SP Country, Shore Acres and Big Trees

Leaving Nichols, left black arrow, the next stop was McAvoy, right black arrow. Nichols probably wasn’t officially recognized in 1914, and this map indicates Bay Point, McAvoy and Ambrose based on the station names of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe. Ref: Weber's CCC 1914 G4363.1914.W4

L175-05-Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library, University California, Berkeley, (Image 1 of 22)

The area under review was called West Pittsburg by some, confusing in that the SN used the same name for its station to the west side of Pittsburg. This map indicates that this area was not industrial, and the agricultural crop preference was hay to supply the ranches in the area. Ref: G4363.C6J1 1939 .C6

L175-10-Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library, University California, Berkeley, (Image 2 of 22)

Aerials between 1939 and 2018 indicate the tremendous growth of housing in this area. Today this unincorporated census-designated place is called Bay Point, named after the former town to the west. This housing development started as Shore Acres, its origins to be featured shortly.

L175-15-Courtesy Google Earth, (Image 3 of 22)

Once east of Nichols, the parallel railroad directly north of the SN switched from being the Santa Fe to the Southern Pacific or SP. Images of the SP now became a part of SN excursions to this area. SP 2830 provided a photo opportunity on this NorCal-sponsored excursion from Oakland to Pittsburg, Sept. 18, 1949, east view.

L175-20-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 91053sp, (Image 4 of 22)

Ahead to August 10, 1952, this private excursion with SN 1005 and MW 302 was heading to Mallard, but there was time to document a charging SP 21 and its passenger cars. As this presentation progresses, take note of the height of the Santa Fe berm to the north, the small bridge just peaking out to the left of the Santa Fe locomotive, the position of the SN catenary poles, and the trees in the distance.

L175-25-Arthur Lloyd Photo, Courtesy Arthur Lloyd, (Image 5 of 22)

Another private excursion, this time from July 12, 1954 with MW 302 heading from Oakland to Pittsburg, captured SP 2490 with passenger cars. For west views such as this, useful markers to spot were the trees serving as a windbreak at Nichols, here along the left edge of the image, and the water tower of General Chemical Co., just to the left of MW 302, partially obscured by a SN catenary pole.

L175-30-Victor DuBrutz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 80182sn, (Image 6 of 22)

Calling this “SP Country” is a misnomer, as photos of Santa Fe trains, such as this undated, northwest view of east-bound 4-6-4 steam locomotive 3458, were for the taking. Note here that the Santa Fe berm has returned to ground level, the distance from SN to the other two railroads has increased, the presence of more than one set of SN catenary poles, and the tree, all indicating McAvoy Rd. is near to the east.

L175-35-Bob Hanft Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 68323atsf, (Image 7 of 22)

As for the origins of Shore Acres, this east view oblique from Jan 20, 1951 provides a good bookend for dating the development’s construction. A detail follows ...

L175-40-R.L. Copeland Photo, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 7275, (Image 8 of 22)

This detail from the east view oblique from Jan 20, 1951 shows the Port Chicago Highway-McAvoy Rd. intersection in the upper left, and the spot where the first wave of the new development will be placed. Note the two trestles along the SN right-of-way, the track to the south or right. Neither one survives in 2021, but an image of the one closer to McAvoy Rd. is shown next.

L175-45-R.L. Copeland Photo, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 7275 Detail, (Image 9 of 22)

This east view from Sept. 1941 shows SN 603 and freight approaching the trestle at Mile 42.28, 0.32 miles south of the McAvoy Rd. crossing.

L175-47-Martin Hansen Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 161768sn, (Image 10 of 22)

R.L. Copeland returned on June 13, 1952 to finish the job. A detail of this northeast view follows ...

L175-50-R.L. Copeland Photo, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 1997, (Image 11 of 22)

Detail of the northeast oblique from June 13, 1952 showing the birth of Shore Acres.

L175-55-R.L. Copeland Photo, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 1997 Detail, (Image 12 of 22)

As Port Chicago was evacuated in the 1960s for the Navy, Shore Acres continued to grow as seen in this north view from Dec. 14, 1970. In 1993, this area became part of the census-designated place of Bay Point

L175-60-Copyright California Department of Transportation, C3285-13 , (Image 13 of 22)

Next for a series of west-northwest views of SN trains heading from Nichols to McAvoy, starting with this view of SN 604 and freight from the 1950s. Note the water tower of General Chemical Co. in the background, and the creek overpass for the Santa Fe right-of-way.

L175-65-Robert Searle Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 110212sn, (Image 14 of 22)

Further to the east, SN 653, the Western Pacific open car, and Salt Lake and Utah 751 facilitate a mid-1956 excursion.

L175-70-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 15 of 22)

Tom Gray included the water tower in Nichols and the block signals when he photographed SN 653 and freight heading east circa 1950. This northwest view shows the catenary pole position change to the south as the SN right-of-way began a turn in that direction. Note the single tilted pole to the north of the track. The Santa Fe berm is almost at ground level.

L175-75-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 16 of 22)

The small phone booth by the block signals in this northeast image of MW 302 from the BAERA-sponsored Sept. 12, 1948 excursion is absent in the previous and upcoming images from the 1950s. The tilted pole is still present, and will be seen again in the next series of images.

L175-80-Fred Matthews Photo, Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Archives, 91447sn, (Image 17 of 22)

Now for a set of northeast views, starting with this image from a circa 1956-1957 excursion with SN 1005 and Salt Lake and Utah 751 heading westbound. Once again, Tom Gray included important details viewed toward the right edge; the change in position of the catenary poles to the south, the west-facing block signal, and the bare edge of the stand of trees that will become evident shortly.

L175-85-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 18 of 22)

Further east, this northwest panorama with SN 670 and freight documents the change in position of the catenary poles, the tilted pole north of the track, and the stand of trees on either side of the SN right-of-way. The previous aerials shown in this presentation have highlighted the two stands of trees relative to other markers between Port Chicago and the Pittsburg.

L175-90-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 90567sn, (Image 19 of 22)

This east view of MW 302 during a BAERA-sponsored excursion must be from the 1950s as the small phone booth that had been by the block signal is missing. The date is May 24, 1954. The passenger motor blocks the stand of trees to the north, but not the one to the south. Note the car on the Port Chicago Highway, just before the road merges with McAvoy Rd., just west of the larger stand of trees to the south.

L175-95-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 80124sn, (Image 20 of 22)

Back in time to Aug. 1940, the single track has now branched to two in this southeast view with SN 1011 along the southern-most one. This image adds more structural details to the southeast.

L175-100-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 97909sn, (Image 21 of 22)

Also from circa 1940, this west view shows the three-car train led by SN 1008 has passed the two stands of trees and is getting very close to the McAvoy station, the next destination on this ride along the North Coast.

L175-105-Ted Wurm Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 98567sn , (Image 22 of 22)