The Holland Branch – Down By the Riverside

The Oakland, Antioch, and Eastern Railway entered what is today West Sacramento at Glide’s Landing, left, rebranded as Riverview by the successor San Francisco-Sacramento Railroad in 1920, the date based on timetables. Railway president, Harry Mitchell took the north view, right, in 1925 during the evaluation of where to join the proposed Holland Branch to the mainline, in this case, down by the riverside.

L251-02-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 34313oae, l, 57457, r, (Image 1 of 38)

This review will explore the northern-most segment of the branch line, the area surrounding Riverview. The right-of-ways of the mainline and branch line are still visible comparing aerials from 1937 to 2021. Some of this material has already been covered in the initial presentation on this subject, “Holland Branch - The SN Entry.”

L251-05-Courtesy Map Collection, Shields Library, University of California, Davis, and Google Earth, (Image 2 of 38)

The main feature of this section of the branch as it approached S. River Rd. and the Sacramento River is the gain in elevation as seen in this 1928 diagrammatic rendering.

L251-10-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 64588sn, (Image 3 of 38)

The mainline from Oakland would approach this location using two trestles forming an S-shape with an intervening solid berm as seen in this California Board of Equalization map ca. 1920s.

L251-15-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 37061sn, (Image 4 of 38)

This diagram from 1928 provides the track layout at Riverview, the blue arrow pointing to a siding just south to where the branch line met the mainline.

L251-20-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 27003sn, (Image 5 of 38)

The mainline would enter the reclamation area on long trestles as seen in this west view of SN 1012 leading the five-car “Post Office Special” on June 23, 1940.

L251-25-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Vielbaum Coll., Courtesy WRM Arch., 132800sn , (Image 6 of 38)

This northeast view by Will Whittaker of SN 1017 and trailer heading to Oakland, taken on the same day as the previous image, is the only ground image found that shows some of the features where the two right-of-ways joined. An annotated detail follows.

L251-30-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Vielbaum Coll., Courtesy WRM Arch., 132812sn, (Image 7 of 38)

Entering from the south, right, a line of 900-series work cars or tunnel cars can be appreciated on the previously mentioned siding, and further along a string of flat cars with stakes, green arrow. The platform to maintain the overhead wires is marked by the turquoise arrow. The blue arrow points to what looks like a typical SN power substation, but it is unclear if it is being carried on a car or is on the ground. The presence of a permanent substation at Riverview vs. Arcade based on books or other records is equivocal.

L251-35-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Vielbaum Coll., Courtesy WRM Arch., 132812sn, (Image 8 of 38)

These two north-oriented aerials were taken consecutively on the same day in 1937 supporting the findings in the previous image. The lower black arrow in the left panel points to a rail car, while the upper arrow points to the flatcars. The image to the right provides a sharper to the string of flatcars. Ref: ABB-49-60, l, ABB-49-62, r, both from Aug. 18, 1937

L251-40-Courtesy Map Collection, Shields Library, University of California, Davis, (Image 9 of 38)

Juxtaposition of north-oriented aerials from 1953, left, versus 1957, right, shows the mainline trestles making up the S-shaped entry to the area have been filled in by 1957. The orange arrow marks five rail cars on the branch-line siding. Ref: G4363.Y6A4 1953. U6 1953 June 23, 1953, l; ABB-70T-74, Sept. 18, 1957

L251-45-Courtesy Map Collection, Shields Library, University of California, Davis, (Image 10 of 38)

All is unchanged in 1971, as shown in this north oriented-aerial. Note at the bottom left corner, west, the string of rail cars on the former mainline trestle. At this point, Arcade to Riverview was severed from the mainline south of Arcade due to the construction of the Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel starting in 1962. The short segment was used only to store excess rail equipment. Ref: cas-3069_2-49, Mar. 19, 1971

L251-50-Courtesy University of California Santa Barbara Library, Special Research Collections , (Image 11 of 38)

Next, a series of images from 2014, starting in the left panel showing a southwest view from S. River Rd. of the rising berm of the abandoned former branch line as it approached the road. On the right is a south view taken on the former right-of-way.

L251-55-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 12 of 38)

The former entry of the branch line in 2014, left, is seen in this south view versus that of the same area during operation, Sept. 14, 1988.

