Changing Views at the Main Street Crossing

A southeast view of the Main St. sign in 2016, the former central thoroughfare in Bay Point-Port Chicago. Today just another road that supports the former Tidal Area of the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Since 2008 the area has been under the supervision of the U.S. Army and is now referred to as the Military Ocean Terminal Concord or MOTCO.

L156-05-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 1 of 35)

Now back in time to May 25, 1944, prior to the explosion that rocked the area that July, a northeast oblique that will be used to detail central commercial rail operations as far east as the Santa Fe, “SF”, passenger and freight depot. See the annotated version next for the necessary details to continue. Ref: RG 181 NN373-91 Box 2 ARC ID 5751983 05 25 44 NAS Ala CA

L156-10-US Navy Photo, Courtesy the National Archives of San Francisco , (Image 2 of 35)

An annotated version of L156-10, a northeast oblique May 25, 1944. Ref: RG 181 NN373-91 Box 2 ARC ID 5751983 05 25 44 NAS Ala CA

L156-11-US Navy Photo, Courtesy the National Archives of San Francisco , (Image 3 of 35)

Ahead to 1958, a north-oriented aerial in which Main St. has been shifted to occupy the center of the image. This view will serve as a comparator as this update proceeds with ground views. Ref: USDA Western Division, BUU-6V-43, Aug. 13, 1958

L156-15-USDA Photo, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, Detail, (Image 4 of 35)

A comparable 1965 north-oriented aerial showing small changes such as the reduction in size of the Southern Pacific, “SP”, passenger and freight depot relative to L156-15. Ref: RG 77 NRHS Acc Number 077-99-01 Box 9, Folder 5, May 14, 1965

L156-20-USDA Photo, Courtesy the National Archives of San Francisco, Detail, (Image 5 of 35)

Finally, a 2016 north-oriented view to show the absence of buildings associated with the railroads. In addition, note the presence of an extra set of tracks through the center of the former town, visible along the lower or southern border. It was installed by the Navy to facilitate transfer of munitions to surrounding bunkers.

L156-25-Courtesy Google Earth , (Image 6 of 35)

This ground tour of the area separated in time begins with a south view from 2016 of the Main St. crossing of the tracks installed by the Navy around the end of the 20th century.

L156-30-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 7 of 35)

West and east views of the strictly military trackage showing the fencing that separates them from the parallel commercial railroads. The gate at the Main St. crossing was left open at the time this image was taken.

L156-35-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 8 of 35)

Now further north on Main St. facing south, SN 144 is seen with a tanker over the single track that survived the railways abandonment below Clyde. The date is Aug. 1961.

L156-40-Chuck Vercelli Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 99749sn, (Image 9 of 35)

The same south view, now 2016.

L156-45-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 10 of 35)

West and east views in 2016 of the original SN track abandoned for good by the Union Pacific.

L156-50-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 11 of 35)

West and east views west of the crossing showing the poor state of the now defunct SF interchange track in 2016.

L156-55-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 12 of 35)

Just two weeks prior to the first wave of abandonment of the SN south end, SN 653 and caboose 1621 cross Main St. in a north view on Feb. 14, 1957. Note the presence of a second SN track at the crossing to the south of the one that survives today.

L156-60-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 90539sn, (Image 13 of 35)

A matching north scene to L156-60 in 2016 with the former SF and SP crossings, respectively, in the background.

L156-65-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 14 of 35)

Another west view of the SN crossing in 2016 as the clock rewinds for John Harder ...

L156-70-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 15 of 35)

... to Apr. 10, 1991 ...

L156-75-Demoro Collection 66936, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 16 of 35)

... to Dec. 17, 1990 ...

L156-80-Demoro Collection 66736, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 17 of 35)

... until SN 652 arrives in the mid-1950s, west view. Note the presence of the second track to the south or left of the motor.

L156-85-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 18 of 35)

That extra track to the south seemed like the perfect way for a SN passenger train to avoid freight traffic, confirmed in this west view of a two-car train with SN 1023 as trailer heading to Oakland.

L156-90-Vernon Sappers Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 97940sn, (Image 19 of 35)

This undated, 1940 or earlier west view from a SN parlor car illustrates the utility of the second track set apart from the SF interchange.

