Melrose Moments in the 20th Century – The Changing of the Guard

The last update ended with the abandonment of the Southern Pacific, SP, 7th St. Line on March 22, 1941. By Jan. 1943, the SP had retained its mainline Western Division route for freight and passengers, portions of the electric lines for freight, and abandoned the rest in Alameda and Solano Ave as shown in this map. This update will review special moments post-SP 7th St Line at Melrose during the Key System, Key, interurban era, 1941-1950.

L298-05-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 51969, (Image 1 of 44)

In contrast to the SP Ninth St. and SP Shattuck Lines, the existing streetcar track on E. 14th St., International Blvd. today, allowed for a very short turnaround time for the Key to construct a connection to the SP 7th St. line at Melrose. As a reminder, this northeast view at the SP crossing at 46th Ave. was taken in 1946 after the SP tracks were removed from the street, but it is inserted here to show the close proximity of the two lines.

L298-10-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 2 of 44)

Secondly, the Key needed to be sure the streetcar track could handle the heavier interurban bridge units. This Melrose moment records test train KS 155 on the streetcar tracks just short of the SP tracks on Mar. 19, 1941, northwest view, three days before the SP abandoned their line.

L298-15-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 61345ks, (Image 3 of 44)

Thirdly, one of Key’s interurban lines had to access this extension, and the only real choice was the A line. On Feb. 26, 1940, left, all A trains terminated at the Central Carbarn at 3rd Ave. and E. 18th St. This east view from Nov. 12, 1950, right, shows A Line KS 180 on the streetcar entry  to E. 14th St. at 1st Ave. The truncated tracks in the foreground led to the carbarn until Nov. 1948. The importance of the date of this timetable was explained in the last update.

L298-20-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, l, Ralph Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, r, (Image 4 of 44)

While on the subject of 1st Ave. and E. 14th St., presented here is another east view from ca. 1950 providing more details of the local architecture and businesses.

L298-25-Leon Bonney Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 5 of 44)

The first day of SP abandonment, March 22, 1941, the Key began running A Line interurbans down E. 14th St. An image of a train at Melrose could not be found on that day, but this southeast view shows an A train KS 100 series unit on E. 14th St. on that first day heading east toward Melrose, just crossing 14th Ave. Exactly where this train would terminate is up next.

L298-30-Roy Covert Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 93471ks, (Image 6 of 44)

Rather than wait for the new switch at Melrose shifting the Key to the former SP tracks to be completed, A Line interurbans ran along the Key No. 1 streetcar line all the way to 105th Ave. Meanwhile, buses would transport passengers between the soon-to-be opened new terminus at Beck St., today Bancroft Ave., and Havenscourt Blvd. to E. 14th St. and 51st Ave. to pick up a train between the early morning rush hour to 6:35 PM weekdays and Saturday.

L298-35-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 7 of 44)

As for buses, they would take care of transportation between Havenscourt and San Francisco after 6:35 PM weekdays and Saturday, and for all times on Sunday and Holidays. There would be no buses or interurban trains to 105 Ave. on Sundays and Holidays, but the streetcar would run as usual. The Key was primarily a bus company by the late 1930s, and here is East Bay Transit bus no. 421 at 35th Ave. along MacFarlane Candy at 3500 E. 14th St. on July 9, 1941.

L298-40-Leon Bonney Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 8 of 44)

Back to that first day of Key operation, Mar. 22, 1941, the west view of KS 117 leading two bridge units on the left is documentation that trains reached 105th Ave. that day. The track on 105th Ave. belonged to the SP Stonehurst Line that would continue to serve freight to the Chevrolet plant in Havenscourt via the precursors of Bancroft Ave. until 1963. On the right, that track in 2023 is now severed just as it crosses the north side of International Blvd.

L298-45-Escataille Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 105789ks, l, Stuart Swiedler Photo, r, (Image 9 of 44)

The first order of business to construct the Key Havenscourt route was getting the switch track in place. Here the crew works around A line bridge unit KS 167 at E. 14th St. and 46th Ave. The SP double tracks crossing E. 14th are still in place. This northwest image is undated, but was in   Mar. 1941. The Key had estimated the new connection to be completed by Apr. 3.

L298-50-Escataille Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 105821ks, (Image 10 of 44)

Track work had proceeded into Bond Way, today Bancroft Way, in this northeast undated scene. The SP tracks have been removed as the crew lays the curve in the cut.

L298-55-Key System Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 11 of 44)

The transition to the remaining SP tracks can be appreciated in this undated southwest view in Bond Way. The Key would use the existing overhead SP catenary poles. Note the SP steam switcher across E. 14th St.