L251-60-Stuart Swiedler Photo, l, Harre Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, r, (Image 13 of 38)

Next facing north on S. River Rd. in 2014, left, versus a rare image of the track from the July 4, 1950 excursion.

L251-65-Stuart Swiedler Photo, l, EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, WRM Archives, 78456sn, r, (Image 14 of 38)

Further north, southwest views of the former entry of the SN mainline in 2014, left, and Sept. 14, 1988, right.

L251-70-Stuart Swiedler Photo, l, Harre Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, r, (Image 15 of 38)

The abutments of the S. River Rd. overpass are seen in a northwest view from the branch line in 2014, left, and Sept. 14, 1988, right.

L251-75-Stuart Swiedler Photo, l, Harre Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, r, (Image 16 of 38)

Finally, to the northeast and Sacramento, the former site of the joining of the two right-of-ways, in 2014, left, and Sept. 14, 1988, right.

L251-80-Stuart Swiedler Photo, l, Harre Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, r, (Image 17 of 38)

As for excursion images, several were taken at Riverview, such as this northeast view from July 4, 1950. It was at this point that passenger motor MW 320 was switched to a lead position relative to the parlor car Salt Lake and Utah 751 for the trip south on the branch line.

L251-85-Dudley Thickens Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 81687sn, (Image 18 of 38)

The remainder of images will chronicle the Riverview area from the 1970-1990 interval. This east view of WP 725 approaching S. River Rd. from June 3, 1984 was shown in the previous update, but inserted here to emphasize the telephone poles along the east side of the track, marked by yellow arrows. The review of the entire branch line so far has shown similar poles only at Oxford and Central.

L251-90-Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Courtesy Feather River Rail Society , (Image 19 of 38)

These two north-oriented aerials compare the approach of the branch line to S. River Rd. Relative to the position to the south in both 1971 and 1981, yellow arrows, the outline of the track and ties is more highly accentuated, green arrows, as the track meets the road. Ref: cas-3069_2-49, Mar. 19, 1971, left; cas-81081_4-42, Apr. 8, 1981, right

L251-95-Courtesy University of California Santa Barbara Library, Special Research Collections , (Image 20 of 38)

The image on the left was labelled “view from cab at MP 1, Sept. 1969.” It shows poles along the east side of the track, ending where the track and ties are more accentuated relative to the track to the south, all consistent with mile 1 from Riverview. On the right, a south view taken further north from the road of WP 729 and freight heading to Westgate from Apr. 7, 1984. Ref: Left, originally part of John Snyder Collection, Courtesy Dave Stanley

L251-100-Tom Irion Photo, l, Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Courtesy Feather River Rail Society, r, (Image 21 of 38)

Dave Stanley wrote, “Borrowed TS RS1 746 hugs the shoulder of South River Road at Riverview on Sept. 14, 1973 on its northbound journey back to Westgate.”

L251-105-Dave Stanley Photo, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018 , (Image 22 of 38)

Continuing with Dan Engstrom in Jan. of 1991, the Yolo Short Line tip-toes along S. River Rd., south view.

L251-110-Dan Engstrom Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 23 of 38)

Back to WP 729 and freight from Apr. 7, 1984, earlier that day during the trip to Clarksburg. This south view highlights the grade crossing of S. River Rd., as the latter heads inland or west.

L251-115-Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Courtesy Feather River Rail Society, (Image 24 of 38)

The Yolo Short Line pauses at the grade crossing in Jan. 1991, south view.

L251-120-Dan Engstrom Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 25 of 38)

Moving ahead to the grade crossing viewed from the air, a comparison between 1971 and 1981 is shown. The SN mainline is still intact on the overpass of S. River Rd., but the situation more west looks bleak. Jeff Asay cites in his book, “The Iron Feather” a reference to Pacific News April 1988 that reported the abandoning of Riverview to Arcade in early 1981. Ref: cas-3069_2-49, Mar. 19, 1971, left; cas-81081_4-42, Apr. 8, 1981, right

L251-125-Courtesy University of California Santa Barbara Library, Special Research Collections , (Image 26 of 38)

Arriving early to catch trains coming toward Clarksburg and not miss out on a picnic or fireworks, Dave Stanley sought out Alco S2 745 borrowed from WP subsidiary Tidewater Southern on the 4th of July, 1973, as it made its way to the grade crossing in these three north views.

