Station on The Move in Walnut Creek

This update will review the Southern Pacific, SP, Walnut Creek right-of-way and station area indicated by the broken orange line, from Mt. Diablo Blvd. to the north, or right, to Newell Ave., south or left, in this west view from Aug. 8, 1966. Markers show Main St. and Mt. Diablo Blvd., salmon circle, Broadway and Mt. Diablo Blvd., white circle, and the SP Walnut Creek Station, blue arrow.

L239-05-Herrington-Olson Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 133236cv, (Image 1 of 40)

These southeast, left, and northeast, right, views from S. Broadway in 2020 show the latest modifications to the old station-depot that had the distinction of being moved during SP operations. Irma Dotson’s “San Ramon Branch Line of the SP” and Dick Murdock’s “Walnut Creek’s Unique Old Station … a Short, Colorful History” are two excellent references to expand on what will be presented here.

L239-10-Stuart Swiedler Photos, (Image 2 of 40)

Likewise, the Iron Horse Trail in this interval does not follow the original right-of-way, and shares the post-1972 train route with the bypass creek channel as shown in this north view from 2018 during station renovation.

L239-15-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 3 of 40)

Using this south oblique view taken at a position above the tracks over the Walnut Creek in 1959, the repositioning of the right-of-way and station during 1972 will be explored.

L239-20-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 5543 , (Image 4 of 40)

First, however, to settle the planned deviation of the right-of-way at Mt. Diablo Blvd. The “before” scenario is traced in orange in the left panel, and then positioned versus the Iron Horse Trail, turquoise line, in the “after” setting, right panel. Ref: 1965, cas-65-130, Frame 5-167, 05-14-1965

L239-25-Courtesy U.C. Santa Barbara Library, Special Research Collections, Detail, l, Google Earth, , (Image 5 of 40)

The northern point of departure of the new track alignment in 1972 at Mt. Diablo Blvd. is marked by the violet star in the south oblique view from 1959, the station by the turquoise arrow.

L239-30-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 5543, Detail , (Image 6 of 40)

The realignment resettled the right-of-way, orange line, to the east, black arrow, with the station being moved several hundred feet to the southeast, turquoise arrow. The space provided in this case allowed for N. Broadway to be continued south, red line, as S. Broadway between Mt. Diablo Blvd. and Newell Ave. South view, 1959.

L239-35-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 5543, Detail, (Image 7 of 40)

The end result described above is shown here in this south view in terms of the eventual creation of the Iron Horse Trail and the creek bypass in the 1990s in this section. The survivor in all of this, the station, is marked by the turquoise arrow.

L239-40-Courtesy Google Maps, Annotated, (Image 8 of 40)

The original position of the station, orange rectangle, is now under a parking structure, revealed using overlapped Google Earth-generated north-oriented aerials. The position of the station since 1973 is shown by the yellow rectangle. In 2018 terms, the original right-of-way, orange line, splits the Safeway lot, while the Iron Horse Trail, white line, is a reminder of the track’s location from 1972-until its removal in 1979.

L239-45-Courtesy Google Earth, Annotated, (Image 9 of 40)

Now to follow the evolution of the area beginning with this south view of the station circa 1912. According to Henry Bender’s “Southern Pacific Lines Standard-Design Depots”, it opened in 1891 along with similar styled buildings in Concord, Danville and San Ramon. Ref: SP Freight Accounting Depot no. 18, SP Freight Accounting, Circular no. 296-A, 2186

L239-50-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 74794sp, (Image 10 of 40)

This north view taken south of Newell Ave. circa 1946, with what is now called S. Main St. along the left or west side, shows the SP route north past Oxley along the east or right edge. The curved segment brought the station closer to the center of town, avoiding the large hill on the eastern flank.

L239-55-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 82003cv, (Image 11 of 40)

A detail of the circa 1946 north view shows San Ramon Creek, right or east, fusing with the combined Tice and Las Trampas Creeks. Relative to the two approximately 1600 ft.-long sidings described in Dotson’s book, the most eastern one here only reaches the building under construction. Note the small overpass of what appears to be a pond or drainage area for water derived from the eastern hills.

L239-60-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 82003cv, Detail, (Image 12 of 40)

By May 4, 1947, marked by the first California-Nevada Historical Society, Cal-Neva, excursion with SP 1795, the building under construction in the previous aerial was complete. Northwest view.