L298-60-Key System Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 12 of 44)

Addison Laflin’s northeast view of the SP station area was the introductory image used in the first update of this three-part series. Given the material in this presentation, the view of the A line train on either side of Bond Way indicates service to 105th Ave. was ongoing. As work progressed, rainy weather came through the area. The exact date is in question, but the rain and progress signal it is the first week of Apr. 1941.

L298-65-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 67904ier, (Image 13 of 44)

Laflin also took this southeast view at E. 14th St. and 46th Ave. of KS units 108 and 166. As with the last image, the exact date is in question.

L298-70-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 45315ks, (Image 14 of 44)

Not to be overlooked, the extension of A Line trains to 105th Ave. did require some careful maneuvering around No. 1 Line streetcars as seen in this northwest view of A Line unit 160 and streetcar KS 927 during the first week of Apr. 1941. It would be about half a decade later before a turn-around facility was constructed for the streetcars.

L298-75-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 45325ks, (Image 15 of 44)

Same place, also in the rain in early April, but this time a southeast view of No. 1 Line car 942 waiting for Key unit 136 to be positioned to head back to San Francisco. Note the other streetcar in the distance.

L298-80-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 199633ks, (Image 16 of 44)

Uncertainty about the dates of images as the connector was completed originates from this ad the Key distributed on Apr. 2, 1941. The last five images shown were undated by the photographers, but assigned Apr. 4th or Apr. 5th, and there is no independent source or annual report indicating exactly when service to Havenscourt via interurbans began. Note the differential in pricing between bus and train.

L298-85-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 17 of 44)

The printed Key timetable states Apr. 3rd was the opening day of the new service. It mirrors the changes made on Mar. 22, 1941, except that 105th Ave. would no longer be served by interurbans …

L298-90-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 18 of 44)

… and substitute bus service for evenings, Sundays and holidays to San Francisco was initially instituted to save money. Key bus 591 sits on Havenscourt Blvd. around the corner from an A Line interurban that has completed its run on Beck St., now Bancroft Ave. The date here is May 14, 1947, and the buildings in this north view remain in 2023.

L298-95-Leon Bonney Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 19 of 44)

As WWII continued into 1942, the Key was forced to to eliminate every non-essential bus line, this to conserve rubber, steel, truck parts, asphalt, and labor. On Apr. 12, 1942, substitute bus service on the Melrose line was eliminated, and interestingly and to the glee of auto manufacturers, not reinstated after the war’s end.

L298-97-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 20 of 44)

This brings the presentation to the next special Melrose moment as documented here in a southwest view of A Line KS 117 leading a three-unit train through Bond Way on the first day of service to Havenscourt. Again, the exact date cannot be confirmed, sometime between Apr. 3-5, 1941.

L298-100-Richard Jenevein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 72080ks, (Image 21 of 44)

A quick word about the route to Havenscourt. The Key was allowed to use the track and overhead wire, but was refused extra cars the SP and Bridge Authority now owned. Independent of needing more cars, the Key could only go as far as Havenscourt Blvd. on Beck St., because the SP retained the track from the Chevrolet plant to Dutton Ave. This southeast view from Apr. 1950 shows a diesel switching at the plant in the background.

L298-105-Moreau Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 160451ks, (Image 22 of 44)

The A Line trains would run through Melrose until Oct. 28, 1950. The final portion of this presentation will review the area on E. 14th St. between 45th and 47th Aves., starting with Bond Way here shown in a northeast view in 1942. The west-bound station stop is obvious, as is the profile of Fremont High School on Foothill Blvd. It was rebuilt after a 1930 fire destroyed the 1905 structure. For more, click

L298-110-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 171309ks, (Image 23 of 44)

Not much change on Oct. 7, 1950, as KS 404 emerges onto E. 14th St. from the cut in this northeast view. Even the dentist is the same as in the 1942 image.

L298-115-Vic DuBrutz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 216780ks, (Image 24 of 44)

Many photographers tried their hand at shots involving the passageway built for the SP right-of-way four decades earlier, but this panoramic northeast view ca. 1949-1950 by Jack Perry is best at showing the neighboring businesses. A bus has already replaced the streetcar, the overhead wire is gone above it, but the tracks east persist for now. Note the three boys sitting on a tie at the end of former SP track. Perry’s perch was situated right above a SP freight track.

L298-120-Jack Perry Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 92661ks, (Image 25 of 44)

Next a view across the northwest corner of 46th Ave. with E. 14th St. and Guy’s Drug Store, ca. 1942.

L298-125-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 171308ks, (Image 26 of 44)

By 1950, the same corner is now occupied by Sayre’s Melrose Drugs. Northeast view of A line unit KS 186.

