Western Pacific Subsidiaries
The Sacramento Northern Railway
The Sacramento Northern Railway was a line formerly operating electric passenger service between San Francisco and Sacramento, Woodland, Marysville, Colusa, Oroville and Chico, California, now a freight-only road operating both electric and diesel locomotives. A complete history of this line and its several predecessor companies has been published extensively so no further information will be attempted here except to say that the properties between Sacramento and Chico, the former Northern Electric, have been owned by the Western Pacific since October 18, 1921, and those between Oakland and Sacramento, the former Oakland, Antioch & Eastern and later the San Francisco-Sacramento Railroad (Sacramento Short Line), since February 1, 1927.
Additional information about the Sacramento Northern is available on the SACRAMENTO NORTHERN ONLINE web site.
The Tidewater Southern
The Tidewater Southern Railway was incorporated March 11, 1912, succeeding Tidewater & Southern (incorporated October 4, 1910) and Tidewater and Southern Transit Company from February 16, 1912. The Tidewater extended 33 miles south from Stockton to Modesto and an additional 16 miles to Turlock. The TS formerly operated frequent electric car service between Stockton and Modesto but became a freight-only line handled by diesel locomotives. Prior to dieselization, though, it used two electric freight motors and had three steam engines on its roster in addition to use of various Western Pacific locomotives during the harvest season. Western Pacific acquired the line in March of 1917. The TS ended interurban service in 1932. It was the last portion of the WP to be fully dieselized (late 1953).
The Central California Traction Company
The Central California Traction Company was incorporated August 7, 1905 and operated 53.7 miles between Sacramento, Lodi and Stockton, California. The CCT formerly operated frequent passenger service with electric cars and owned several electric locomotives. Passenger service was discontinued before WWII and all freight trains are now handled by diesel locomotives. Road became jointly owned by the Western Pacific, Southern Pacific and Santa Fe on January 1, 1928 and survives to this day.
Additional information can be found at the Central California Traction web site.
The Deep Creek Railroad
The Deep Creek Railroad ran 46 miles south from Wendover to Gold Hill, Utah and was incorporated October 11, 1916 to serve the gold mining territory in the region, It opened for traffic March 12, 1917 and was owned by the Western Pacific. The railroad rostered two locomotives, one passenger, and three freight cars. The Deep Creek Railroad was abandoned July 29, 1939, the last train operating the previous day on July 28th.
Learn more about the Deep Creek Railroad
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he Indian Valley Railroad
The Indian Valley Railroad ran 21.6 miles from Paxton northeast through Crescent Mills on WP's Northern California Extension to Engles, California. The Indian Valley was incorporated June 30, 1916 and controlled jointly by the Western Pacific and the Engles Copper Mining Company. Construction was finished in June of 1917. Road held two former D&RG engines, two flatcars from the Boca & Loyalton (B&L Numbers 408 and 409) and two passenger cars. The Indian Valley Railroad was abandoned in October 1938 and rails removed in the spring of 1939. The engines sat derelict at Crescent Mills for several months before being scrapped.
The Alameda & San Joaquin Railroad
The A&SJ was organized May 1, 1895 and the 36 mile line was completed July 1, 1896 from Stockton west to Tesla, California. It was built for the specific purpose of hauling coal from what were thought to be very fine deposits in Corral Hollow Valley. The Western Pacific purchased the line July 25, 1903, and the portion of the road from Carbona to Ortega on the southern edge of Stockton became the main line of the Western Pacific. From Ortega the A&SJ went along what today is known as Hunter Street to Hazelton Street and turned west until it reached Mormon Channel and followed Mormon Channel to Stockton Channel. It was at this point where the coal was transferred to barges and river boats and was the Stockton terminal of the A&SJ. The distance from Carbona to Tesla was 13 miles but the branch was eventually cut back to 2.3 miles from Carbona. Poor's Manual of Railroads for 1900 states that the A&SJ had three engines, of which two become WP 121 and 122, but information on the third engine is unknown.
The Alameda Belt Line
The Alameda Belt Line served various industries on the Alameda side of the Oakland Estuary. It was originally owned by the City of Alameda which owned no engines and had to look to the Southern Pacific to perform the switching work. In 1926 the Western Pacific and Santa Fe got together and purchased the line from the City, though the Southern Pacific continued to do the switching until 1928 at which time an engine house was constructed and two Santa Fe 0-6-0s, 2036 and 2039, were bought and numbered 1 and 2. Later a third engine, Santa Fe 2045, was purchased becoming ABL No. 3, and all three served until the close of the WWII when diesel power took over. Western Pacific engines were used occasionally on the ABL when its own engines were being shopped, but no ABL engines were ever known to be used on the Western Pacific.
The Oakland Terminal Railway
The Oakland Terminal Railway operated various industrial tracks in Emeryville. Formerly owned by the Railway Equipment & Realty Company, a Key System holding company, the line was taken over December 2, 1942 by the Western Pacific and Santa Fe. One steam engine, No. 4, had become Santa Fe 2447 and was later sold to the Modesto and Empire Traction Company as No. 9 who sold it for scrap in April of 1952.
