For the Downey Harveys, such a retirement meant living at Del Monte, the exclusive resort built by the Southern Pacific Railroad at Monterey. Copyright 2021. Travel was often interrupted by the results of a heavy rain that caused culverts under the tracks to jam with debris, washing away the roadbed. While railroad crews in San Francisco used its rolling stock to help remove debris following the quake and fires, the construction crews further to the south had weeks of work ahead of them recovering machinery, restoring rights-of-way, and reinforcing hillsides against further slides. There, you needed a $5 down payment. Portions of the right of way can be seen along the Rockaway headlands and along the railway berm in Pedro Point. Copyright 1996, June Langhoff. It was purchased in 1936 by W.A. This dramatic ride caused a great deal of trouble for the rail line, because the roadbed was built on an unstable piece of shifting mountainside known, appropriately, as Devils Slide. Estimates in 1911 placed the cost of finishing the line at $1,351,115, over $35,000,000 in 2021 money. It was created in 1933 as a joint consolidation venture between two competing railroads in the region: the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Reading Company . On January 14, 1921, Gray and Staples were granted a permanent franchise to continue running buses between San Francisco and Pescadero, which led to the incorporation of the Coastside Transportation Company later that year. [Cambridge Lutece Colorized by DeOldify], Ocean Shore Railway auditor Ted F. Wurm on right with family members standing on the tracks near Davenport, ca 1910. Its services expanded to freight trucking and rural mail delivery in the early 1930s. As I've mentioned in previous postings, I have intentions of modeling the Ocean Shore Railroad, a modern day recreation of a prototype that ceased operations in 1920. It was probably Ocean Shore Number 1405 and was sold, following the 1921 collapse of the Ocean Shore RR, to the San Joaquin & Eastern RR in 1925, and bore numbed 201 or 202. Grading, meanwhile, had progressed as far as Pigeon Point. Of course, the Ocean Shore Railway had not intended to fail. Ads extolled its allure and the beautiful, balmy climate. A promenade, bandstand, casinos, cafes and several large hillside hotels were envisioned surrounding the lake, which was much larger than the present size. Freight traffic to Davenport began in late January 1906 and, following short delays from the earthquake, regular passenger service to Davenport began on June 15. This dramatic ride caused a great deal of trouble for the rail line, because the roadbed was built on an unstable piece of shifting mountainside known, appropriately, as Devil's Slide. The Real Estate Game The huge cut between Fairway Park and Vallemar was blasted out by railroad engineers. The structure was originally one story but now stands as a two story residence. Half Moon Bay Memories, June Morrall, Moonbeam Press, El Granada, 1978. Investors dropped out, and, with less money, the directors decided to substitute a single-track steam line for the planned two-track electric railway.One hundred years ago, the Ocean Shore Railroad ran through our scenic coastal community, meandering along cliff sides and past lush farm fields, carrying city dwellers, who for the first time were able to visit our beautiful coastal area. There were numerous bridges and trestles along the route. The Ocean Shore Railway went bankrupt on December 6, 1909 and was reincorporated as the Ocean Shore Railroad on October 9, 1911, following nearly two years in receivership. The firm's persistence finally paid off in March 1927 when it received permission to run passenger, freight, and express service across the entirety of the old Ocean Shore route including all settlements along the way. Though in sad shape, it was a super candidate for restoration because it was one of only five cars of this type ever built. The San Francisco charter allowed for electric-only operation, so the . [ Reply To This Message ] Date: 03/13/02 17:17 RE: San . First a ledge was cut into the cliff face from Tobin station to Shelter Cove. Travel was often interrupted by the results of a heavy rain that caused culverts under the tracks to jam with debris, washing away the roadbed. The section from Salisbury to Ocean City was built by the Wicomico and Pocomoke Railroad between 1868 and 1876. Originally incorporated as the Ocean Shore Railway Company on May 18, 1905, the plan was to run a 1500 Volt Alternating-Current double-tracked line between San Francisco and Santa Cruz, operating with interurbans and electric freight motors. The route was originally conceived to be a continuous line between San Francisco and Santa Cruz, but the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, financial difficulties, and the advent of the automobile caused the line to never reach its goals, and remain with a Northern and Southern division. In 2004, while our beloved hulk was being trucked to Pacifica, there were four surviving Ocean Shore passenger cars, excluding 1409. Elihu Jackson, of Salisbury, treasurer. Meanwhile, the autobuses of the Ocean Shore Auto Stage Company continued to operate across the entire line under emergency provisions. A separate bus service also transported people from Torquay to the California Redwood Park (Big Basin). The line was taken over by the Pennsylvania in 1928. Salada Beach, Western Realty Company, date unknown (probably 1907 or 1908). Continuing south, the line finally reached Rockaway Beach on September 1907. The huge cut between Fairway Park and Vallemar was blasted out by railroad engineers. Since the Ocean Shore had more ready cash and planned to build a double track, one of its tracks was built first. By 2004 they were in shabby condition. Between 1880 and 1881 the railroad attempted to increase revenue by taking out mortgages and distributing stocks. Plans were