L298-130-Charles Savage Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 88058ks, (Image 27 of 44)

No mention has been made of where passengers exited or entered eastbound trains, but this northwest view from 1941 provides the answer. Note that 46th Ave. came out perpendicular to E. 14th St. in those days. Also, note the Chop Suey marquee, and the one for the New Fruitvale Theater in the distance at 37th Ave., in operation from 1925 until closed by a fire in 1968.

L298-135-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 28 of 44)

Having both interurbans and streetcars on the same line meant having order to car traffic. In this northwest view, an eastbound Line 1 streetcar KS 912 awaits passengers having stopped beyond the switch that allowed the trailing A line interurban KS 122 to access Bond Way. Note the streetcar is going only as far as 85th Ave., something not mentioned in Vernon Sappers “Key System Streetcars”. This image was taken very close to the end of streetcar service.

L298-140-Leon Bonney Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 29 of 44)

In contrast, this northwest view shows westbound Line 1 streetcar 982 waiting east of the switch for the A line interurban to head for the cut. Presumably the streetcar is positioned to serve passengers. The image is undated, but the license plates signify 1948, and the seasonal decorations suggest the streetcars’ days were numbered.

L298-145-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 216781ks, (Image 30 of 44)

Turning to east, this image of Line 1 streetcar KS 944 from 1944 does indeed indicate that westbound streetcars did stop east of the Bond Ave. switch for passengers. At this point, it should be clear that streetcar or interurban images showing the south side of E. 14th St. could not be found. Unless an early riser, the sun dictated where the images shown were taken.

L298-150-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 31 of 44)

Not much changed between the time of this Apr. 1948 east view and the previous image, except here Key 83 bus 1791 Oakland-Hayward Local makes a stop at the Melrose Restaurant.

L298-155-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 32 of 44)

Documenting another moment at Melrose, the last day of streetcar service on Nov. 27, 1941 was not successful, but one week earlier the Bay Area Electric Railroad Association took KS 271 on an excursion along the soon-to-be abandoned rails on Nov. 21, 1941, east view. Key 82 bus 1791 is a Oakland-Hayward Local. Season’s Greetings, again!

L298-160-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 78123ks, (Image 33 of 44)

The next Melrose moment came on Oct. 28, 1950, when the last A Line interurbans made their last run to Havenscourt. Here, units KS 175 and 180 approach the Melrose stop.

L298-165-Fred Matthews Photo, Moreau Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 91887ks, (Image 34 of 44)

The timetable effective the next day indicates that the A line trains would terminate at 12th and Oak St.

L298-170-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 35 of 44)

The north side of 46th Ave. and International Blvd. still has many buildings retained from the SP-Key era, and the curve is now called Bancroft Way.

L298-175-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 36 of 44)

The last order of business is to photographically document the disposition of the SP passenger depot, tracks, and freight warehouse, seen here left to right, respectively, in a southwest view from 1942. For that purpose, two more Melrose moments will be presented. Note the block signal on the right for A line trains to enter E. 14th street.

L298-180-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 171307ks, (Image 37 of 44)

Starting with the passenger depot, the “Train of Tomorrow” on exhibit at Melrose on Nov. 22, 1947 shows the depot to the right or east of the train. It was the first new train to consist entirely of dome cars, and was created by General Motors and Pullman-Standard at this time. For more, click

L298-185-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 38 of 44)

On more view, this time to the north,  the “Train of Tomorrow” is placed alongside the passenger depot.

L298-190-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 39 of 44)

The next Melrose moment occurred when the “Freedom Train” paid a visit to Melrose on Mar. 19, 1948. The train was supposed to bring people together as “Americans had begun taking the principles of liberty for granted in the post-war years.” It led to much controversy related to racial segregation. Northeast view with SP 2420. For more, click

L298-195-Ralph Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 40 of 44)

This north view of the “Freedom Train” exhibit shows that the SP passenger depot is gone.

L298-200-Ralph Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 41 of 44)

This northeast view of the “Freedom Train” exhibit shows that the SP freight warehouse is intact.

L298-205-Ralph Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 42 of 44)

The freight warehouse can still be seen in this southeast-directed aerial from Sept. 14, 1967, left, with the position of the detail on the right, red rectangle. The detail shows the freight warehouse, green arrow, and possibly a boxcar, blue arrow. historicaerials.com shows the building in 1982, but not the next date available, 1987.

L298-210-Brady-Aero Portraits no. 11685, Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Archives, 171416BARDT, (Image 43 of 44)

As for track, both sides of E. 12th St. have pieces of track, but particularly the north side has comparatively long stretches of both freight, left, and passenger car, right, tracks in 2023, northeast views. Reminders of many Melrose moments. Much appreciation to John Harder for his generous supply of images, and to Ron Hook for informative discussions.

L298-215-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 44 of 44)