Broadway Terrace to the West Portal

When we last left Charlie Siebenthal, he had progressed south along Highway 13 past the exit to Broadway Terrace just to the north where the SN crossed that road via a steel overpass. Shown here are north views comparing this section during SN operation in 1956, left, with one from Oct. 7, 1975, right, one year after Charlie’s survey.

L180-5-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 4975-2. left, C5492-8, right , (Image 1 of 29)

SN train 6 composed of SN 1017 and trailer SN 1012 heads southeast across the Broadway Terrace overpass on Feb. 2, 1940, north view. The structure was in operation on Sep. 22, 1936 according to the Oakland Tribune, replacing the grade crossing whose remains can be appreciated along the left edge.

L180-10-Kenneth C. Jenkins Photo 46501, Courtesy Garth Groff, (Image 2 of 29)

The SN overpass was removed in 1957, so all Charlie could appreciate were the abutments that remain visible today. This northeast image documented the northern-most support.

L180-15-Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 3 of 29)

Turning to the south from the overpass circa 1940 would have revealed the Terrace station shelter.

L180-20-Norman Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archive, 56022sn , (Image 4 of 29)

After crossing the Broadway Terrace on-ramp to Highway 13 south of the southern-most overpass abutment, Charlie took this southeast view.

L180-25-Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 5 of 29)

Further south, Charlie would have looked back toward Broadway Terrace to the north and documented the preserved right-of-way.

L180-30-Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 6 of 29)

The trestle over the extension of Florence Ave. was removed within months of this 1957 post-abandonment southeast view.

L180-35-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 85908sn, (Image 7 of 29)

Charlie would have been able to walk around the gap left by the trestle until he found the last surviving part of the right of way west of Highway 13. The section to the east succumbed to the remodel of Highway 13 at Moraga Ave. in the early 1960s.

L180-40-Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 8 of 29)

This northwest view of the section from Broadway Terrace to the Moraga Ave off ramp of Highway 13 dated Oct. 7, 1975 shows the position of the former trestle, orange arrow, and the last portion of undisturbed right of away, blue arrow. The section between Broadway Terrace and the trestle site remains intact in 2018.

L180-45-Copyright California Department of Transportation, C5492-8, (Image 9 of 29)

For Charlie to continue on the SN right-of-way in 1974, he would have had to climb the southern-most abutment of the Thornhill Dr. trestle. Facing back northwest from this position in 1957 as shown in this image reveals a portion of right-of-way that will be obliterated by the remodel of Highway 13 at Moraga Ave. in the early 1960s. This will be shown next ...

L180-50-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 70937sn, (Image 10 of 29)

These two images from June 4, 1963 document the loss of the SN right-of-way between the creation of the exit lane from Highway 13, blue arrow in the northeast image, left, until the berm south of the site of the abutment position in L180-50, yellow arrow in the southeast image, right. Note that the right-of-way continued for a small distance, broken orange line, until interrupted by the Montclair Elementary School yard.

L180-55-Copyright California Department of Transportation 9760-1, left, 9760-2, right, (Image 11 of 29)

Understandably, Charlie’s next picture was a northwest view taken just behind the southeastern abutment of the former SN overpass at Mountain Blvd., the same place we would start in 2018.

L180-60-Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 12 of 29)

The central Montclair flagstop did shift a small distance with time, but the double pole and crossbars were a fairly reliable marker. SN 1010 and trailer heading east, circa 1940, northwest view.

L180-65-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 58223sn , (Image 13 of 29)

From the abutment, Charlie headed south along the path, and facing to the northwest, documented the double pole and crossbars at approximately the level of La Salle Ave.

L180-70-Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 14 of 29)

The path remained clear to Snake Rd., the latter appreciated by the white guard rail in the distance as it descended toward the right-of-way in this southeast view.

L180-75-Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 15 of 29)

In 1974 at Snake Rd., the trestle seen in this circa 1950 image of SN 661 and freight in a southeast view would have been missing.

L180-80-Norman Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 56011.8sn, (Image 16 of 29)

The trestle was removed in 1957, although this northeast view of Melin Cut from Apr. 22, 1960 is the earliest photographic confirmation. A bridge was eventually constructed at this spot for the Montclair Railroad Trail, but the 17.78 tract of SN right-of-way wasn’t even purchased by the East Bay Regional Park District from the State for 54,409 dollars until Dec, 3, 1975.

L180-85-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 7453-12, (Image 17 of 29)

Charlie continued through Melin Cut and this northeast view documented one of many pairs of electrical transmission towers that survive in 2018.

L180-90-Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 18 of 29)

After negotiating the curve, Charlie looked back to the southwest to appreciate the plethora of electrical wires and the homes hanging on the canyon rim.

L180-95-Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 19 of 29)

The June 4, 1958 Oakland Tribune reported that the section of SN right-of-way at Paso Robles Dr. and west shown in this north view from Apr. 22, 1960 could serve as an access road for Montclair hill area residents once Park Blvd. was converted to the Shepherd Canyon Freeway, proposed Highway 77. By the time Charlie did his walk in 1974, the threat of highway development had been recently rejected for good.

L180-100-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 7453-1 Detail , (Image 20 of 29)

Charlie’s southwest view as he started closing in on Paso Robles Dr., right, is matched against EK Muller’s 1957 post-abandonment image, left. Reference for Left Image: EK Muller Photo, 77107sn

L180-105-Courtesy BAERA, WRM Archives; Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 21 of 29)

Charlie’s northeast view now facing toward Paso Robles, right, is matched against EK Muller’s 1957 post-abandonment image, left. Reference for Left Image: EK Muller Photo, 77104sn

L180-110-Courtesy BAERA, WRM Archives; Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 22 of 29)

EK Muller’s northeast view at the Paso Robles Dr. grade crossing in the spring of 1957 sets the stage for what follows.

L180-115-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 77106sn, (Image 23 of 29)

In 1974, the addition of new plant growth along the right of way could not erase the railway’s path in this section as testified by Charlie’s images from Paso Robles Dr. to the southwest, left, and northeast, right.

L180-120-Charlie Siebenthal Photos, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 24 of 29)

The trade winds of development were whipping up at this juncture as the 1980s came to a close, but images such as this southwest view from as late as July 16, 1988 show a clear path sans railway ties.

L180-125-George Krambles Photo, Courtesy Krambles-Peterson Archive , (Image 25 of 29)

To the northeast, this July 16, 1988 image shows a clear path ahead for housing development.

L180-130-George Krambles Photo, Courtesy Krambles-Peterson Archive , (Image 26 of 29)

Once abandoned, only a small sign provided warning to stay out of the SN tunnel just west of Saroni Dr. Northeast view, 1957.

L180-135-Harre Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 27 of 29)

By Apr. 22, 1960, only the top of the sealed-off tunnel opening could be appreciated in this southeast view.

L180-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 7453-10 Detail, (Image 28 of 29)

Undeterred, Charlie found the sealed off portal as he contemplated his next steps around the obstruction.

L180-145-Charlie Siebenthal Photo, Courtesy Charlie Siebenthal, (Image 29 of 29)