redrawn to enter Santa Cruz. Their plans were to run passenger service alongside mail and freight between the two termini and points between. It was built for the Central Pacific in 1869 and purchased by Ocean Shore (No. Three railroad stations still stand. Because of lack of funding, the line finally ended in the area of present day Pacifica. Artichokes, beans, Brussels sprouts, peas, potatoes and other coastside produce were in high demand. In the north, passenger and freight service to Granada opened in June 1908 and Half Moon Bay in October, while tracks were laid across the Tunitas Creek bridge by January 1909. As impressive as it was idealistic, the line . There were many others under construction at around the same time which harmed the railroad's bottom line. View our variety of available train rides in Hamburg, NY below. Two cars were in Oroville. In Santa Cruz, the line would have connected with the Santa Cruz Railroad and allowed for the exchange of freight. A major tunnel was built at Devil's Slide; another tunnel was built near Davenport. Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option, Permit Fees, Invoices, Child Care, & Other, Streetlight / Traffic Signal / Street Sign Issues, District Based City Council Elections (2018 Districting), Business Guide for the Prospective Pacifica Business Operator. Instead, it was the Knickerbocker Crisis which led to the Panic of 1907. At the same time the company investors were building the line south from San Francisco, they were also building their line north from Santa Cruz to connect with the San Francisco extension. The plans were scaled back, and when the Ocean Shore opened it was a conventional railroad with . Passengers wishing to continue disembarked from the train and boarded a special Stanley Steamer to reach the railhead at the other end. The structure was demolished and its lumber was recycled to build part of the home at 635 Rockaway Beach Avenue. But, as with most of the other fantastic beach developments, they failed to materialize beyond the artists conceptions. Up until just a few years ago the tracks still existed on 12th Street. Ads extolled its allure and the "beautiful, balmy climate." Railroad Sights in Pacifica Today The line progressed southwest from San Francisco until the right of way struck the Pacific Ocean coast near Edgewater and the San Mateo County line. Meanwhile, the track to Scott Creek was completed by October, several months behind schedule, but still not too far above upper estimates. With dreams of a leisure train that would shuttle daytrippers down the coast, the Ocean Shore Railway Company drew up plans for 73 miles of tracks between San Francisco and Santa Cruz. Jul 15. . The station and auxiliary buildings were demolished in the early 1950's. lightning strike map near me Together, these two actions effectively stranded the Ocean Shore in West Santa Cruz with no outlet south, thereby imperilling its plans for a route across the county and beyond. Funded primarily by investors on the East Coast, the line was required by the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors to construct a section of track immediately in San Francisco. There it turned right and ran down Potrero Street, then to the east of Bayshore, and then following what is Alemany Street today. The railroad line had several stops in Pacifica-Edgemar, Salada, Brighton, Vallemar, Rockaway, Tobin-before plunging into a 354-foot tunnel through San Pedro Mountain. Ultimately, the ideal of a 1500 volt alternating current double-track line would not come to fruition, and neither would the railroad ever connect San Francisco and Santa Cruz. All but the last of these projects came to nothing. Paperback. Due to how the railway would have entered San Francisco on a major street, the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors required that the railway build track by September 1901, as all the other past railroads had failed to do this. Upon his return to San Francisco, Downey Harvey faced lawsuits resulting from the tragic death of an Ocean Shore train conductor. The railroad tried to fight the opposition of the plans in San Francisco in the Supreme Court, but failed. A 27 Febraury 2018 email corrected the tender's coal capacity.) The announcement had dire consequences, and in early 1882 the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors voted to delay the acceptance of the franchise to allow the running of the railroad in the city itself. [Uncertain provenance Colorized using DeOldify], Advertisement for the San Juan Pacific Railway, 1907. It should be mentioned that the railroad was suspected of being owned by the Aitchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad, and the San Francisco & South Coast Railroad Company was formed by the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors, and was backed by the Southern Pacific. Never Completed Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. On top of all the drama and failure, though, the most remarkably fact about the Ocean Shore Railway is how close it came to succeeding in a task that had dogged so many companies before it. The railroad actually constructed model homes south of Pacifica and laid out an especially elegant town plan with wide streets. 