The Many Faces of Pittsburg – West 8th St. Bungalows

Ted Wurm stood west of Montezuma Ave. at the Pittsburg city line on Apr. 21, 1940 with SN 1001, the Pittsburg local, passing over a filled in trestle on its way east from West Pittsburg. Before showing the basis for this description, a review of Pittsburg will be presented.

L220-05-Ted Wurm Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 33409sn, (Image 1 of 43)

To begin, a map of Pittsburg from 1928 is provided.

L220-10-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 41000, Detail, (Image 2 of 43)

A detail of the San Francisco-Sacramento RR, SF-S, the SN’s precursor, path along West 8th St. Note someone had penciled in the extension east of, or to the right of, the depot or station to the steel plant, but that track was not completed until Apr. 1, 1930.

L220-15-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 41000, Detail, (Image 3 of 43)

A northeast-facing aerial view of Pittsburg, circa late 1920s, taken over the Santa Fe RR mainline with a train approaching the station. Along the bottom right edge is the Southern Pacific, SP, mainline, and further east a train on the only connection at the time allowing the SP access to the industrial center via Santa Fe tracks. Refer to the map for building identification, already reviewed in the History Section in “Charles Hooper's Empire from the Air.” Ref: API 628_2_BOX 95

L220-20-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail , (Image 4 of 43)

A further detail of the northeast view circa late 1920s, with the original Oakland, Antioch and Eastern station, red arrow, just to the north or left of city hall. Note that the area to be extended into with track, to the right or east of the station, is filled with trees Ref: API 628_2_BOX 95

L220-25-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail, (Image 5 of 43)

Next, a northeast view circa late 1920s of the city from a point further east to show how the Santa Fe RR sent a spur along the Pacific, Gas and Electric right-of-way to gain access to the western end of the industrial center east of the downtown. Ref: API 653_9_BOX 94

L220-30-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail, (Image 6 of 43)

Now turning to a northwest view circa late 1920s showing how close the Santa Fe spur would approach the area with trees to the east of the SN station, the latter marked by a red arrow. Ref: API 578_30_BOX 74

L220-35-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail, (Image 7 of 43)

Finally a west view circa late 1920s taken east of the Columbia Steel Corporation plant. The image shows how the Santa Fe mainline, coming in from the left or south edge, sent its spurs east of the city to capture the industrial opportunities. The Ref: API 578_41_BOX 71 thru 74

L220-40-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail, (Image 8 of 43)

A further detail of the west view circa late 1920s to show the area with the trees through which the SN would extend to Pittsburg’s industrial center within a few years. More on this endeavor in a later update. Ref: 40 API 578_41_BOX 71 thru 74

L220-45-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail, (Image 9 of 43)

This update will focus on the SN’s western entry into Pittsburg primarily using images circa 1940. The town had a much smaller footprint even when compared to a portion of the Pittsburg of today, left panels. The area in the orange box has been expanded in the right panels, the focus of this update enclosed within the turquoise box.

L220-50-Courtesy Google Earth, (Image 10 of 43)

The area within the turquoise box in the previous image is expanded here with the names of the streets placed on the SN right-of-way running down the center of West 8th St. The grid pattern of 1939 has been reduced as seen in 2018.

L220-55-Courtesy Google Earth, (Image 11 of 43)

George Russell followed the SN right-of-way in his plane into Pittsburg circa 1931 or later. A detail follows. Ref: API 628_3_BOX 95

L220-60-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail, (Image 12 of 43)

As detailed in the previous update on West Pittsburg, the portion of track with freshly placed ballast seen just beyond the crack in this glass plate negative, but short of Montezuma Ave., corresponds to former position of the most eastern of the three trestles between West Pittsburg and Pittsburg. Ref: API 628_3_BOX 95

L220-65-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail, (Image 13 of 43)

This pre-1930 south view with trestle, red arrow, is a rare view of the homes on the south side of West 8th St. Their relative absence in railfan images of these homes may have been due to a battle with the midday sun. Ref: API 628_5_BOX 93

L220-70-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail , (Image 14 of 43)

First, an overview of the area from this June 29, 1941 Cal-Nevada excursion with the train sitting between the West St. grade crossing in the foreground, and the Montezuma Ave. crossing in the background. The Bidwell leads the backing-in maneuver with SN 1014 and SN 1005 in this northwest view.

L220-75-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 93714sn , (Image 15 of 43)

This northeast view of SN 1001 from July 14, 1938 was taken at the Montezuma Ave. grade crossing. It shows the relative underdeveloped north side of West 8th St. at this juncture.

L220-80-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Courtesy Arnold Menke and Garth Groff , (Image 16 of 43)

The Bidwell continues to lead the backing-in maneuver over the West St. grade crossing with SN 1014 and SN 1005 in this northwest view from the June 29, 1941 Cal-Nevada excursion. This image provides details of houses along the south side of E. 8th St.

L220-83-Vernon Sappers Photo and Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 176727, (Image 17 of 43)

This northwest view from the West St. grade crossing of SN 1023 and SN 1005 from July 8, 1941 provides the basis for the location in L220-05. Looking past Montezuma Ave, the place where the catenary poles switch from the south to north of the tracks is confirmed. Admire the first two homes on the north side as well.

L220-85-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 97937sn , (Image 18 of 43)

Another northwest view of West 8th St. and West St., this time with SN 1023 and SN 1014, June 22, 1941, to get a little better view of the second home from the corner.

L220-90-Louis Bradas. Jr. Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 68435sn, (Image 19 of 43)

This ca. 1950 northwest view of MW 302 and Salt Lake and Utah 751 highlights the next three homes on the north side.

