The Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Line was the main line of the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway

Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway

The Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway was a streetcar company which operated between Bakersfield and Sumner , in California. Later, after Kern City was annexed by Bakersfield, the streetcar company operated completely in Bakersfield. The company was originally formed in 1887, under the name...

. It operated between the Santa Fe Bakersfield Station

Bakersfield (Amtrak station)

The Bakersfield Amtrak Station is a train station in Bakersfield, California. It is the southern terminus of Amtrak's San Joaquin route operated by Amtrak California, with Thruway Motorcoach service continuing to Amtrak stations and bus stops throughout Southern California and Nevada...

 and the Southern Pacific Bakersfield Station

Bakersfield (Southern Pacific station)

The Bakersfield Southern Pacific Station in Bakersfield, California, was the train station used by the Southern Pacific Railroad. The station opened in June 27, 1889 in the town of Sumner . The station was a mixture of: Richardsonian Romanesque, Spanish Colonial Revival, and Moderne styles...

 (originally the Sumner

East Bakersfield

East Bakersfield is a region in Bakersfield, California directly east of downtown. The region was the former town of Sumner, which was later incorporated and renamed Kern City. It is primarily a mixture of residential and commercial developments...

 Station and later the Kern City

East Bakersfield

East Bakersfield is a region in Bakersfield, California directly east of downtown. The region was the former town of Sumner, which was later incorporated and renamed Kern City. It is primarily a mixture of residential and commercial developments...

 Station). It was the first line in the system, constructed in 1888. It was also the last line to close in the system, in 1942.

History

The line was originally single track, constructed of 16-pound rails (previously used in a mine). The cars used were horse drawn. In 1900, the line was electrified and upgraded. The rails were replaced with 36-pound rails and a passing section was added at 19th Street and Chester Avenue. The car barn was constructed at 19th Street and Union Avenue. In 1903, four additional lines were added. This resulted in a large number of switches being added, including the T-crossing at 19th Street and Chester Avenue.

Between 1911 and 1912, the line was again upgraded. The track was replaced with 87-pound rails. The entire length of the line was double tracked. In addition, the car barn was moved to a location on 19th Street and Oak Street (which was on the West 19th Street Line). In 1915, feeder bus service started at both the Santa Fe Bakersfield Station and Southern Pacific Bakersfield Station. They would connect the streetcar system with growing areas both in the north and south of town.

In 1920, a fire burned the car barn on Oak Street down. It was rebuilt at its original location on Union Avenue. In 1930, street cars were running every 15 minutes. However, popularity of the line began to diminish. In 1942, the line was removed and converted to buses. It was combined with one of the existing bus lines which ran from the Southern Pacific Bakersfield Station.

Streetcar

• F Street and H Street Loop
  F Street and H Street Loop (Bakersfield and Kern Electric)
  The F Street and H Street Loop was a line of the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway. It originally operated as a loop on F Street and H Street, between 19th Street and California Avenue. The line was constructed in 1903, as part of the original expansion plan. The exact date the line was closed,...
  
  
• North Chester Line
  North Chester Line (Bakersfield and Kern Electric)
  The North Chester Line was a line of the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway. The route originated at the intersection of 19th Street and Chester Avenue, and traveled north on Chester. For most of its life, the line was combined with the West 19th Street Line. The line was constructed in 1903, as...
  
  
• South Chester Line
  South Chester Line (Bakersfield and Kern Electric)
  The South Chester Line was a line of the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway. The route originated at the intersection of 19th Street and Chester Avenue, and traveled south on Chester. At the southern end of the line, there was a loop around 8th Street, N Street, and 11th Street. The line was...
  
  
• West 19th Street Line
  West 19th Street Line (Bakersfield and Kern Electric)
  The West 19th Street Line was a line of the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway. The route originated at the intersection of 19th Street and F Street, and traveled west on 19th Street. It would turn south on Oak Street and terminate at Truxtun Avenue. For most of its life, the line was combined...
  
  

Note: all service provided by the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway

Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway

The Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway was a streetcar company which operated between Bakersfield and Sumner , in California. Later, after Kern City was annexed by Bakersfield, the streetcar company operated completely in Bakersfield. The company was originally formed in 1887, under the name...

Intercity rail

• Santa Fe Bakersfield Station
  Bakersfield (Amtrak station)
  The Bakersfield Amtrak Station is a train station in Bakersfield, California. It is the southern terminus of Amtrak's San Joaquin route operated by Amtrak California, with Thruway Motorcoach service continuing to Amtrak stations and bus stops throughout Southern California and Nevada...
  
   - with connections to Santa Fe
  Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
  The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
  
   express routes serving the San Joaquin Valley
  San Joaquin Valley
  The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
  
  .
• Southern Pacific Bakersfield Station
  Bakersfield (Southern Pacific station)
  The Bakersfield Southern Pacific Station in Bakersfield, California, was the train station used by the Southern Pacific Railroad. The station opened in June 27, 1889 in the town of Sumner . The station was a mixture of: Richardsonian Romanesque, Spanish Colonial Revival, and Moderne styles...
  
   - with connections to Southern Pacific express routes serving 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...
  
  .

Bus service

• East Niles Bus Line - Starting at the Southern Pacific Bakersfield Station and travel east on Niles Street to Brown Street.
• North Baker Bus Line - Starting at the Southern Pacific Bakersfield Station and travel north on Bakers Street to the waterworks at Garces Street.
• Westpark Bus Line - Starting at the Santa Fe Bakersfield Station and serve the areas to the southwest.

Note: all service provided by the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway

Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway

The Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway was a streetcar company which operated between Bakersfield and Sumner , in California. Later, after Kern City was annexed by Bakersfield, the streetcar company operated completely in Bakersfield. The company was originally formed in 1887, under the name...