10am-2pm. The railroad hired a surveying team, who published a final report on March 1876 detailing the feasibility. Is Pacifica the Bay Area's Most Underrated Gem? A major impetus for the railroad was the real estate game. With one of the world's most scenic backdrops as a brilliant seascape for passengers, the Ocean Shore Railroad skirted northern California's coastline to service communities south of San Francisco for the first two decades of the 20th century. Beyond Davenport, grading crews made it to Scott Creek where they built a wye beside a small resort area the company hoped to develop called Folger, named after the coffee magnate. Our signature excursion along the scenic Tillamook Bay and the Oregon Coast between Garibaldi and Rockaway Beach offers a relaxed ride and a step back in time. In 1881, the Santa Cruz Railroad had gone bankrupt, which largely cut off a lot of funding for the San Francisco & Ocean Shore Railroad as some investors had put much of their fortune into the Santa Cruz Railroad too. Of those grandiose plans, only the bath houses on Clarendon Avenue and the concrete pillars for a dance pavilion in the center of the lagoon were built. Another bridge was built a mile south over Palmer Gulch (Trestle Beach), but no tracks were ever installed here. Works numbers were 13414-13416, 13421 in May 1893; December. Learn About Confirming Trips Interactive Planning Map Track Your Train Mobile App RideReserve Construction of the Ocean Shore in Santa Cruz County began in mid-1905 and continued apace through to the earthquake on April 18, 1906. Yet the Ocean Shore knew that Southern Pacific only really wanted the lucrative cement plant contract in Davenport, while the Ocean Shore hoped that the timber in the Pescadero and Butano basins would more than justify the loss of the plant's patronage. Ocean cliffs collapsed, dumping over 4,000 feet of railroad track, along with rolling stock and construction equipment, into the sea. Lots sold at Salada Beach started at $250 for a 25 x 50 foot parcel. New investors formed a new company under the name Ocean Shore Railroad rather that Railway. This entity continued construction, albeit to only build a single steam powered line because of the financial savings. However, most paper-records dropped off around this time, so nothing more is heard about the railway. Incorporated on June 1889 to construct a standard gauge line between San Francisco and Santa Cruz, the line was a private company and had unknown financers. On July 16, Gray sold the company to Edward Serretto, Louis Alfred Mattei, and Emile Michel. "Salada: The Beach in Reach", Ocean Shore Land Company, 1908. The Baltimore & Eastern operated several light-density branch lines east of Chesapeake Bay. OceanShoreRailroad.org. It survives, but was not built for the Ocean Shore Railroad. Huge cracks opened up along the roadbed. Trackage within the city of San Francisco was electrified, while the rest of the line was operated with steam locomotives, and later, with self-propelled railcars. 1504 or 1505) in 1912. Ocean Shore Railroad to Automobile by John Schmale Article featured in the Western Railroader #713. Another tunnel south of Pescadero Beach appears on the 1961 USGS quadrangle map but has also now disappeared. American Locomotive Company (Alco), Schenectady Works, NY, 1942 . In December 1949 it was renumbered 175 and scrapped in April 1959. The company reincorporated as the Ocean Shore Railroad Company, Inc., on November 16, 1934 and continues to exist as this legal entity to manage the sales and leasing of various properties the company still owns in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties.[5]. [Uncertain provenance Colorized using DeOldify], Ocean Shore Railway's depot in Santa Cruz overlooking the Southern Pacific yard, 1907. Other branches, most temporary for logging purposes, would likely have followed. A stagnant economy following the earthquake had led to a recession and by October 1907, the New York Stock Exchange was half the value it had been the previous year. Early in the morning of April 17, 1906, an 8.1 earthquake started a rockslide above the new rail line. After the 1906 earthquake, the progress of the little railroad had come to the attention of the nation. On December 28, 1906, the railroad incorporated its first subsidiary, the Monterey, Fresno & Eastern Railway, and soon afterwards this company leased the Watsonville Transportation Company in the hopes that it could extend the small interurban line to Hollister and Fresno. The main building carried the slogan "OCEAN SHORE RAILROAD" painted across its top. Three railroad stations still stand. All Rights Reserved. Thus, the new company, sans the debts of its predecessor, never bothered to finish the final 26 miles of its route, which was the only way the railroad would survive in the long term. The station at Montara still exists as a residence at 222 Second Street. Lots sold at Salada Beach started at $250 for a 25 x 50 foot parcel. 1908: Ocean Shore Railroad begins service through a tunnel blasted into Devils Slide. Rail lines ran from San Francisco south to Tunitas Glen and from Santa Cruz north to Swanton. The Ocean Shore Railway started construction on May 18th, 1905 on what was to be a double track electric line to run about 83 miles from 12th & Mission Street in San Francisco to Santa Cruz. All Rights Reserved. If you want to learn about Pacifica, about the Pacifica Historical Society and see who we are and what we are restoring; go to our website at: pacificahistory.org. 1, February 1961. The firm declared bankruptcy in late 1933 only to reform with the same franchise rights as the Coastside Transport Company in November of that year. The former outdoor shelter was enclosed many years ago and is now a private residence. Holman built them both in 1909. Help us restore car #1409 bought by the Ocean Shore Railroad in 1913. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcCsc0VkCcs This video tells the story of a train model created in 1999 in Pacifica Ca. In around January 1881, the railroad was reorganized to become a standard gauge line, and filed for incorporation to construct tracks through Half Moon Bay. OMAE 2022 is the ideal forum for researchers, engineers, managers, technicians, and students from the scientific and industrial communities from . 1. Going South from Division Street, the line ran down Florida Street to Mariposa Street, where it turned left and ran to Potrero Street. The company was $2,321,740 in debt and had nowhere left to turn for help. 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