Minert at Meinert – Introduction and Single Track West End

With just several days of passenger service remaining, SN 1014 pulls beside the Meinert shelter at Minert and Oak Grove Roads, southwest view, June 27, 1941. Is Meinert related to Minert?

L91-05-Louis Bradas, Jr. Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 67938sn, (Image 1 of 18)

Meinert appeared in a 1930 map of Contra Costa County as an unincorporated section that included Minert Rd. Folklore claims the name derived from a child killed in a farming accident early in the 20th century, but there is no explanation for the differences in spelling or origin based on land ownership. The Western Pacific noted the station area as Meinhert.

L91-10-Courtesy Contra Costa County Department of Public Works, (Image 2 of 18)

This vertical aerial of Minert Rd. and the SN, yellow arrow, from 1939 is bordered by Walnut Creek, red arrow, and Bancroft Rd., blue arrow, on the west, and by Oak Grove Rd., purple arrow, on the east. The land was used exclusively for farming, with the Bancrofts’ holdings bordering the east side of the creek north and south of Minert Rd. Full Ref.: BUU 280-64 from Jul 25, 1939.

L91-15-USDA AAA Western Division, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, (Image 3 of 18)

By 1958, the area was still primarily agricultural, although Oak Grove Middle School, green arrow, now borders the south side of Minert Rd., and residential sub-divisions are seen north of Minert Rd. along each edge of the image, west of Bancroft Rd. and east of Oak Grove Rd., respectively.

L91-20-CCC Planning Department, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, (Image 4 of 18)

Now to 1968, the BART test track has replaced the SN adding three overpasses labelled 1, 2, and 3 over the newly channelized Walnut Creek, Bancroft Rd., and Oak Grove Rd., respectively. The BART overpass from Oak Grove Middle School is also in place connecting Minert Rd. with the newly lengthened David Ave. Full Ref. 3-169, GS-VBZJ

L91-25-USDA AAA Western Division, Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, (Image 5 of 18)

With Bancroft Rd. as the left or west edge, major landmarks of the single-track or west section of the SN along Minert Rd are presented. The red arrows mark an SN spur, the 1939 image adding a freight car, white arrow. The SN grade crossings are marked by blue arrows, noting the Lee Lane addition by 1958. The yellow arrows mark the start of the SN two-track section.

L91-30-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, (Image 6 of 18)

A low level oblique aerial of Minert Rd. during the SN era was not to be had, but this dramatic northeast view of the Phase 1 BART test track from Las Juntas, lower left, to the Meinert curve, upper left, taken one year to the day the of last SN “End-of-an Era” excursions, Apr. 12, 1965, will suffice.

L91-35-SF BARTD Photo, Collection of Harre Demoro, Courtesy John Harder , (Image 7 of 18)

A detail of L91-35 from Bancroft Rd. to the west along the lower edge, and Meinert curve to the east along the top. Note the large tree preserved along the track, and Oak Grove Middle School in the right upper section.

L91-40-SF BARTD Photo, Collection of Harre Demoro, Courtesy John Harder, Detail, (Image 8 of 18)

The street signs tell us that this SN freight with SN 670 in the rear has just crossed Bancroft Rd. and is heading to the sheds at Meinert station, northeast view, circa 1952. The image shows a nice view down Minert Rd., but we will need more images at the beginning of this survey to fill in some missing details.

L91-45-Norman Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 55603.3sn, (Image 9 of 18)

An empty right-of-way was almost a necessity to capture the small spur that crossed into the orchards on the south of Minert Rd. Northeast view, 1950. The loading platform for the Bancroft shelter is seen at the left edge.

L91-50-EK Muller Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 80306sn, (Image 10 of 18)

A picture taken during the winter after the trees shed their leaves was the best way to capture David Ave. in addition to Minert Rd. at Bancroft Rd. as in this northeast view of SN 661 circa 1950.

L91-55-Dave Gumz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 80495sn , (Image 11 of 18)

By late 1964, the SN rails were gone and the Bancroft Rd. overpass for Phase 1 of the BART test track is in progress. Both Minert Rd. and David Ave. are captured in this northeast view.

L91-60-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 12 of 18)

A little to the side, this late 1964 image provides a slightly better angle of the new overpass and bare right-of-way signaling the beginning of a new era in electric railways along Minert Rd.

L91-65-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 13 of 18)

Earlier in 1964, Apr. 12 to be exact, as the “End-of-an-Era” excursion makes its way to the double-track section, a southwest view from the rear shows many of the trees that would not survive the extension of David Ave. along the BART test track, and evidence for new homes that would replace the orchards.

L91-70-Courtesy Charles Smiley, (Image 14 of 18)

A detail from L91-70 shows the crossbucks for both grade crossing, with the one for Lee Lane in the foreground, and the details for the model homes for the south of Minert Rd.

L91-75-Courtesy Charles Smiley, Detail, (Image 15 of 18)

Now to the winter of 1964-1965 and this southwest view from a position between the former grade crossings shows the laying of the track and one oak tree surviving the Davd Ave. extension.

L91-80-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 16 of 18)

Now back to a northeast view circa 1950, SN 661 and freight cross the Lee Lane grade crossing, the double-track section at its rear.

L91-85-Railroad Negative Exchange, Courtesy Charles Smiley, (Image 17 of 18)

One last look to the northeast, circa 1952, with the sign indicating that the Lee Lane grade crossing was not for public use as David Ave. did not extend this far north. The double-track poles are now in focus in the background for the next tour of Minert Rd.

L91-90-Norman Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 80297sn, (Image 18 of 18)