Meinert Curve to Pine Creek at Mile 32

This south detail from a circa 1956 aerial shows the extent of the curve that helped direct the SN toward central Concord from its crossing at Oak Grove Rd. SN Meinert packing house no.1 is seen at the right margin of the image, and Pine Creek snaking under the right-of-way crossing after the completion of the curve. Ref.: brk00017179_24a

L121-05-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 1 of 21)

These three north-oriented vertical aerials contrast the farming community in 1939 Ygnacio Valley to the present day bedroom community split by the path of BART. The middle image from 1965 provides the SN-BART transition by showing the completed first phase of the BART test track and the remaining southwestern terminus of the SN, the latter denoted by the white arrow.

L121-10-Courtesy Google Earth and The National Archives of San Francisco, (Image 2 of 21)

The Ygnacio Valley environs were documented in five photos taken circa 1913 of the Meinert Curve starting at the grade crossing at Oak Grove Rd., far right, and progressing to the northwest toward central Concord, right to left. Refs: right to left, 95339sn, 95342sn, 95344sn, 95346sn, 95347sn.

L121-15-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 3 of 21)

Cropping the five images in L121-15 and overlapping them, starting at the top right, allows for a panoramic view of the valley and Lime Ridge. Note that the third image in L121-15 is used both in the top, far left, and bottom, far right, rows to link the two sets of images, and the bottom row is magnified at a higher level. Refs: right to left, top to bottom, 95339sn, 95342sn, 95344sn, 95346sn, 95347sn.

L121-16-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 4 of 21)

Compare the previous northeast views with this one during the final preparation of the BART test track, Feb. 1965.

L121-20-Louis L Stein Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 85619, bartd, (Image 5 of 21)

The Meinert Curve was a favorite spot to catch trains in motion, such as this southwest view of SN 143 leading one of the last trains to ever use the curve on May 5, 1964.

L121-25-Victor Dubrutz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 80521sn, (Image 6 of 21)

This freight led by sister motors SN 604 and SN 603 is captured in a northeast view heading for Oakland on May 22, 1948.

L121-30-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 7 of 21)

Here, the front of a Concord-bound freight led by SN 660 in 1951 is seen in a west view ...

L121-35-Dudley Thickens, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 85600sn, (Image 8 of 21)

... while the rear being pushed by SN 670 passes moments later in this north view, 1951.

L121-40-Dudley Thickens, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 85601sn, (Image 9 of 21)

One sample from the 1940s, a northeast view of SN 661 leading a freight with SN 651 as helper at the end of the passenger-train era, July 6, 1941.

L121-45-Art Alter Photo, Moreau Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 82320sn, (Image 10 of 21)

The Ygnacio Valley provided ample open space as evidenced by this south view during a mid-1956 excursion with SN 653, WP open car, and Salt Lake and Utah 751.

L121-50-Dave Gumz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, WRM, color slide, 91515sn, (Image 11 of 21)

Or just a great view of Mount Diablo during the End-of-an-Era excursion with SN 143 and SP passenger cars, Apr. 12, 1964, southeast view.

L121-55-Victor Dubrutz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 80513sn, (Image 12 of 21)

Once around the curve and facing southeast, the open space to the east provided space for the BART test track in 1964 without removing the SN right-of-way. The new western terminus of the SN is seen in the distance by the end of the utility poles, at the start of this straight section.

L121-60-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder , (Image 13 of 21)

This 1964 northwest view by John Harder aligns the future, the BART Pine Creek overpass, the past, the SN mile 32 marker followed by the SN Pine Creek trestle, and in the background the present, the switching section at Kilgore crucial at the time for building BART. No earlier photo of the SN Pine Creek trestle has been identified.

L121-65-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder , (Image 14 of 21)

A complementary southeast view of L121-65 from 1964 with the BART Pine Creek overpass and SN mile 32 sign highlighted.

L121-70-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 15 of 21)

Somewhat later than L121-65 and 70 in 1964 on Aug. 30th, the progress of the construction of the BART Pine Creek overpass is documented in this north view. It also features the signature Lime Ridge hill-top markings for this part of Concord.

L121-75-Ted Wurm Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 94032bartd , (Image 16 of 21)

BART test coach B sits just south of the SN Pine Creek trestle possibly awaiting entry to the test track on May 27, 1965, south view. The test track initial run with test coach C was on Apr. 12, 1965 according to Demoro’s “BART at Mid-Point”, exactly one year to the day of the final End-of-an-Era excursion.

L121-80-Tony Perles Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 80364bartd, (Image 17 of 21)

With the test track now in operation for three years, the SN right-of-way shown in this northwest view at the Pine Creek trestle from June 29, 1968 sets the stage for the final task of the SN in replacing of the test track for the permanent BART track.

L121-85-Ted Wurm Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 85332bartd, (Image 18 of 21)

With the SN right-of-way now out of view behind shrubs and fence, the DRAVO construction diesel aids in the removal of the test track, Aug. 24, 1971, southeast view.

L121-90-Ted Wurm Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives,, 85343bartd, (Image 19 of 21)

A northeast oblique aerial of the housing boom in the Ygnacio Valley developing around the last section of the BART test track along Meinert Rd. and the curve to central Concord, Jan. 22, 1969. The inland portion of the Concord Naval Weapons Station can be seen along the top, left half of the image, and the Cowell Portland Cement Plant, upper right corner.

L121-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15492-20 , (Image 20 of 21)

An east view of the Meinert Curve and the Ygnacio Valley, Mar. 3, 1969. The foreground shows I-680 along Pleasant Hill, with the Memorial Monument to the west of the highway, and the Crossroads Shopping Center to the east with the iconic domed CineArts movie theater, razed in 2013 after 46 years of operation.

L121-100-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 15606-13 , (Image 21 of 21)