Spur of the Moment – Views From the Berm

Last update documented the entrance of both the Sacramento Northern Railway, SN, and the Southern Pacific Railroad, SP, into Yuba City. This presentation will proceed east to west from the bridges for each right-of-way over the Feather River. Shown here is a northeast view from 1923 where the Northern Electric, NE, by this time the Sacramento Northern Railroad, SNRR, had constructed a 2nd St. station and berm with overpasses over the downtown of the city along Bridge Rd.

L302-05-R. T. Hill Collection, Sappers Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 129738sn, (Image 1 of 28)

Yuba City, derived from the name of a native Maidu village, has been the permanent County Seat of Sutter County since 1856, twelve years after the Mexican Government had deeded the surrounding land to John Sutter. He create an area rich in agriculture as noted in the article below this ca. 1888 Map. Note the mention of the streetcar to be created in the lower right paragraph. Ref: Marysville and Yuba City (2010-0676) FL133501

L302-10-Courtesy of the California History Room, California State Library, Sacramento, California., (Image 2 of 28)

The Marysville & Yuba City Street Railroad was opened on time in 1889 using horses for traction. As Harry Demoro noted in “Sacramento Northern”, NE President Henry Butters needed a way to get through the Marysville-Yuba City area, so he bought the railroad on July 12, 1906. The following year, a flood and fire damaged most of the downtown, but by 1909, the city was incorporated, population 1,160. For reasons unknown, the map doesn’t show the NE route.

L302-15-Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Sanborn Maps Collection, Nov. 1909, (Image 3 of 28)

Another northeast view of the station at 2nd St., but this early 1920s scene also includes some of the architecture of the downtown area. The Sutter Independent is listed at the Library of Congress as having an indeterminate start date of publication, and continuing until Mar. 15, 1935.

L302-20-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 159968sn, (Image 4 of 28)

The section of Bridge St. from the river to Sutter St. from 1909 is shown on the left. The small shelter serving as covering for the SN station at 2nd St. is labeled as an “electric street car depot” at that time. On the right is a north view of that structure in 1918. Ref: Left, Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Sanborn Maps Collection, Nov. 1909, Panel 6; Right, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 180068sn

L302-22-Multiple Attributions, (Image 5 of 28)

From the 2nd St. platform, this west view of SN 1006 was taken in Oct. 1940 during the SN’s final weeks of passenger service north of Sacramento. This included through trains, as well as locals to Colusa. As you inspect these images, pay close attention to the names of the businesses, as well as for the presence of the berm supporting the SP right-of-way prior to 1944.

L302-25-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 125297sn, (Image 6 of 28)

The Birney streetcars connected Marysville with Yuba City, here Birney 68 at the 2nd St. platform in a west view on the last day of service, Feb. 15, 1942. Note the proprietor of the service station has changed from the previous image. The railfans took many images that day, many of which will be shown in all the presentations in this series. More about the route of the streetcar system in a later presentation.

L302-30-Addison Laflin Photo, Sappers, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 125312sn, (Image 7 of 28)

SN 1006 and two trailers head out from the 2nd St. station in this east view with the Feather River Bridge in the background on June 6, 1940. This image captures the details of the west side of the station platform and shelter, and the levee to the north on the left.

L302-35-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Vielbaum Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 132780sn, (Image 8 of 28)

The SN 2nd St. overpass was the entry way to the Feather River Bridge to Marysville, the writing on the steel overpass sometimes making it seem that Marysville was right there. The signage captured in this north view of Birney 68 from Feb. 15, 1942 provide more information about the immediate area.

L302-40-Addison Laflin Photo, Sappers, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 125303sn, (Image 9 of 28)

The SN 2nd St. overpass was the entry way to the Feather River Bridge to Marysville, the writing on the steel overpass sometimes making it seem that Marysville was right there. The signage captured in this north view of Birney 68 from Feb. 15, 1942 provide more information about the immediate area.

L302-45-Arthur Lloyd Photo Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 129834sn, (Image 10 of 28)

One look at the SN overpass and Birney 69 from the north looking south provides a view of Hoyt’s on July 13, 1938.

L302-50-Silleman Bros. Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 171409sn, (Image 11 of 28)

West of 2nd St., the NE also erected an overpass of Sutter St., shown here with Birney 68 on excursion on the last day of streetcar service, Feb. 15, 1942, north view.

L302-55-Arthur Lloyd Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 129833sn, (Image 12 of 28)

The fate of the two overpasses just described were impacted by the flood of Dec. 1955, this east view from the 24th after the levee failed early that day. The Romanesque Revival building with the round turret toward the right upper quadrant was the third iteration of the Sutter County Courthouse at 446 2nd St. It was completed ca. 1901, a rebuild of the first iteration that burned in 1872. In 2023, this structure houses the Sutter County Hall of Records.

L302-60-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 4724-14, (Image 13 of 28)

When the SN line was reconnected with Marysville on Sept. 6, 1956, only a 2nd St. overpass was built. A curve was added to Sutter St. to the east heading south to merge with 2nd St. as seen in the lower right corner. This southwest view toward downtown of Birney 62 on a BAERA-sponsored, two-day excursion, May 18-19, 1957, shows the new concrete overpass and some additional Yuba City architecture.

