The Last Train From Danville

Continuing on the Iron Horse Trail from the last update, the intersection with West Prospect Ave. reveals the Danville Depot building, left or southeast, now the Museum of the San Ramon Valley. The trail makes an abrupt curve away from it, with no clear path indicating a former railroad line heading straight ahead.

L271-05-Stuart Swiedler Photo Panorama, (Image 1 of 28)

Back to Feb. 1993, a southwest view of a dilapidated, shuttered, fenced structure with Iron Horse Trail signs at right angles that is both disorienting and disquieting. Following next is the explanation.

L271-10-Louis L. Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 118571sp, (Image 2 of 28)

While in service, shown in the 1939 aerial, the SP San Ramon right-of-way ran straight by the depot, purple circle. The building had to be moved, as seen in the 2018 aerial, when the land underneath it was purchased after railroad abandonment. In addition to the trail deviating from the railway right-of-way in this section, the portion at and approximately 200 ft. north of the intersection with Sycamore Valley Rd. turns to the west, requiring a short segment along the latter’s south side to rejoin the path, yellow arrow.

L271-15-Courtesy Google Earth, Annotated by Stuart Swiedler, (Image 3 of 28)

The depot was moved from where it sat since 1891, blue box, 600 feet north along the original right-of-way, orange broken line, on June 6, 1996, to the site marked by the yellow box. The image from 1993 confirms the location of the abandoned building shown earlier.

L271-20-Courtesy Google Earth, Annotated by Stuart Swiedler, (Image 4 of 28)

Reviewing the area chronologically, only this single image of the livery stable dated Nov. 13, 1933 was found from the pre-WWII era that cannot be found in Irma Dotson’s book in “San Ramon Branch Line of the Southern Pacific”. See that reference for more older images.

L271-25-Dudley Thickens Photo, Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 120694cv, (Image 5 of 28)

Many images of the depot from the first California-Nevada Historical Society excursion with SP 1795 from May 4, 1947 were uncovered, and this northwest image by Arthur Lloyd provided the most expansive panoramic view. Although the structure was not officially retired until 1956, it had already been leased by Taylor’s Danville Feed and Supply Co., the precise date of that agreement not found.

L271-30-Arthur Lloyd Photo, Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 116022sp, (Image 6 of 28)

Ahead to Feb. 2, 1948, and the Taylor’s sign is gone and the small windows on the southeast-facing side of the structure are damaged in this northwest view. The multiple images from Irma Dotson’s book shows damaged windows on that side at earlier dates as well, suggesting they had been repaired several times over the years.

L271-35-Ted Wurm Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 30017sp, (Image 7 of 28)

Two views in color to document the depot paint scheme on May 4, 1947, left, north view, and in 1970, right. According to information reported by Irma Dotson, the latter image was taken about the time that Joseph Ramos, Sr., had passed away. Mr. Ramos and his son had purchased the feed and grain store in 1951, and expanded its offerings to include garden supplies, firewood, and coal among other items. His son continued to run the store until he passed in 1987.

L271-40-Robert Stein Photo, l, Moreau Coll., r, Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Arch., 102078sp, (Image 8 of 28)

Next to review aerial views pre- and post-Highway 680, starting with this north view from Apr. 13, 1961, left, and an enlargement of the depot area, right. Note the large warehouse across from the station, orange arrow.

L271-45-Courtesy California Department of Transportation, 8082-5, (Image 9 of 28)

Ahead to Feb. 21, 1964, the same north view, but now the footprint of the highway and culverted San Ramon Creek are in place, left. The detail of central downtown Danville shows that the warehouse seen in the last image is gone, right.

L271-47-Courtesy California Department of Transportation, 10463-6, (Image 10 of 28)

A complementary west view from Nov. 21, 1963 shows more details of the culverted San Ramon Creek, left, and again note the warehouse across from the depot is also gone by this point, right.

L271-50-Courtesy California Department of Transportation, 10207-2, (Image 11 of 28)

Ahead to the final years to two southeast views when the SP had two customers in the area; Danville Lumber in Danville, and Pacific Supply Co. in San Ramon. The left image was contributed by Wayne Monger with more color images to follow, and on the right, an image contributed by Dan Engstrom with more black-and-white images from his Feb. 1978 ride on the Ozol-Concord Local to follow. The image of SP EMD SW1500 no. 2682 is from Feb. 7, 1976, but the remainder of color images to be shown will be from the final month of service, Sept. 1978.

L271-55-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, l, Dan Engstrom Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, r, (Image 12 of 28)

As Dan noted in his SP Trainline, no. 124, Summer of 2015 article, “A Ride on SP’s San Ramon Branch”, his ride from Concord began with SP SW-1500 no. 2597, two boxcars, two flatcars with lumber, and a caboose. In the northwest view on the left, the engineer’s cab is forward indicating the train has arrived at Danville, and will leave everything but one boxcar on the siding or passing track. On the right, the train has arrived back from San Ramon with two empty boxcars, and is in the process of leaving behind the lumber, and setting to head north. Note the cab has flipped position, as there was no mechanism to turn the engine around here or San Ramon.

