East Bay Electric Lines - Lines

Lines

The East Bay Electric Lines were originally designated mainly by the names of their principal streets. They received numbers for Bay Bridge service. The most significant changes occurred as the result of the removal of the Harrison St. bridge between Oakland and Alameda in December, 1923, and the agreement with the Key System in March, 1933, with the Bay Bridge plans in view, to abandon duplicating lines, on the basis of which company first served each area.

The Oakland 7th Street Line carried the most passengers, with the Berkeley Shattuck Avenue Line being second. Patronage was at a maximum about 1920 and had declined by about half by the time of Bay Bridge operation.

The SP seemed to prefer to have groups of their lines terminate at the same place. Three lines originally terminated at Thousand Oaks in Berkeley, two at 14th and Franklin in Oakland, and two at High St S. in Alameda. The IER had two lines terminate at Thousand Oaks and two lines at West Alameda.

• Berkeley, California St Line

Thousand Oaks station at the intersection of Solano and Colusa Avenues (Colusa Wye) in Berkeley, via Colusa, Monterey, private right-of-way, California, Stanford to the upper platform of the Oakland 16th St Station, thence to Oakland Pier.

Terminated March, 1933.

• Berkeley, Shattuck Ave Line (originally Berkeley Branch Railroad steam line)

Thousand Oaks station (Colusa Wye) in Berkeley, via Solano, private right-of-way, Northbrae Tunnel, Sutter, Henry, Shattuck (stopping at Berkeley Station), Adeline, Stanford to the upper platform of the Oakland 16th St Station, thence to Oakland Pier.

Designated Line # 3 (local) and # 9 (express) for Bay Bridge service, re-routed direct to the bridge with no stop at Oakland 16th St Station. During Bay Bridge operation, the last train of the day (early morning) to leave San Francisco was extended from Thousand Oaks along the outer 9th St Line to Albany (San Pablo Ave) because there was no 9th St Line service at this time; this was the last IER service when terminated in July, 1941.

• Berkeley, 9th Street Line

Thousand Oaks station (Colusa Wye) in Berkeley, via Solano, Jackson, private right-of-way, 9th Street to private right-of-way to Stanford to the upper platform of the 16th Street Station in Oakland, thence to Oakland Pier.

Designated Line # 5 for Bay Bridge service, re-routed direct to the bridge with no stop at Oakland 16th St Station.

Terminated July, 1941.

• Berkeley, Ellsworth St Line

Ellsworth and Allston Way in Berkeley, via Ellsworth to Woolsey, Adeline, Stanford to the upper platform of the Oakland 16th St Station, thence to Oakland Pier. Line shortened one block to Bancroft Way in 1931.

Terminated March, 1933.

• Oakland, 7th St, Dutton Ave Line (originally San Francisco and Oakland Railroad steam line)

Dutton Ave and Bancroft in San Leandro, through the neighborhoods of Eastmont (with freight service to the Chevrolet plant that became Eastmont Town Center decades later), Havenscourt, and Seminary, via Bancroft, Almond St, then private right-of-way to 90th Ave, then Blanche St to 82nd Ave, then private right-of-way to Ritchie Ave, then Beck St to 73rd Ave, then private right-of-way to Church St, then Beck St to 64th Ave, then private right-of-way to Seminary Ave, then Bond St to private right-of-way leading through Melrose and along the SP main line tracks through Fruitvale to 7th St, then 7th to Oakland Pier. Originally, regular trains operated only as far as Havenscourt, with a Suburban Connection train meeting every other train and operating to Dutton Ave. Starting in February, 1924 all trains operated to Dutton Ave., but the last few cars of each outbound train were removed at Seminary Ave, then added to the front of the next inbound train. During rush hour an additional express train operated via Alameda Pier and the Lincoln Avenue line, stopping only at Park St N. (Alameda), crossing the Fruitvale Bridge, joining the 7th St line east of Fruitvale Station, and making limited stops to the end of the line.

Designated Line # 2 (local) and # 7 (express) for Bay Bridge service, and re-routed via the upper platform of the Oakland 16th St Station. Starting in March, 1939, all cars operated through to Dutton Ave.

Terminated March, 1941.

• Alameda, Encinal Ave Line (originally South Pacific Coast Railroad steam line)

High St South, via Encinal, Central, Main, private right-of-way to Alameda Pier. Outbound trains arriving at High St South became inbound Lincoln Ave trains.

Designated Line # 4 eastbound and # 6 westbound for Bay Bridge service, starting at West Alameda, via private right-of-way, Main, Central, Encinal, Fernside, private right-of-way, Fruitvale Bridge, private right-of-way alongside Fruitvale Ave to junction with 7th St line at Fruitvale Station.

Terminated January, 1941.

• Alameda, Lincoln Ave Line (originally San Francisco and Alameda Railroad steam line)

High St South, via Fernside, private right-of-way to Alameda Station at Park St, then Lincoln to 5th St, then private right-of-way to 4th St, Pacific, Main, private right-of-way to Alameda Pier. Outbound trains arriving at High St South became inbound Encinal Ave trains.

Designated Line # 6 eastbound and # 4 westbound for Bay Bridge service, starting at West Alameda, via private right-of-way to Main, then Pacific to 4th St, then private right-of-way to 5th St., Lincoln to Alameda Station, private right-of-way, Fruitvale Bridge, private right-of-way alongside Fruitvale Ave to junction with 7th St line at Fruitvale Station.

Terminated January, 1941.

• Alameda via Fruitvale (Horseshoe) Line (originally Central Pacific Railroad steam line)

Alameda Pier (or other Alameda location on Lincoln Ave line) to Oakland Pier via Fruitvale Bridge. An important purpose of this line was to give Alameda residents access to main-line trains at Oakland Pier.

Terminated January, 1939.

• Oakland, 18th Street Line

14th and Franklin Station, via Franklin to 20th, 20th (alternating with 21st) to West Street, then via diagonal private right-of-way to 18th Street, 18th to the upper platform of the Oakland 16th St Station, thence to Oakland Pier. In 1926, starting at Webster and 2nd St via Webster to 20th to Franklin and as before.

Terminated March, 1933.

• Oakland via Alameda Pier Line (originally South Pacific Coast Railroad steam line)

14th and Franklin Station, via Webster, Harrison St bridge, to private right-of-way to Alameda Pier.

Terminated December, 1923.

• Crosstown Streetcar Line

Oakland 16th St Station, via 18th St, then via diagonal private right-of-way to West St to 20th (alternating with 21st) to Franklin, through 14th and Franklin Station to Webster St to Harrison St bridge to private right-of-way to Mastick (Alameda) to 8th to Central to Encinal to Fernside to private right-of-way to Lincoln to Mastick and back. Alternate cars went around the Alameda loop in the opposite direction. Some service was to 14th and Franklin only. In December, 1923, all service was cut back to the 14th and Franklin station.

Terminated March, 1926.

• Mail trains

Starting in December, 1923, mail trains, usually consisting of one box motor, loaded sacked mail several times a day at Oakland Pier and delivered it to Oakland 16th St Station and to Berkeley Station. Mail from Oakland Pier was also delivered to Alameda Station, using trains of cars being sent from Oakland Pier to the Alameda Shops for maintenance and repair.

Terminated November, 1938.