L251-130-Dave Stanley Photos, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018 , (Image 27 of 38)

Compared to the north view of WP GP7 710 crossing S. River Rd. on Nov. 16, 1976, left, the right image of SN GP7 712 from Nov. 1977 shows a white blockade across the mainline, possibly indicating the end of the use of that segment to store extra rail cars.

L251-135-Dave Stanley Photo, Copyright 2018, and Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Feather River Rail Society, (Image 28 of 38)

The SN mainline did not require a grade crossing of the road, but instead employed an overpass, Still there in 1981 as shown previously, it was gone by June 3, 1984 in Ken Meeker’s north view, and the abutments continued to serve as a source of graffiti arts as Harre Demoro’s southeast view documents, Sept. 14, 1988. Ref: Demoro Photo, Courtesy Courtesy John Harder

L251-140-Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Feather River Rail Soc., r, Harre Demoro Photo, l, (Image 29 of 38)

A northeast panoramic view from Apr. 7, 1984 with WP 729, left, and from a similar spot in 2014, right, suggest that graffiti on the abutments was dealt with, at least in the short term.

L251-145-Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Courtesy Feather River Rail Society, l, Stuart Swiedler Photo, r, (Image 30 of 38)

At yet another angle, a northeast view of the abutment as UP1317 and train continue on the Union Pacific’s final journey from Clarksburg on Jan. 25, 1991.

L251-150-Dave Stanley Photo, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018 , (Image 31 of 38)

Finally, two southwests views showing the approach of the SN mainline to the branch line. On the left, UP 863 and caboose UP 435 from Apr. 25, 1984, and on the right, from Sept. 14, 1988, the growth on the latter showing the signs of complete neglect after abandonment. Ref: Demoro Photo Courtesy Courtesy John Harder

L251-155-Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Courtesy Feather River Rail Society r, Harre Demoro Photo, l, (Image 32 of 38)

Two north-oriented views from Apr. 25, 1984 of UP 863 and caboose 435 by Ken Meeker, left, and Dave Stanley, right, provide a panoramic view down by the riverside.

L251-160-Dave Stanley Photo, Copyright 2018 and Kenneth J. Meeker Photo, Feather River Rail Society, (Image 33 of 38)

Dave Stanley also documented the pair of excursions on June 26, 1999 that gave railfans a chance to ride in a diesel-led passenger train led by Yolo Short Line 131, left, or photograph a freight with Southern Pacific 1233, right, north east views.

L251-165-Dave Stanley Photos, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018 , (Image 34 of 38)

This unique image of the freight excursion from June 26, 1999 takes advantage of the wide turn to the east made by the Sacramento River north of Riverview. With the help of a medium telephoto lens, this southwest view appears to have been taken from across the river, but Dave Stanley verified that he was on the same side of the river as the train.

L251-170-Dave Stanley Photo, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018 , (Image 35 of 38)

One last one that speaks for itself, July 26, 1973. For further information about the history of railroads along the Sacramento River, highly recommended to read Dave Stanley’s “Disappearing Delta Blues” in the Winter 2020, Vol. 21, No. 4 issue of “Classic Trains”.

L251-175-Dave Stanley Photo, Courtesy Dave Stanley, Copyright 2018 , (Image 36 of 38)

This concludes the eight-part series on the Holland Branch. As this northwest view down by the riverside on Jan. 28, 1940 emphasizes, still much work to be done, particularly to find one bonafide image of an electric freight motor with its load on the branch, and to solve many unanswered questions brought to light.

L251-180-Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 105274sn, (Image 37 of 38)

With this southwest view from 1986 by Dan Engstrom as a backdrop, special thanks, acknowledgement and appreciation to Dave Stanley and Dan Engstrom for making their entire collections of images available, for Dave’s constructive proof reading, the Feather River Rail Society for use of Ken Meeker’s images, and to John Harder who provided Harre Demoro’s images many years ago that created the initial interest in this branch line.

L251-185-Dan Engstrom Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 38 of 38)