point segment of BART.

L131-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-37 , (Image 23 of 28)

October 10, 1974, and it has been approximately one month after the last link of BART has been activated, transbay service. This shows a south view of the remaining SN right-of-way that has been deemed of no value to further freight operation. But it has survived longer than Berkeley Ave. or Railroad Ave., if you prefer the latter, of which not a trace remains.

L131-100-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100588BARTD , (Image 24 of 28)

A complementary north view from Oct. 10, 1974 showing the remaining SN right-of-way with isolated car trucks of undermined origin. The old SN right-of-way will be converted to commuter platforms to serve connecting bus service.

L131-105-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 100586BARTD , (Image 25 of 28)

By 1975, the SN track is no more south of Clayton Rd., reduced to a dirt path as seen in this north oblique taken south of the Monument (Rd) Blvd.-Cowell Rd. intersection. Compare to L131-35. The path would have made a great bike route to the station, but that wasn’t to be.

L131-110-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historcal Society, 14667 , (Image 26 of 28)

And one last item, that little boarded-up shelter next to Concord Mercantile. No clues as to its origin or prior function, but never the Concord main station. The ex-Adeline shelter, or maybe the never-photographed one at Dorenda if it indeed did exist?

L131-115-Erle Hanson Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 103893n, (Image 27 of 28)

This north image from a circa 1956-1957 excursion with SN 1005 and Salt Lake City and Utah 751 shows the train crossing Clayton Rd. with the city limit sign and SN power substation in view. Just a short distance to the depot, the next stop when returning to a ride through Concord.

L131-120-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 28 of 28)