Concord Ave. to the Freeway Divide

It is March 3, 1969, and sandwiched between the new Highway 242, symbolic of the 1960s, and Park and Shop Shopping Center along Willow Pass Rd., symbolic of the 1950s, is the Southern Pacific, SP, Concord-associated industrial center.

L210-02-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-37, (Image 1 of 38)

These two north-directed aerials of Concord confirm that the right-of-ways of the SP San Ramon Branch, left panel, and Iron Horse Trail, right panel, are non-overlapping in Concord, and it is the Corridor Trail that now follows the abandoned railroad. The Walnut Creek was moved as well as widened, at green arrow, by the Army Corps of Engineers starting in 1963.

L210-05-Courtesy Google Earth, (Image 2 of 38)

Standing on the north side of Concord Ave. where the SP San Ramon Branch tracks had paralleled the east flank of Highway 242, there are no remaining clues of the railroad’s previous existence.

L210-10-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 3 of 38)

Louis Stein marked on the edge of this Kodachrome, "Last SP Rails, Feb. 1993”, a south view from approximately the same location on Concord Ave. As to being the last rails, we know that this is not true even in 2019, but it might have been for central Concord along Market St.

L210-15-Louis L. Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 118567sp , (Image 4 of 38)

Back to Apr. 11, 1968, a north view above Mt. Diablo High School, with Concord Ave. running along the lower border.

L210-20-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 14630-2, (Image 5 of 38)

A detail from the Apr. 11, 1968 north view showing the tracks splitting to two just north of Concord Ave. The extra track meant immediate freight opportunities at the north end of the industrial yard.

L210-25-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 14630-2, Detail, (Image 6 of 38)

A north view along Market St. in 2019 shows the area of interest in the far left panel, with the railroad entry to Concord Ave., red line, and the north and south sections enlarged in the middle and right panels, respectively. Looks more like a place for cars than trains, and as will be discussed soon, a bit of irony to that observation.

L210-30-Courtesy Google Maps, (Image 7 of 38)

Now back to Sept 7, 1978, as the final days of the SP in Concord approached later that month, Wayne Monger took two north views on either side of a SP 2596-led freight. He strategically included the last of two palm trees that adorned the Concord Station-depot area. Here is the first image ...

L210-35-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 8 of 38)

... and here the second, Sept 7, 1978, north view.

L210-40-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 9 of 38)

Next, a north oblique view, Feb. 21, 1964, from the Willow Pass Rd. crossing of Market St. along the bottom border, north to Concord. Ave. The new Highway 242 is in preparation. Highly recommended to read Irma Dotson’s accounts of the activities and history at the Concord Station-depot area in her book “San Ramon Branch Line of the Southern Pacific”.

L210-45-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 10412-5, (Image 10 of 38)

Four details follow from the north oblique view, Feb. 21, 1964. At the north end, two palm trees present, but the station-depot is gone. It closed for railroad business on July 1, 1958, and dismantled in mid-1959 according to Irma Dotson and Henry Bender. Northwesterly, the structure seen with stacks was used to unload automobiles according to Irma Dotson, ironic in that the site became an auto dealer center in 1990.

L210-50-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 10412-5, Detail, (Image 11 of 38)

An orange arrow marks the last building to survive from the SP era according to Irma Dotson. Built in 1910 as Russi and Sonner, Inc. Flour and Feed Mill, it was torn down in Oct. 1989 after much debate. Spur tracks to the east appear to be fully active, while the single spur to the west to the large conveyor is no longer in use. North oblique view, Feb. 21, 1964.

L210-55-Copyright California Departmentt of Transportation, 10412-5, Detail, (Image 12 of 38)

Irma Dotson notes that attempts to save the mill building as a National Register of Historic Places as the last grain milling structure in the county were eventually overruled. Again, the spur to the east appears to be useable, but not so to the west. Cloverland Dairy Products sign can be seen to the east of the right-of-way. North oblique view, Feb. 21, 1964.

L210-60-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 10412-5, Detail, (Image 13 of 38)

One final north view of the southern end of the area, it had succumbed to more mundane commercial pursuits on the return of the SP to a single track.

L210-65-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 10412-5, Detail, (Image 14 of 38)

Back in time to 1956, here entering the scene via Willow Pass Rd., a review of the Market St. corridor with the intact Concord Station-depot in place. Ref: brk00017182_24a

L210-70-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 15 of 38)

A detail of the southwest view above Concord circa 1956 shows the station-depot building sitting beside two palm trees. Recall that passenger service had been discontinued since 1934. Ref: brk00017182_24a

L210-75-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 16 of 38)

Clyde Sunderland captured most of the SP central Concord operation in this east view circa 1956. Ref: brk00017179_24a

L210-80-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 17 of 38)

The edge of another east-directed oblique circa 1956 shows a continuation down Market St. to the Willow Pass Rd. grade crossing, and finally to where Market St. begins off of Meadow Lane along the right border. Note the railroad bridge over Pine Creek just to the south or right of the Willow Pass grade crossing. Ref: brk00017178_24a

L210-85-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 18 of 38)

A detail of the south or right portion of the previous image from 1956 shows the site where the Nacio flag stop had been, at least according to the Board of Equalization map in Dotson’s book. It was said to have an easterly placed, 952 foot siding, but nothing appears to remain by this time.