L271-60-Dan Engstrom Photos, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 13 of 28)

In this example from Wayne, SP 2596 has arrived from the north, but with the cab back, in these two consecutive northwest views, left to right, on Sept. 7, 1978. As in the previous case, the train will leave most behind on the siding and head to San Ramon.

L271-65-Wayne Monger Photos, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 14 of 28)

SP 2596 will later return cab forward with empties from San Ramon, left, and reassemble the train on the siding to head north, right. Southeast views, Sept. 7, 1978.

L271-70-Wayne Monger Photos, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 15 of 28)

As a preamble to the last train from Danville, the portion between the depot and Sycamore Valley Rd. will be reviewed. To start, the southeast aerial from Feb. 11, 1965, left panel, shows the transition of Hartz Ave. to San Ramon Valley Blvd., lower right, the highway crossing of the right-of-way, and the highway interchange with Sycamore Valley Rd. in the center. A southeast view from the ground from Dan in Feb. 1978 shows a small bridge, and the imposing highway in the distance, right panel.

L271-75-Courtesy California Department of Transportation, 11404-7, Dan Engstrom Photo, r, (Image 16 of 28)

A detail from the previous southeast aerial from Feb. 11, 1965 shows the section between San Ramon Valley Blvd. and the highway with the small water crossing. Note Laurel Dr. following the right-of-way on the east or left.

L271-80-Courtesy California Department of Transportation, 11404-7, (Image 17 of 28)

A second detail from the previous southeast aerial from Feb. 11, 1965 shows the section along Laurel Dr., orchards, the culverted creek, to the very simple grade crossing of Sycamore Valley Rd. Note the dark section of track marked by the yellow arrow, to be discussed in a moment.

L271-85-Courtesy California Department of Transportation, 11404-7, (Image 18 of 28)

A complementary northwest aerial, left, and detail, right, also from Feb. 11, 1965 are shown here.

L271-90-Courtesy California Department of Transportation, 11404-8, (Image 19 of 28)

Back to that dark section of track marked by the yellow arrow in L271-85. The left panel, a northwest detail from Feb. 21, 1964, shows that section of track was a shallow overpass of water from the adjacent creek, the latter since culverted. The right panel shows that with time, now ahead to Dec. 14, 1965, this section of track was now filled in and its use bypassed by the culvert. This comparison also highlights that the track appears more overgrown in the later photos.

L271-95-Courtesy California Department of Transportation, 10463-6, r, 12313-1, l , (Image 20 of 28)

Others also noticed that the track and surroundings were not as well maintained based on a series of photos taken on Nov. 8, 1965 by the California Public Utilities Commission Rail Safety Division along the entire San Ramon branch right-of-way. A northwest view, left, and southeast view, right, near the south switch for the siding at Danville provide examples of excess vegetation.

L271-100-Ernie A. VonIbsch Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 21 of 28)

Even worse, ahead to Oct. 19, 1967, southeast views by the San Ramon Valley Blvd. grade crossing, left, and between the highway overpass and the Sycamore Valley Rd. grade crossing, right, show further evidence of neglect. Rail historian Wayne Monger suggested a possible temporary lull in service to San Ramon, and consistent with that, Pacific Supply Co. did not appear listed in the Contra Costa County directories until 1978.

L271-105-Ernie A. VonIbsch Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 22 of 28)

Now, to the final train through Danville, Sept. 19, 1978, followed by Wayne starting with SP 2634 making its way from the north. Note the caboose sits right behind the engine.

L271-110-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 23 of 28)

Off to San Ramon, and back with two empties, SP 2634 with cab forward is seen along the culverted creek where Laurel Dr. cuts to the east. South view, Sept. 19, 1978.

L271-115-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 24 of 28)

Seconds later, SP 2634 now parallels Laurel Dr., south view, Sept. 19, 1978. The close proximity of a parallel road to the rails without intervening structures was unique to the railroad south of the city of Walnut Creek.

L271-120-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 25 of 28)

Now reassembled on the siding, the caboose is positioned at the rear of the train in this south view, Sept. 19, 1978.

L271-125-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 26 of 28)

The last train to visit Danville on the regular schedule departs, northwest view, Sept. 19, 1978.

L271-130-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 27 of 28)

An image imparting the sense of a job well done since 1891, this northwest view from Sept. 19, 1978 sums it up. Appreciation to Dan Engstrom for his images, and to Wayne Monger for bringing the Vonlbsch Collection to light, and being there to see the final train off and sharing the moment with his photos.

L271-135-Wayne Monger Photo, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 28 of 28)