Alameda Terminal
Encyclopedia
Alameda Terminal was a railroad station located in Alameda
, California
on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay
.
It was built in 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad
as part of the First Transcontinental Railroad
project and was designated the western terminus of the line.
The Pacific Railroad Act passed by the United States Congress
in 1862 authorized construction of a transcontinental railroad and telegraph line which was to connect the Central Pacific in the west with the Union Pacific Railroad
in the east. The first construction activity took the line east from Sacramento
. Subsequently the line was opened from Sacramento to San Jose
. During June 1869, construction was started near Niles (now part of Fremont
), and by August a temporary connection had been made at San Leandro
with the San Francisco and Alameda Railroad. On September 6, 1869, the first Central Pacific
train reached San Francisco Bay
at Alameda Terminal.
Following the 1885 leasing of the Central Pacific by the Southern Pacific Railroad
, the Alameda Terminal became an important passenger and freight station for the SP system.
The site of the building is now a California Historical Landmark
(#440) and is located within Naval Air Station Alameda
.
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
.
It was built in 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
as part of the First Transcontinental Railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
project and was designated the western terminus of the line.
The Pacific Railroad Act passed by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 1862 authorized construction of a transcontinental railroad and telegraph line which was to connect the Central Pacific in the west with the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
in the east. The first construction activity took the line east from Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. Subsequently the line was opened from Sacramento to San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. During June 1869, construction was started near Niles (now part of Fremont
Fremont, California
Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California. It was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs...
), and by August a temporary connection had been made at San Leandro
San Leandro, California
San Leandro is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is considered a suburb of Oakland and San Francisco. The population was 84,950 as of 2010 census. The climate of the city is mild throughout the year.-Geography and water resources:...
with the San Francisco and Alameda Railroad. On September 6, 1869, the first Central Pacific
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
train reached San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
at Alameda Terminal.
Following the 1885 leasing of the Central Pacific by the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
, the Alameda Terminal became an important passenger and freight station for the SP system.
The site of the building is now a California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
(#440) and is located within Naval Air Station Alameda
Naval Air Station Alameda
Naval Air Station Alameda was a United States Navy Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, on San Francisco Bay.NAS Alameda had two runways: 07-25 and 13-31...
.