L210-86-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 19 of 38)

With regular passenger service history, Tom Buckingham ascended up one of the gravel loaders seen in the previous images and captured in a northeast view the celebration of SP 1795 leading passenger cars during the California-Nevada Railroad Historical Assoc.-sponsored excursion, May 4, 1947. The water tower seen here was the only one on the rail line.

L210-90-Tom Buckingham Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 54874sp, (Image 20 of 38)

Louis Stein provided some color in this east view from that same May 4, 1947 excursion ...

L210-95-Louis L. Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 75273sp, (Image 21 of 38)

... while son Robert stuck to black and white to capture the station-depot area, May 4, 1947, northeast view. Note how overgrown the depot siding is.

L210-100-Robert Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 120663sp, (Image 22 of 38)

The area to the south of Willow Pass Rd. and west of the railroad right-of-way was still agricultural in nature as seen in this southwest oblique circa 1956. Note how close the homes came to the new west bank of the Walnut Creek. Ref: brk00017182_24a

L210-105-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkele, (Image 23 of 38)

Further south, the contrast between housing and orchard is extreme, with the right-of-way serving as a dividing line. Southwest view, circa 1956. Ref: brk00017182_24a

L210-110-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkele, (Image 24 of 38)

This northeast view looking at the point of the Highway 680-Highway 242 divide shows that by Feb. 21, 1964, the creek had been channelized and shifted eastward south of Willow Pass Rd. Note the beginnings of industrialization of the former agricultural land.

L210-115-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 10412-6, (Image 25 of 38)

A detail of the previous northeast view, Feb. 21, 1964, shows the former Nacio flag stop area in the foreground just north of the truncated Meadow Ln. grade crossing, and the newly culverted Pine Creek as it passes under the freeway and the original SP trestle just south of Willow Pass Rd.

L210-120-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 10412-6, Detail , (Image 26 of 38)

A complementary southwest view of the same area, Feb. 21, 1964. At this point, there are no major electrical lines along the west flank of the railroad tracks.

L210-125-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 10412-3 , (Image 27 of 38)

Ahead to May 11, 1968, Highway 242 has been completed, and large electrical lines placed along the railroad. More detail about this last point coming up.

L210-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 14630-1 , (Image 28 of 38)

Two images between Willow Pass Rd. and Monument Blvd. grade crossings were taken during Dan Engstrom’s ride in Feb. 1978 on the Ozol Local servicing Concord to San Ramon. The train is heading north in this image, and being on a curve with major electrical lines, the location is easy to confirm. Note the two towers sending off lines to the west.

L210-135-Dan Engstrom Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 29 of 38)

To locate the position of the scene in the photo, details of this northeast panoramic view from Mar. 3, 1969 that ends just north of the Monument Blvd. grade crossing will be used. Note the last surviving orchard from the agricultural era.

L210-140-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-36, (Image 30 of 38)

Starting first with the Concord Ave. grade crossing at the top, and the former grade crossing of Meadow Ln., where it turns to become Market St., bottom left, a detail of the northeast panoramic view from Mar. 3, 1969 does not show where Dan took the photo.

L210-145-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-36, Detail, (Image 31 of 38)

The next detail to the south from the northeast panoramic view from Mar. 3, 1969 shows the Meadow Ln. grade crossing near the top, and the Mayette Ave. grade crossing at the bottom. Dan took the photo just north of the Mayette Ave. grade crossing. The curve is obvious, as are that set of electrical transmission line towers sending wires westward.

L210-150-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-36, Detail, (Image 32 of 38)

In 2018, The position on the curve would place it in the self-storage facility running north to Meadow Ln. This facility diverted the right-of-way to the east as seen in this northeast view from the Corridor Trail.

L210-155-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 33 of 38)

A complementary analysis starts with this southwest view above Willow Pass Rd. on Mar. 3, 1969.

L210-160-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-32 , (Image 34 of 38)

The curve in the right-of-way can also be appreciated in this detail of the southwest view from Mar. 3, 1969, now showing the area just north of the Mayette Ave. grade crossing in the bottom left quadrant.

L210-165-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-32, Detail, (Image 35 of 38)

Another photo from Feb. 1978, but heading south. The inclusion of the towers with a change in their alignment after the fourth one pinpoints its location. Note the gate in the fence, a suggestion of road access to the site. It turns out this image was taken extremely close to the image shown previously. See the next detail.

L210-170-Dan Engstrom Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom , (Image 36 of 38)

The next detail to the south from Mar. 3, 1969 shows the Mayette Ave. grade crossing along the top, and the Victory Ln. grade crossing along the bottom. Relative to the previous photo, this earlier image has the crossbucks present. The fence marks the crossing in the previous photo, and the fourth pole south is where the alignment changes. As an aside, the Iron Horse Trail will later be placed along the west or left bank of the creek.

L210-175-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-36, Detail, (Image 37 of 38)

In 2018, you can still find the fence and where the towers become offset, appreciating that the Corridor Trail is indeed the abandoned right-of-way of the SP San Ramon Branch. Next time, walking further south will bring the review to the Monument Blvd. grade crossing.

L210-180-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 38 of 38)