L239-65-Insley J. Brain Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 75240sp, (Image 13 of 40)

This south view from the third Cal-Neva excursion with SP 1741 on Mar. 30, 1952 documents the new building’s owner, Charles S. Hughes Co.

L239-70-Dudley Westler Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 113745sp, (Image 14 of 40)

Hughes Co. also owned the large conveyor that was already in place in the 1946 aerial, seen here on May 4, 1947 with the excursion train led by SP 1795, northeast view. Based on the Western Pacific Circular 167-E circa 1957, Hughes Co. was the only SP customer in Walnut Creek at that time.

L239-75-Insley J. Brain Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 75238sp, (Image 15 of 40)

This southeast view from the May 4, 1947 excursion train led by SP 1795 shows the southern portion of the Hughes Co. operation and provides an appreciation of the large hill to the east that in part dictated the railroad's path through town.

L239-80-Insley J. Brain Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 75241sp, (Image 16 of 40)

Engine SP 1792 was also around during the May 4, 1947 excursion, seen switching in this south view where the two long sidings and mainline coalesced. The railing or fence structure along the west side of the track in the distance marks the small overpass reviewed earlier.

L239-85-Insley J. Brain Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 53398sp171, (Image 17 of 40)

One final north view from the May 4, 1947 excursion train led by SP 1795 for a better look at the small overpass. This image was taken approximately at the level where Newell Ave. would cross decades later, and the small overpass would make it into the era of the Broadway Shopping Center as will be revealed shortly.

L239-90-Ralph Demoro Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 18 of 40)

On the topic of the shopping center, this west-oriented aerial from Feb. 7, 1952 shows the shopping center and the reconfigured, covered creeks in addition to the SP and Hughes Co. facilities.

L239-95-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 2477-17, (Image 19 of 40)

This detail from the previous aerial from 1952 confirms two points summarized by Dotson from a 1912 Board of Equalization diagram. First, there were two sidings of approximately 1600 feet in length, and two warehouses, the long 150 foot structure, blue arrow, and a 60-foot long structure, orange arrow. The white arrow points to a tank structure where a 20-foot long Union Ice Co. building had once stood.

L239-100-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 2477-17 Detail, (Image 20 of 40)

The north view in the left panel from south of Newell Ave. on Apr. 9, 1953 shows the SP route north through Walnut Creek. The left panel is a detail showing extension of the Hughes Co. operation to the east, with a second conveyor system to the level of the small overpass. There is now a temporary crossing of Newell Ave. toward the lower right.

L239-105-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3299-1 and Detail, (Image 21 of 40)

Next, four images from 1956 starting with this east view. By 1956, Hughes Co. had extended to the east, and a new building appears at Newell Ave. with its own siding with a five-letter sign that cannot be deciphered. The small overpass north of the latter is easy to spot in this image and those to follow. Ref: brk00013331_24a, BANC PIC 1993.004 CC-C19-87, Detail

L239-110-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 22 of 40)

Shown here is a west view of the SP Walnut Creek-Hughes Co operations in 1956. Ref: brk00013332_24a, BANC PIC 1993.004 CC-C19-84, Detail

L239-115-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 23 of 40)

This southwest view was taken just south of the SP bridge crossing the Walnut Creek in 1956 and is interesting in how much SP and SN right-of-ways are pictured. A detail follows. Ref: brk00013330_24a, BANC PIC 1993.004 CC-C19-91

L239-120-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 24 of 40)

A detail of the southwest view from 1956 provides a close look at the tank or loading structure next to the two warehouses in the north yard. In total, the views presented show the houses to the east closing in, and enough flat space to account for what would happen next. Ref: brk00013330_24a, BANC PIC 1993.004 CC-C19-91, Detail

L239-125-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 25 of 40)

When this north-oriented aerial was taken on Apr. 22, 1968, the Hughes operation still appeared to be as large as previously shown, but houses had now formed a demarcation line, marked by the orange line. Unfortunately, aerial photos between 1968 and the moving of the station-depot in 1972 could not be found. Ref: 3-169, Frame GS-VBJZ

L239-130-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, (Image 26 of 40)

The station-depot would remain opened until Feb. 13, 1972 according to Bender’s records, more than a decade past its contemporaries, with only the structure in Danville surviving along with it into the 1960s. This northeast view of the rear of the decaying building is undated.

