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Pacific Coast Railway Central California’s Premier Narrow Gauge The w/ DJ
Central Californias Premier Narrow Gauge The Pacific Coast Railway by Kenneth E. Westcott and Curtiss H. Johnson
Hard cover with dust jacket
Copyright 1998 THIRD PRINTING 2007
296 pages
Indexed
THE PACIFIC COAST RAILWAY -Central California's Premier Narrow Gauge
This book tells the story of the 3-foot gauge Pacific Coast Railway. For some 66 years this line ran from the deep water harbor at Port Harford (later Port San Luis) on the Central California coast, north through San Luis Obispo, and then south to the sleepy little town of Los Olivos. The 76-mile-long railway brought people and business to the area, and hauled many products to the wharf. From Port Harford they steamed to market on ships belonging to the PC's parent - the Pacific Coast Company.
Starting in 1876, the line prospered into the 1920s. Then competition from standard gauge lines, and the country's increasing reliance on cars and trucks began to strip away its traffic. As revenues went down, passenger runs were discontinued, and freight trains became infrequent. The 1930s saw frequent use of the railway's old-fashioned equipment in movies, and noted fan trips occured in 1937 and 1940.
For model railroaders, the Pacific Coast Railway is a dream line. Steamships docked at its wharf near an ornate Victorian hotel. An electrified branch connected beet fields to a sugar factory, with an interurban car providing passenger service between Santa Maria and Guadalupe. Other branches led to gravel pits and oil fields. The mainline continued south through rolling hills studded with oak trees, terminating in the tiny yard at Los Olivos.
Modelers will find plans and photos of many of the PC's structures, including almost all of those in the San Luis Obispo yard. They will also find plans and photos of most of the line's cars and locomotives, including homemade electrics, a gasoline-powered locomotive, and a rail truck. There are diagrams of each turnout and line-side structure, and a milepost list with every bridge, fence, and siding. This book should interest all who love railroads, and all friends of the Central California Coast, and be a continuing source of inspiration for model railroaders everywhere.
KENNETH E. WESTCOTT
Kenneth E. Westcott (left in photo above) was born in Los Angeles and (except for a trip to the South Pacific with the U.S. Army Infantry during World War II) has lived in Southern California all his life. In junior high school, Ken became interested in the printing trade. Following the war, he chose printing as a career, and by the time he retired, he owned his own print shop.
After experimenting with tinplate trains as a child, Ken became a model railroader -a hobby he still enjoys. Ken was 16 in 1941 when he came upon the remains of the Pacific Coast Railway. That visit, and subsequent ones, inspired his continuing fascination with the little narrow gauge line. Writing this book was triggered by a chance meeting in 1979 with co-author Curt Johnson.
CURTISS H. JOHNSON
Curtiss H. Johnson (right in photo above) was born in Fontana, California. An "Air Force brat," by the time he reached high school Curt had lived in six states and one foreign country - Germany. He received a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1972 from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and is now a practicing architect in Glendale, California.
Besides his work as an architect, Curt has participated in archaeological projects in California; Baja California, in Mexico; and Easter Island and Tahiti in Polynesia.
It was during his college days in San Luis Obispo that Curt first became acquainted with the remnants of the Pacific Coast Railway. His research into its history eventually led to the meeting with Ken Westcott that resulted in this book.
