Lamorinda Memories

Arriving at Eastport in Contra Costa County, getting to school by electric rails took on a different meaning. North view, May 31, 1951.

L216-05-HM Stange Photo, Courtesy the Krambles-Peterson Archive, (Image 1 of 27)

First a word about the SN school trains, here the eastern-directed or Train no. 12, led by SN 1017. As shown here, these trains were typically five cars long, boys in the front, girls in the back. Pinehurst, circa 1939, north view.

L216-10-Charles Savage Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 2 of 27)

Train no. 27 took care of students and teachers heading west as shown here with SN 1012 and a five-car train at Valle Vista, ca. 1940, northeast view. It appears by this date, however, that the school train represented a reduction in service relative to previous times. Read on.

L216-15-Art Alter Photo, Moreau Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 82417sn, (Image 3 of 27)

This time table from 1923 is telling. By this time, the recently resuscitated railway’s management was looking for the Western Pacific, WP, to acquire them. The back cover, left side, indicates the use of connecting buses to extend the range of service.

L216-20-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 4 of 27)

Note that a school train designated as nos. 12 or 27 did not exist in 1923, but there were ample trains between Concord and Oakland to take care of the school commuters.

L216-25-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 5 of 27)

By 1939, with a Bay Bridge connection to San Francisco, no competition from the SP for passenger service to Mt. Diablo HS., and St. Mary’s College gaining traction in Moraga, competition from cars and buses had reduced the SNs electric train role in Lamorinda for students to the single nos. 12 and 27 school trains.

L216-30-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 6 of 27)

The second page from the 1939 time table indicates the dominant role buses had been assigned by the SN in their commuter strategy.

L216-35-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 7 of 27)

Back to considering the school options available for those in Lamorinda using electric trains. There was always the option of heading into Oakland, but within Contra Costa County, Canyon School was also a consideration, seen here in an east view from 1973.

L216-40-Courtesy Charles Smiley, (Image 8 of 27)

Another single school room option was the Moraga School, seen in his north view circa 1913. The station stop is seen close to the right edge, center.

L216-45-From the Collection of the Moraga Historical Society, Moraga, CA, (Image 9 of 27)

As noted previously, the placement of St. Mary’s College along the SN mainline provided a monopoly for the railway. Still, that was not sufficient to compete with the automobile, even considering the lack of major road access to this locale.

L216-50-Charles Savage Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 10 of 27)

The only way you would know that this south view of the Jan. 13, 1957 BAERA-sponsored excursion train with SN 1005 and Salt Lake and Utah 751 was passing Burton School was by the sign along St. Mary’s Rd. in Lafayette. The original Burton School building has since been used by the Lafayette Community Center.

L216-55-Dudley Thickens, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 156567sn, (Image 11 of 27)

Next a school memory from Rita Santos recalling her school commuter experience in the early 20th century.

L216-60-Courtesy Lafayette Historical Society , (Image 12 of 27)

Not only did students use horses, but longtime school teacher Margaret Jennie Bickerstaff Dewing Rosenberg rode to assignments in Lamorinda at the turn of the century, getting off her horse to open the gates between ranches. This north view up what is today Mt. Diablo Blvd. shows the Church on the Hill in the background.

L216-65-Courtesy Lafayette Historical Society , (Image 13 of 27)

Coming from the west, the closest railway station for Rita Santos to attend Mt. Diablo HS would have been the West Lafayette Station, where there was no place to keep a horse.

L216-70-Dudley Thickens Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum, 60291sn, (Image 14 of 27)

Now for an aerial appreciation of Rita Santos’ school commuter logistics, this east view from Dec. 31, 1946 shows the location of her grammar school, the 3rd one, operational from 1893-1927, at which time the current owner, the Lafayette United Methodist Church, purchased the building and the 4th school was opened.

L216-75-R.L. Copeland Photo, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 7348 , (Image 15 of 27)

The reliance on bus service dramatically increased for both the SN and Key System when the Bay Bridge opened in late 1936, with electric train access delayed until January 1939. East view from Shafter Ave. of the SN 40th St. and Shafter facilities.

L216-80-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder , (Image 16 of 27)

Compounding the issue with transportation to San Francisco in 1940, was the opening of Acalanes HS in Lafayette. East view circa 1940.

L216-85-Courtesy Lafayette Historical Society , (Image 17 of 27)

To appreciate the situation, presented here is a 2015 north-oriented vertical view of central Costa County with the HS as of 2017. The red circles indicate the position of the SN passenger stations that were in operation until mid-1941.

L216-90-Courtesy Google Earth, (Image 18 of 27)

When Acalanes HS was built, the two public HS in operation in the area were Mt. Diablo HS in Concord and San Ramon Valley HS in Danville. In 1940, the SN directly served Mt. Diablo HS using the station at Bacon St., whereas a transfer to a bus from the SN Walnut Creek station was required to reach Danville.

L216-95-Courtesy Google Earth, (Image 19 of 27)

The closest SN station to Acalanes HS was the central Lafayette Station located by Moraga Blvd. Northeast view, circa 1940.

L216-100-Bob Burrows Photo, W.C. Whittaker Collection, Courtesy Arnold Menke, (Image 20 of 27)

The modified aerial indicates that it would be a 1.6-1.7 mile walk from the SN Lafayette station to Acalanes HS.

L216-105-Courtesy Google Earth, (Image 21 of 27)

Creating competition for bus service beyond transporting students to school was the beginning of the end of the SN’s bus service in Contra Costa County.

L216-110-The Lafayette Sun, Courtesy Lafayette Historical Society , (Image 22 of 27)

As the groundbreaking for Acalanes HS took place in Mar. 1940, the question of transportation to and from the school became a topic of conversation.

L216-115-The Lafayette Sun, Courtesy Lafayette Historical Society , (Image 23 of 27)

Finally the opening day Acalanes HS had arrived, Sept. 14, 1940.

L216-120-The Lafayette Sun, Courtesy Lafayette Historical Society, (Image 24 of 27)

The school district had set up bus service to the new high school throughout the areas served by SN electric trains.

L216-125-The Lafayette Sun, Courtesy Lafayette Historical Society , (Image 25 of 27)

These schedules printed one month prior to the elimination of SN passenger railway service indicate how bus service had won out in terms of providing transportation to the area.

L216-130-The Lafayette Sun, Courtesy Lafayette Historical Society , (Image 26 of 27)

This scene at Acalanes HS ca. 1941 speaks for itself on the topic of how students got to school.

L216-135-Courtesy Lafayette Historical Society , (Image 27 of 27)