L156-95-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 59246.7, (Image 20 of 35)

With the SN complete, the 2016 tour moves north on Main St. toward the crossing of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, “BNSF”, also used by Amtrak’s San Joaquin, the successor to the SF’s Golden Gate route.

L156-100-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 21 of 35)

West and east views in 2016 of the BNSF crossing. This route was originally constructed in 1889 by the San Francisco and San Joaquin RR Co., and taken over by the SF at the turn of that century.

L156-105-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 22 of 35)

The SF crossing had been much larger in that railroad’s heyday as seen in this undated, 1930s west view taken by John W. Barriger III. Note the SP depot to the right, or north, and the original shipyard bridge over the tracks in the background.

L156-110-John W. Barriger III Photo, John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library at UMSL, (Image 23 of 35)

Onward to the north in 2016, the two-track crossing of the Union Pacific, “UP”, is next.

L156-115-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 24 of 35)

West and east views of the UP at the grade crossing in 2016. This route was originally constructed in the 1870s by the San Pablo and Tulare Rail Road Co., and consolidated with the SP in May, 1888. Relative the shiny rails of the BNSF, these rails look little used. More on this next.

L156-120-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 25 of 35)

Amtrak’s decision to switch its San Joaquin trains from the SP route over to the SF route just west of Main St. accounts in part for the shiny rails of the latter at the Main St. crossing. This east view from 2016 shows the track used by Amtrak trains to switch to the BNSF track, which, by the way, is a little east of the location of the former SP-SF interchange track used by the bomb trains to access the waterfront.

L156-125-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 26 of 35)

As viewed from the Kinney Blvd.-military freight bridge west of the Main St. crossing, this east view shows the alignment of the BNSF trackage to form a single one at the crossing. The track used by Amtrak to gain access to this line can also be seen, the block signals matching the pair in the previous image.

L156-130-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 27 of 35)

This 2016 east view from the Kinney Blvd.-military freight bridge over the UP is packed with historical markings. In the foreground is a spur to the military railroad, then an abutment, the lone remains of the shipyard overpass, then the Amtrak interchange track, and finally the eastern-most spur to the military railroad. The gravel to the right of the track between the abutment and the Amtrak interchange track marks the position of the former SP-SF interchange track.

L156-135-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 28 of 35)

Now back south on Main St. in 2016 where this tour began, south of all the tracks, a north view as the clock is rewound once again ...

L156-140-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 29 of 35)

... to June 24, 1967, a view from the active business district at Port Chicago towards the SP depot.

L156-145-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 30 of 35)

Unlike the SF depot, the SP depot underwent several changes that are important to note. This 1930s northwest view shows the depot and surrounding heavy industry, typically metals-related at this time, and a bait shop. According to Henry Bender, the SP originally had a passenger depot here that was retired ca. 1912 and replaced by this larger passenger and freight depot.

L156-150-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 1602 , (Image 31 of 35)

As shown, Bender also noted that the station was damaged with no staff injuries during the explosion at Port Chicago in July of 1944. The SP used a former freight car until repairs were made in Jan. 1945. A 25 by 38 foot portion was removed in Apr. 1965, and the structure was retired on August 31, 1978. Credits and thanks to John Keibel, 1944; Contra Costa County Historical Society, 1974, Photo 124870; and BAERA, WRM Archives, 1969 and 1977, 83271atsf.

L156-155-Multiple Contributors, (Image 32 of 35)

Finally, another trip back in time, starting with John Harder’s Mar. 2016 south view across the SN grade crossing down Main St. of the former town of Port Chicago taken from a moving Amtrak San Joaquin train en route from Antioch to Martinez.

L156-160-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 33 of 35)

Forty-nine years earlier, June 24, 1967, John Harder recorded this south view down Main St. of Port Chicago from Messenger Ave., just to the south of the SN grade crossing.

L156-165-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 34 of 35)

The same south view of Bay Point from Messenger Ave., circa 1925. Appreciation to Steve Lane for organizing, Specialist Morrison for supervising, and the Military Ocean Terminal Concord for permission to tour the area. Also to John Harder for many fine photos and Henry Bender for specifics of the SP passenger station and freight depot.

L156-170-Courtesy Concord Historical Society, (Image 35 of 35)