Table of Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments vi
Introduction xiii
CHAPTER 1 - THE STORY1
Mainline to Los Olivos2
Branching Out24
From the Turbulent Twenties to Today60
CHAPTER 2 - OVER THE LINE85
Port San Luis to San Luis Obispo86
The San Luis Obispo Yard106
PC/SP Junction to Hadley Tower137
Hadley to Nipomo142
Nipomo to Santa Maria153
Santa Maria157
Electric Lines - Santa Maria to Guadalupe including the Betteravia Branch162
Santa Maria to Suey Junction172
The Sisquoc Branch173
The Palmer Branch176
Suey Junction to Orcutt Including the Old Steam Branch178
Orcutt to Careaga180
Careaga to Los Alamos186
Los Alamos to Los Olivos189
CHAPTER 3 - MOTIVE POWER200
Steam Locomotives200
Electric Equipment226
Internal Combustion Equipment232
CHAPTER 4 - ROLLING STOCK240
Passenger Cars243
Boxcars250
Cabooses259
Flatcars 263
Gondolas266
Stock Cars270
Tank Cars272
Maintenance-of-Way Equipment275
Appendix A: Equipment and Fixtures in California - 1998282
Appendix B: Length of the Electrified Track283
References285
Index289
List of Maps and Track Plans
The Pacific Coast Railway in 1882 xivSummit Siding 152California's Central Coast 2Nipomo in 1916 154John Harford's Horse-Powered Railway 5Santa Maria in 1916 157The 1883 Reconstruction at Port Harford 14Branches to Guadalupe and Sisquoc 162The Possible Extension in 1886 16
The Pacific Coast Railway in 1887 18Guadalupe Branch (including the Betteravia Branch):
San Luis Obispo Bay circa 1892 20Betteravia Junction 167
Map from an 1895 PC Railway Timetable 32Betteravia in 1916 167The Morros in Relation to the PC Railway 33Holt Siding 171The Port San Luis Wharf in 1916 48Guadalupe in 1916 171Branches of the Pacific Coast Railway 49The SP and Santa Maria Valley Railroads 52Sisquoc Branch (including the Palmer Branch):
Santa Maria Oil Fields circa 1912 The Pacific Coast Railway in 1916 The Mainline Elevation Profile 54 84 85
Suey Junction Suey Siding Garey Siding 172 174 174
Mainline - Port San Luis to Santa Maria:Sisquoc in 1916 175
Port San Luis circa 1916 87Palmer 176
Avila and Vicinity in 1916 Avila and Vicinity circa 1934 99 99Mainline - Union to Los Olivos:
Union 178
Hot Springs 102Miles Spur 102Lakeview Siding 179Dougherty Spur 103Orcutt in 1916 180Bishop Peak Spur 103Graciosa Siding 183Bishop Peak Spur Incline 104Divide Siding 184San Luis Obispo Yard circa 1940 107Bicknell Siding 184Pacific Coast Coal Co. Yard 135Harris Siding 184Overview - San Luis Obispo Track 136Careaga Siding 184PC/SP Junction circa 1940 136Orena "Spur" 186Steele's Siding 140Los Alamos in 1916 187Bitumina 141Wigmore Siding 190The PC/SP Crossing at Hadley in 1916 145Zaca Siding 191Verde Siding 147Los Olivos in 1916 192Arroyo Grande in 1916 148Los Olivos circa 1934 193
Berros Siding 152Electrified Track of the Pacific Coast Railway 283
List of Tables
1-1. Comparative Statement of4-1. Summary of Rolling Stock 242
Tonnage Forwarded 294-2. Passenger Cars before the 1892 Fire 2431-2. Equipment in 1883 and 1894 304-3. Passenger Cars after the 1892 Fire 2431-3. The Pacific Coast Railway in 1894:4-4. Boxcars 250Miles of Track 304-5. Flatcars 2643-1. Roster of Steam Locomotives 2034-6. Gondolas 2663-2. Colors and Lettering of4-7. Tank Cars 273Baldwins as Delivered 2064-8. Maintenance-of-Way Equipment 2753-3. Roster of Electric Equipment 226Appendix A. Equipment and Fixtures in3-4. Roster of Internal Combustion Equipment....232California - 1998 282
List of Plans
STRUCTURESROLLING STOCK
Port Harford/Port San LuisPassenger Cars
Warehouse 90-91CoachesHotel Marre 92#105 244AvilaCombination CarsBridge Over San Luis Obispo Creek97#106 245San Luis ObispoBaggage/MailSection House 108#200 246Coach Shed 109#201 247Grain Warehouse 111Combination CarsSmall Warehouse 112-113#300 248Sand House 115#301 249Oil Tank and Oil Column 116Freight CarsWater Tank 117BoxcarsRoundhouse 119-120#46 251Gallows Frame Turntable 123#708 252Paint Shop 125#804 254Machine Shop 126-128#1236 255Roundhouse Complex Plot Plan 130#1516 257Hand Car House 131CaboosesDepot 132-133#2 260Hadley#3 262A Derail 145FlatcarsInterlocking Tower 146#751 264Santa Maria#1519 265Depot 158GondolasWater Tank 161#1075 266Los Olivos#1127 267Depot 194-195#1169 267#1221 268
MOTIVE POWER#1411 268
Steam Locomotives#1443 269
4-4.0's #3 208Stock Cars #683 2702-6.0'sTank Cars#5 209#923 273#101 211Maintenance-of-Way2-8-0's#209 276#105 214#106 216#109 2214.6-0's#110 222Electric Equipment #E-1 in 1912 227#E-1 in 1927 228#E-2 in 1909 229#E-2 in 1927 229#E-3 in 1912 230Internal Combustion #120 234#4000 236
Introduction
California's Pacific Coast Railway was in many ways typical of the numerous narrow gauge railroads built in the U.S. in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Like many of them it carried both passengers and freight, and was troubled by fires and washouts - however, it also displayed some unusual features.
