Berkeley Branch Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Berkeley Branch Railroad was a 3.84 miles (6.2 km) long branch line of the Central Pacific Railroad
(CPRR) from a junction in what later became Emeryville
called "Shellmound
" to what soon became downtown Berkeley
, adjacent to the new University of California
campus. The line opened on August 16, 1876. The initial terminal point was at Shattuck and University Avenues in Berkeley. In 1878, the line was extended north along Shattuck to Vine ("Berryman's Station") with the original terminus then becoming Berkeley Station
. The line connected at Shellmound with trains headed to the Oakland Pier
and ferries
to San Francisco. Beginning on January 22, 1882, Berkeley Branch trains proceeded directly to the pier.
The line was constructed in no small part because of heavy lobbying by prominent local citizens like Francis K. Shattuck
and people connected with the University of California.
The Berkeley Branch Railroad was used under lease by the Central Pacific until 1885 when it was leased by the CPRR's affiliate, the Southern Pacific Railroad
(SP). In 1888, the SP consolidated the Berkeley Branch Railroad into its subsidiary, the Northern Railway
. Although the corporate Berkeley Branch ceased to exist at that time, its trackage continued to be called the "Berkeley branch line". In 1911, the line was electrified for commuter service, becoming a part of the SP's East Bay Electric Lines
. When SP ceased running its electric commuter trains in July 1941, the trackage up to Ward Street and Shattuck Avenue remained in use for freight and was referred to as the "Berkeley Lead". Until the early 1960s, the SP Ward Street Freight Depot was the Berkeley terminal point. Beyond Ward, the tracks were turned over to the Key System
for its F-line commuter trains which ran until April 1958. The Key System had previously used its own tracks, shared with streetcars (until 1948), along the east side of Shattuck. The Berkeley Branch tracks had always run along the west side of Shattuck south of University Avenue.
The Berkeley Branch route began at Shellmound where it was connected to the main line of the CPRR and its successor, the SP. A switching tower existed there, the Shellmound Tower. The tracks then curved onto Stanford Avenue, then Adeline, then Shattuck into downtown Berkeley.
Operations of locomotives on the Berkeley Branch prior to the re-engineering of tracks which accompanied electrification required running "tender-first" in one direction as the Berkeley Branch was a single-track line having no way to turn the engines at the end of the line.
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...
(CPRR) from a junction in what later became Emeryville
Emeryville, California
Emeryville is a small city located in Alameda County, California, in the United States. It is located in a corridor between the cities of Berkeley and Oakland, extending to the shore of San Francisco Bay. Its proximity to San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, the University of California, Berkeley, and...
called "Shellmound
Emeryville Shellmound
The Emeryville Shellmound, in Emeryville, California, is a once-massive archaeological shell midden deposit...
" to what soon became downtown Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, adjacent to the new University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
campus. The line opened on August 16, 1876. The initial terminal point was at Shattuck and University Avenues in Berkeley. In 1878, the line was extended north along Shattuck to Vine ("Berryman's Station") with the original terminus then becoming Berkeley Station
Berkeley Station
Berkeley Station was the name of the principal railroad station in Berkeley, California from 1878 to 1911. It was located in what is now downtown Berkeley, on Shattuck Avenue between University Avenue and Center Street. The tract is today occupied by Shattuck Square and Berkeley Square...
. The line connected at Shellmound with trains headed to the Oakland Pier
Oakland Long Wharf
The Oakland Long Wharf, later known as the Oakland Pier or the SP Mole was a massive railroad wharf and ferry pier in Oakland, California. It was located at the foot of Seventh Street....
and ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
to San Francisco. Beginning on January 22, 1882, Berkeley Branch trains proceeded directly to the pier.
The line was constructed in no small part because of heavy lobbying by prominent local citizens like Francis K. Shattuck
Francis K. Shattuck
Francis Kittredge Shattuck was the most prominent civic leader in the early history of Berkeley, California, and played an important role in the creation and government of Alameda County as well. He also served as the fifth mayor of the city of Oakland in 1859, and represented the 4th District in...
and people connected with the University of California.
The Berkeley Branch Railroad was used under lease by the Central Pacific until 1885 when it was leased by the CPRR's affiliate, 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....
(SP). In 1888, the SP consolidated the Berkeley Branch Railroad into its subsidiary, the Northern Railway
Northern Railway (California)
The Northern Railway was a non-operating subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad during the 19th century, created primarily as a device to consolidate the management of a number of smaller subsidiary railroads....
. Although the corporate Berkeley Branch ceased to exist at that time, its trackage continued to be called the "Berkeley branch line". In 1911, the line was electrified for commuter service, becoming a part of the SP's East Bay Electric Lines
East Bay Electric Lines
The East Bay Electric Lines were a unit of the Southern Pacific Railroad which operated a system of electric interurban-type trains in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
. When SP ceased running its electric commuter trains in July 1941, the trackage up to Ward Street and Shattuck Avenue remained in use for freight and was referred to as the "Berkeley Lead". Until the early 1960s, the SP Ward Street Freight Depot was the Berkeley terminal point. Beyond Ward, the tracks were turned over to the Key System
Key System
The Key System was a privately owned company which provided mass transit in the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville, Piedmont, San Leandro, Richmond, Albany and El Cerrito in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area from 1903 until 1960, when the system was sold to a newly formed public...
for its F-line commuter trains which ran until April 1958. The Key System had previously used its own tracks, shared with streetcars (until 1948), along the east side of Shattuck. The Berkeley Branch tracks had always run along the west side of Shattuck south of University Avenue.
The Berkeley Branch route began at Shellmound where it was connected to the main line of the CPRR and its successor, the SP. A switching tower existed there, the Shellmound Tower. The tracks then curved onto Stanford Avenue, then Adeline, then Shattuck into downtown Berkeley.
Operations of locomotives on the Berkeley Branch prior to the re-engineering of tracks which accompanied electrification required running "tender-first" in one direction as the Berkeley Branch was a single-track line having no way to turn the engines at the end of the line.