L239-135-Courtesy Plannning Department, City of Walnut Creek, (Image 27 of 40)

Dudley Thickens made a special effort to document the state of the building on July 18, 1971, north view, left, southwest view, right. The former provides the details of the tank or reservoir that sat to the south of the warehouses. At this point, documentation addressing the presence or extent of the Hughes Co. operation has not been found.

L239-140-Dudley Thickens Photos, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 62331a-sp, (Image 28 of 40)

Meanwhile, the area to the east of the station was graded for construction of S. Broadway and the shift of the railroad right-of-way. These undated views, south, left, and east, right, were probably taken late 1971-early 1972.

L239-145-Courtesy Plannning Department, City of Walnut Creek, (Image 29 of 40)

Attorney John S. Herrington acquired and saved the station, and had it moved, left, temporarily for 6 months in June 1972 to where 800 S. Broadway now stands until a foundation could be made for its present location. Murdock dates the ground breaking for its transformation to a restaurant to Feb. 17, 1973, with restoration and addition of a circa 1900 Pennsylvania Railroad car, right.

L239-150-Courtesy Plannning Department, City of Walnut Creek, (Image 30 of 40)

Luck would have it that 16 year old photo historian Wayne Monger was taken to Capwell's department store in July 1972, and he took two images. The north view of the rear of a freight on the original right-of-way, left, shows the station in the distance on its temporary spot, the future 800 S. Broadway, with construction of the future 710 S. Broadway just behind it. SP 1228 leads the freight in the southwest view in the right panel.

L239-155-Wayne Monger Photos, Courtesy Wayne Monger, (Image 31 of 40)

Now turning to Dan Engstrom and his ride on the Concord Local in Feb. 1978, this first south view of the station and new siding was taken from the rear of the train he was riding.

L239-160-Dan Engstron Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 32 of 40)

Now on the same day in Feb. 1978, a south view on the initial trip to Danville to drop off lumber. Note how the north side of the station was modified with the fire escapes.

L239-165-Dan Engstron Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 33 of 40)

One last south view at the station and the outlines of the rail car now incorporated into the restaurant.

L239-170-Dan Engstron Photo, Courtesy Dan Engstrom, (Image 34 of 40)

These post-1972 southwest views show the origin of the double track section that was added, left, and just short of the southern section where the two tracks merged, right. The reddish building, 800 S. Broadway, was the Wells Fargo Building, the building name to the lower right. This is where the station sat for six months in 1972.

L239-175-Courtesy Plannning Department, City of Walnut Creek, (Image 35 of 40)

The north view on the left post-1972 shows the switch stand with the red top where the double-track section ended, and in the foreground where a small siding was added. The right panel shows the concrete loading ramp where the siding ended. Dotson, through Bender, notes that the ramp was built on Sept. 29, 1972.

L239-180-Courtesy Plannning Department, City of Walnut Creek, (Image 36 of 40)

One last southwest view from post-1972 showing how the track curved back at Newell Ave. to rejoin where the original track had been located, at this point in time the terminus of S. Broadway.

L239-185-Courtesy Plannning Department, City of Walnut Creek, (Image 37 of 40)

The northwest view from Apr. 25, 1980 shows the status of the relocated right-of-way at that time. This would be approximately a decade before the San Ramon Creek bypass was built, and the right-of-way south of Newell Ave. turned into S. Broadway. More on these subjects next time.

L239-190-Herrington-Olson Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 135605BARTD, (Image 38 of 40)

As of Apr. 25, 1980, this detail of the northwest view shows the track has been removed, except at the grade crossings at Mt. Diablo Blvd., upper right, and Newell Ave., lower left. Appreciation and acknowledgment to Andy Smith and Walnut Creek Planning for the photos and other key documentation, and to Dan Engstrom, John Harder, and Wayne Monger for the images.

L239-195-Herrington-Olson Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 135605BARTD, (Image 39 of 40)

Onward to the southern boundary of Walnut Creek as SP 1795 is set to leave in this south view from the May 4, 1947 Cal-Neva excursion. All Aboard!

L239-200-Robert Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 120658sp, (Image 40 of 40)