L302-65-Walt Vielbaum Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 133530sn, (Image 14 of 28)

This three panel north-oriented views will be used to guide the rest of the presentation. The map insert from 1960 was used in the last presentation, and its inclusion is to verify that the changes seen in 1969 were in place when the rebuild of the 5th St. auto bridge over the Feather River was completed ca. 1958. The structures covered so far are shown. Ref: c-7490_455, top; cas-1957_yuba-city, middle; cas-2579_1-12, top. Insert, Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library. University of California, Berkeley,  G4364 Y8 1960 S8 Case D

L302-70-Courtesy of UC Santa Barbara Library Geospatial Collection, (Image 15 of 28)

Unfortunately, no dedicated images of the SP entry into town from the original bridge from Marysville were found, but Wilbur Whittaker captured the bridge, to the right of Birney 68, and the SP berm, to the left of the streetcar, in this northeast view of the SN berm taken on Nov. 20, 1938.

L302-75-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Vielbaum Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 132732sn, (Image 16 of 28)

This west view From Sept. 1, 1940 taken west of the Sutter St. overpass with SN 109 serving as the Colusa local shows the SP right-of-way to the right of the car. The trestle in view is the original line’s crossing of Gilsizer Slough. The darkly shaded area to the left of the car down the SN track is the small SN trestle over the same slough that ran north-south through the town.

L302-80-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 218736sn, (Image 17 of 28)

Ahead to the Birney 62 excursion on May 18, 1957, Fred Matthews’ panoramic west view just east of the new 2nd St. overpass of the oncoming Birney speaks for itself in terms of business establishments in the area. Just above the left roof line of the produce store is the next iteration of the SP trestle over Gilsizer Slough. Recall that after the SP Feather River bridge was removed, the SP route from the north via Berg deviated somewhat from the original line’s berm.

L302-85-Fred Matthews Photo, Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 91481sn, (Image 18 of 28)

Returning to three panel north-oriented views, the additions to the SP right-of-way, labeled in blue, have been added. Next to examine he SN trestle over Gilsizer Slough. Ref: c-7490_455, top; cas-1957_yuba-city, middle; cas-2579_1-12, top. Insert, Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library. University of California, Berkeley,  G4364 Y8 1960 S8 Case D

L302-90-Courtesy of UC Santa Barbara Library Geospatial Collection, (Image 19 of 28)

The earliest image of a track view of the Gilsizer Slough trestle adds a historical note. To follow up photographically on the Dec. 1955 flood that severed the SN right-of-way, this east view shows SN 202 and passenger cars marking the occasion of the opening of the reconstructed SN Feather River Bridge on Sept. 6, 1956 with Fred Whitman, WP Pres., l, and Rex Kearney, SN Pres., r. The south-facing side of the trestle over Gilsizer Slough is in view.

L302-95-Arthur Lloyd Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 129788sn, (Image 20 of 28)

The small SN trestle over Gilsizer Slough is shown here in this unique view taken from the north directed in a southeast direction with Birney 62 on the May 19, 1957 excursion. Whether there was actually any water flowing through here at this point is unclear, but the course of the slough north of the SN track was not part of a road, and the slough was culverted south of here under Bridge St.

L302-100-Ken Lass Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 161485sn, (Image 21 of 28)

Ahead to Sept. 20, 1959, and the west view on the left with SN 654 and freight indicates indirectly that the new Twin Cities Bridge has been completed. The turquoise arrow points to a new extended approach to the bridge, the red arrow marks an approach to the new underpass under the berm. The green arrow marks the trestle over Gilsizer Slough. The map from 1960 marks the new roads and auto underpass. Red: Left, Harre Demorro Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum, 218737sn; Right, Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library. University of California, Berkeley,  G4364 Y8 1960 S8 Case D

L302-105-Multiple Attributions, (Image 22 of 28)

The small SN trestle over Gilsizer Slough was filled in when the auto bridge and associated roads were completed at the turn of the 1950s. This northwest view with the excursion railfans getting SN 1005 back under wire was taken on Apr. 14, 1962.

L302-110-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 144264sn, (Image 23 of 28)

This northeast view from the same BAERA-sponsored Apr. 14, 1962 excursion shows two autos to the right or south of SN 1005 lining up to use the new underpass to access the bridge over the river. The SN trestle over Gilsizer Slough is also seen, the rocks filling it barely visible from this angle. In the background, the SP track rising from the Sutter St. grade crossing to its new berm can be appreciated.

L302-115-Richard Kampa Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 218749sn, (Image 24 of 28)

Back to a southwest view ca. 1955 with SN 654 approaching the filled trestle. The end of the berm and its fusion with Bridge St. can be appreciated behind the freight motor. The next several images will provide additional views.

L302-120-E.K. Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 59566sn, (Image 25 of 28)

Returning to three panel north-oriented views, the additions to the SN trestle over Gilsizer Slough and SN Overpass of the approach to Twin Cities Bridge, labeled in greenm, have been added. Note that the SN and SP trestles over Gilsizer Slough appear to have been removed by 1969. Ref: c-7490_455, top; cas-1957_yuba-city, middle; cas-2579_1-12, top. Insert, Courtesy Earth Sciences and Map Library. University of California, Berkeley,  G4364 Y8 1960 S8 Case D

L302-125-Courtesy of UC Santa Barbara Library Geospatial Collection, (Image 26 of 28)

This detail from a northwest-directed aerial view of the SN and SP berms from Feb. 8, 1972 reinforces what was seen in the previous 1969 panel, and the first view of the south-facing side of the added auto overpass added to the SN berm.

L302-130-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 17568-2, (Image 27 of 28)

A northeast view from 2023 indicates very little remaining of the two berm right-of-ways beyond outlines of their previous existence. Next time, the SN-SP crossing, a ride down Bridge St. and the depots.

L302-135-Courtesy Google Maps, (Image 28 of 28)