For example, one end of this 3-foot gauge railroad was rooted in agricultural land, while the other end extended right out into San Luis Obispo Bay on the Pacific Ocean, providing an outlet for the region's products, and an entry for much needed imports.
Another feature was the PC's electrified "streetcar branch" - one of the very few 3-foot gauge electric lines in the U.S. And, for a railroad only 76 miles long, the PC also had an unusually large and varied stable of equipment. Over the years, the 3-foot gauge line operated 14 steam locomotives, one gasoline-powered locomotive, two electric locomotives, and an electric interurban car. Its rolling stock amounted to over 500 freight and passenger cars.
Unlike most of the general purpose narrow gauge railroads in the U.S., the PC survived well into the twentieth century. One of the reasons may have been that it was part of a conglomerate - a corporation that also owned the ships carrying freight and passengers to and from the railroad's wharf, as well as lumber yards along the line. This parent company was the subject of Gerald M. Best's 1964 book Ships and Narrow Gauge Rails - The Story of the Pacific Coast Company.
In spite of this railroad's many unusual features, readers may question the subtitle of this book. Was the PC Railway truly "Central California's Premier Narrow Gauge"? Webster gives the word "premier" two definitions - to be "premier," one can be first in importance, or first in time. We maintain that the PC was certainly the most important narrow gauge in the region, and narrowly missed being the earliest.
If we define Central California as the area between Santa Barbara on the south and San Francisco on the north, nine of the 24 California common carriers listed in George W. Hilton's American Narrow Gauge Rail(1990) were located in this region.
The PC was not the earliest of these to run steam trains. The Monterey & Salinas Valley Railway has that honor, having begun service in September of 1874 - almost two years before the PC's predecessor, the San Luis Obispo & Santa Maria Valley Railroad steamed into San Luis Obispo from Port Harford in August 1876. The Santa Cruz Railroad also began operating in 1874. But - the very first predecessor of the PC, John Harford's horse-drawn railroad was in operation by September of 1873, and thus pre-dated them both.
What about importance? In terms of miles of track, and length of service, the PC surpassed all the other Central California narrow gauge common carriers. For example, the Monterey & Salinas Valley was less than 20 miles long - unprofitable from the beginning, this line was abandoned by 1880. The Santa Cruz Railroad had only 21.5 miles of track, and was primarily a lumber carrier. It soon had financial problems, was sold to the Southern Pacific, and standard-gauged.
The South Pacific Coast Railroad is another contender for premier narrow gauge of the region. It was chartered in 1876, and its 75.3 miles of track compare favorably with the 76-mile mainline of the PC. However, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake hastened the end of this troubled line, and the last narrow gauge run was about 1908.
Begun in 1899, the Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite Valleys Railway is also a contender - its mainline eventually reached 70 miles - and it lasted until 1960 as the West Side Lumber Co. However, although it was officially a common carrier, this line hauled nothing but lumber after 1910.
The four other Central California narrow gauges were all relatively short in both trackage and life span. The Bodie & Benton was organized as the Bodie Railway and Lumber Co. in 1881. This 32-mile-long line mainly carried lumber to the mining town of Bodie; it essentially ceased operations by 1890, and was abandoned in 1917. The 40-mile-long San Joaquin & Sierra Nevada Railroad began in 1882, but its track was all abandoned or standard gauged by 1904. The 41.6-mile-long Pajaro Valley Consolidated Railroad was incorporated in 1890 and abandoned in 1928. The tiny Patterson & Western Railroad began operations in 1916, primarily carried ore, and lasted only until 1920.
This leaves the Pacific Coast Railway. Although it was sometimes maligned with the derisive nickname "Poorly Constructed" by those who saw it only near its end, the line was instrumental in the development of the area it served, and it endured for some 66 years before succumbing to "progress." The line remained a common carrier in practice (not just in name) the whole time, carrying both passengers and freight, and helping open this isolated part of California to the rest of the world. While the PC only narrowly had the longest mainline of the nine narrow gauges in the region, its trackage - including mainline and branches - was 116 miles. Because of its early inception, miles of track, and long-term service, we truly believe that the Pacific Coast Railway was Central California's Premier Narrow Gauge.
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