L220-95-Billings Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 159972sn, (Image 20 of 43)

A closer look back to the third home from the previous image, here seen more than a decade earlier, July 14, 1938, northwest view of SN 1001.

L220-100-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Courtesy Arnold Menke and Garth Groff , (Image 21 of 43)

Next to views between West St. and Cutter St., starting with this northeast view from a 1956-1957 excursion with SN 1005 and Salt Lake and Utah 751. Just to the right of SN 1005 is the grocery at the northeast corner with Cutter St. Check out the pattern on the roof next to the edge of car 751 ...

L220-105-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 22 of 43)

... and link it to this northeast view with SN 1014 and SN 1024 from Nov. 1940. An additional home to the right or east of that one is also seen, as is the tower of St. Peter Martyr Church in the distance.

L220-110-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 97934sn, (Image 23 of 43)

Further east down West 8th St., SN 1001, the Pittsburg local, obscures most of the northwest corner home and all of the grocery at the Cutter St. intersection in this northeast view from July 14, 1938.

L220-115-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Veilbaum Coll., Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Arch., 132767s, (Image 24 of 43)

Relative to an earlier view of the June 29, 1941 Cal-Nevada excursion train, the Bidwell with SN 1014 and SN 1005 has backed up to the Cutter St. intersection, the corner home now visible. This east view also captures a small amount of the south side of West 8th St. as well.

L220-120-Addison Laflin Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 93713sn, (Image 25 of 43)

This north-directed aerial circa 1948-1949 shows the north side of West 8th St. from Cutter St. all the way east to Railroad Ave. A detail follows.

L220-125-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 5924 , (Image 26 of 43)

A detail of the north side of West 8th St. from the north-directed aerial circa 1948-1949. To aid in finding the street, look for the tower of St. Peter Martyr Church.

L220-130-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 5924, Detail , (Image 27 of 43)

The grocery at the northeast corner of Cutter St. is now in view as SN 1005 and a trailer back in toward the station at Railroad Ave., seen in the distance in this east view from June 8, 1941

L220-135-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 159973sn, (Image 28 of 43)

SN 1005 is seen again with a trailer, most likely SN 1023, backing up toward the station in a similar east view from 1941.

L220-140-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 97935sn, (Image 29 of 43)

A panoramic east view taken east of Cutter St. reveals some details of the south side of West 8th St. circa 1940.

L220-145-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 104269sn, (Image 30 of 43)

This northeast view, also circa 1940 with SN 1005, shows the last three structures on the north side of the street up to the intersection with York St. The latter street now dead-ends on West 8th St., so this intersection is now filled in with a home.

L220-150-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 107991sn, (Image 31 of 43)

SN 1005 and trailer sit just west of the York St. intersection in this northeast view circa 1940. St. Peter Martyr Church looms in the background.

L220-155-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 107992sn, (Image 32 of 43)

St. Peter Martyr Church has occupied the corner of Black Diamond St. and West 8th St. since 1931, seen here in 2018, northwest view.

L220-160-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 33 of 43)

The church’s presence or absence at this location is a valuable date marker. The corner is empty here, but the previous church from 1914 is seen to the west, as is the SN right-of-way, circa 1920.

L220-165-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 3050 , (Image 34 of 43)

Based on what was found, images of SN cars with the church as a backdrop are rare, but Wil Whittaker did take two, first this northeast view with SN 1001 on Aug. 11, 1940.

L220-170-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Courtesy Arnold Menke and Garth Groff , (Image 35 of 43)

From July 14, 1938, a partial view of the Black Diamond St. facade of the church, also with SN 1001, northwest view.

L220-175-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Courtesy Arnold Menke and Garth Groff , (Image 36 of 43)

No images during WWII, and only a single image of an electric freight on West 8th St., panel B, were uncovered. A small building added to the northwest corner with Montezuma Ave. is also noted. A, Arthur Lloyd Photo, BAERA, 136522sn; B, E.K. Muller Photo, BAERA, 91051sn; C, Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray; and, D, Arthur Lloyd Photo, BAERA, 136526sn

L220-180-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives and Tom Gray , (Image 37 of 43)

As electric freight service ended in 1957, West 8th St. and the center of Pittsburg remained relatively unchanged. The red arrow marks the small building added along the right-of-way off Montezuma Ave. Ref: ABO-_17T-112, June 3, 1957

L220-185-Courtesy U.C. Santa Barbara Library, Special Research Collections, Detail , (Image 38 of 43)

E. K. Muller walked along the right-of-way in 1957 just after the end of electric service. Andy Smith noted based on the rails leading up to it and the shed doors, it contained a railroad hand car that could be rolled out from the shed, and then manually lifted and spun around onto the main rails. The views are northeast, A, east, B, and north, C. These images provide additional details of the surrounding homes.

L220-190-E.K. Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 96930-32sn, (Image 39 of 43)

Muller walked east until he reached the double poles securing the switch of the catenary wire poles, just short of St. Peter Martyr. The SN station or depot can be seen one block away to the east.

L220-195-E.K. Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 96934sn, (Image 40 of 43)

Walking past the double poles, and turning one-hundred-eighty degrees to the west, this image was obtained summarizing the subject of this update.

L220-200-E.K. Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 96933sn, (Image 41 of 43)

Sixteen years after the wires came down, Ted Benson took this east view in Feb. 1973 near York St. with WP 918-D and 921-D returning after having dispatched either bombs or steel to the west.

L220-205-Ted Benson Photo, Courtesy Ted Benson, (Image 42 of 43)

Finally, WP 918-D and 921-D on route from somewhere east via the “SN Detour”, westbound through Pittsburg with bombs for Port Chicago in Feb. 1973.

L220-210-Ted Benson Photo, Courtesy Ted Benson, (Image 43 of 43)