A Dip in the West Pittsburg Subway - East Bay Hills Project

To gain access to Suisun Bay and central Pittsburg, the SN had to shift their tracks to the north of the SP and SF parallel lines. Inadvisable to view as a swimming hole, the use of “dip in” makes reference to the decline of this important SN relic today.

L183-05-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 1 of 34)

This east view oblique detail from Jan. 20, 1951 shows the extent of the subway in Bay Point, then called West Pittsburg, as it curved to the south once past the Shell Chemical plant and headed to the northeast under the two parallel sets of the competing railroads.

L183-10-R.L. Copeland Photo, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 7275, Detail , (Image 2 of 34)

Ira Swett’s “Sacramento Northern” notes the Contra Costa Gazette reference to the initiation of the construction of the subway on Oct. 21, 1912 by Palmer, McBryde and Quayle Construction Company. The camp for construction of the subway is shown here in a north view, circa Oct. 1912.

L183-15-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 4008OAE, (Image 3 of 34)

This north view from circa Oct. 1912 shows horse scrappers forming the cut under the rail mainlines and pipelines.

L183-20-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 4010OAE, (Image 4 of 34)

Shoring up and creating the retaining walls of the subway was a dirty job as evidenced by this north view circa early 1913.

L183-25-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 4411OAE, (Image 5 of 34)

A north view from the 1920s shows the functional subway. A detail follows. Ref: API 578_25_BOX 72

L183-30-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, (Image 6 of 34)

This north oblique detail begins on the far left with the now defunct SN trestle at milepost 43.85, and follows the curve of the western approach through the subway to its eastern end. Ref: API 578_25_BOX 72

L183-35-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail, (Image 7 of 34)

A complementary southwest view also from the 1920s shows all the features described in L183-35 but here proceeding right to left. Ref: API 578_10_BOX 71 thru 74

L183-40-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, (Image 8 of 34)

A detail of the subway, southwest view from the 1920s. Ref: API 578_10_BOX 71 thru 74

L183-45-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail, (Image 9 of 34)

A similar southwest oblique from the 1920s, taken further east. Ref: API 578_8_BOX 71 thru 74

L183-50-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, (Image 10 of 34)

A detail of the subway, southwest view from the 1920s. Ref: API 578_8_BOX 71 thru 74

L183-55-George Russell Photo, Courtesy the California State Lands Commission, Detail , (Image 11 of 34)

The subway held up well through the 1950s, left, and continued to be used to deliver bomb trains to Port Chicago during the WP-UP merger as shown in the image of WP 3001 and 3532 in May 1983, right. The image displays the only diesel with WP lettering to receive the UP colors.

L183-60-Holmes Collection, Courtesy BAERA, WRM Archives, 103014sn and Ted Benson Photo, (Image 12 of 34)

What follows is a tour of the subway starting from the western end as viewed toward the west. First up is Tidewater Southern 746 on the Pittsburg “Road Switcher”, Feb. 1973. Another west view of a train on the initial s-curve approach to the subway has not been found. As will be seen shortly, SN 406 is dead-in-tow at the rear of this train.

L183-65-Ted Benson Photo, Courtesy Ted Benson, (Image 13 of 34)

This July 4, 1950 southwest view of MW 302 and Salt Lake and Utah or SLU 751 from a BAERA-sponsored excursion shows the housing adjacent to the curve and the Shell Chemical plant.

L183-70-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 14 of 34)

More homes to view along the south flank of this southwest view of SN 1014 on its second to last run, July 5, 1941.

L183-80-Richard Jenevein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 134283sn, (Image 15 of 34)

Now views to the north-northeast starting with the tail end of the freight led by Tidewater Southern 746 in L183-65. SN 406 trails the seven-car Pittsburg Road Switcher entering the subway at West Pittsburg in Feb. 1973.

L183-85-Ted Benson Photo, Courtesy Ted Benson, (Image 16 of 34)

Another excursion circa 1956-1957, SN 1005 and SLU 751 in a northeast view at the beginning of the retaining walls.

L183-90-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 17 of 34)

Viewing more to the north one week prior to the end of regularly scheduled passenger service, July 24, 1941, SN 1014 and SN 1023 negotiate the tight turn on the way to Oakland.

L183-95-Louis Bradas, Jr. Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 68428sn, (Image 18 of 34)

Images of electric motors in the subway are rare. Here, SN 654 and a second unidentified motor enter the turn in this north view from 1949 ...

L183-100-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 19 of 34)

... and in this image, a north view of SN 653 leading a long freight in 1956.

L183-105-Walt Vielbaum Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 133612sn, (Image 20 of 34)

A view from SN 1005 looking north at trailer SLU 751 was captured during this circa 1956-1957 excursion through the subway.

L183-110-Dave Gumz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 133514sn, (Image 21 of 34)

On to another excursion with MW 302 from June 12, 1954, this north view shows the straightening of the subway in that direction.

L183-115-Victor Dubrutz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 80176sn, (Image 22 of 34)

For possibly no better reason than accessibility, no images from the northeast end of the subway looking back to the southwest could be found until the End-of-an-Era excursions from Apr. 12, 1964 with SN 143. In this case, participants were let off northeast of the subway to obtain photos of the train passing through to Pittsburg.

L183-120-Courtesy Charles Smiley, (Image 23 of 34)

All appears quiet, but many await the train led by SN 143 in this south image, Apr. 12, 1964.

L183-125-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 85030sn, (Image 24 of 34)

Same as L183-125, but taken on an angle more to the west.

L183-130-Courtesy Charles Smiley, (Image 25 of 34)

Backing up a bit, the throng and SN 143 come into view in this south image, Apr. 12, 1964.

L183-135-Courtesy Charles Smiley, (Image 26 of 34)

One final view of the train led by SN 143, a southwest view from Apr. 12, 1964.

L183-140-Courtesy Charles Smiley, (Image 27 of 34)

These north views from 2016 show that passage to the north of the two right-of-ways to access the northeast portion of the subway is restricted just beyond the subway, left, or further east down the line of the UP and SF. The area to the northwest is controlled by the Contra Costa Water District, and that to the northeast by NRG Energy.

L183-145-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 28 of 34)

NRG was generous to provide access to the northeast section of the subway in 2016. Although much of the area is secured by fencing, the images shown next will not show any of those barriers. Starting here is an imperfect panorama of the SN right-of way, north to south, left to right. It is in fact perfectly straight.

L183-150-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 29 of 34)

Four views, to the northeast and to the end of the retaining wall, A, an east view at the position the images were taken, B, a southwest view from that point down the right-of-way, C, and a more southerly view along the right-of-way, D.

L183-155-Stuart Swielder Photos, (Image 30 of 34)

Heading further southwest, the right-of-way eventually fills with water, left, shown until the overpass of the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe, right. Appreciation to many folks at NRG Energy for providing access to the site, and to Steven Lane for sharing this adventure.

L183-160-Stuart Swielder Photos, (Image 31 of 34)