San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose Consolidated Railway -- October 13, 2017

Official Guide, 1910

The San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose Consolidated Railway used the symbol of a key.  The teeth were the ferry pier and the loops of the handle represented the major routes, to Berkeley, Piedmont and Oakland.  Itlater changed its name to Key System.

The ad is from the 1910 The Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Cuba, National Railway Publication Company.

Fast Electric Trains -- June 13, 2014

This ad, from the 30-September-1913 San Francisco Call, gives the schedule of the interurban Oakland, Antioch and Eastern Railroad, which was a predecessor of the Sacramento Northern.  Passengers would ride Key System ferries from San Francisco and board Oakland, Antioch and Eastern on the Key Pier.  The trains would follow Key tracks to 40th and San Pablo.  Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

Here is another Oakland, Antioch and Eastern ad:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2013/04/solano-city-special-april-12-2013.html

Solano City Special -- April 12, 2013

This ad, from the 08-September-1913 San Francisco Call, features an electric train of the Oakland, Antioch and Eastern Railroad, which was a predecessor of the Sacramento Northern.  Special trains from San Francisco hauled potential farmers to Solano County to look at real estate.  The photo appears to have been taken on the Key System's pier.  Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version. 

East Bay Terminal Being Demolished -- October 30, 2010

The ramp across Fremont Street is now an open air structure and they are tearing down the trainshed. I was surprised that the street and the sidewalk were open last week while the structure above Fremont was being demolished. I took this photo on 28-October-2010.

The Rangers beat the Giants 4-2. I'm not so happy, but the Giants almost came back. Tomorrow they'll do better.

East Bay Terminal Ramps Demolished -- August 26, 2010

I went for a walk down Howard Street today and I thought the block between Beale and Main looked awfully bright. Then I noticed that heavy equipment was working in the corner of the block where the Temporary Transbay Terminal sits. Then I realized that the ramp across the street was gone. This is the end on the north side, leading towards the East Bay Terminal. I wonder if those are ends of tracks on the green beams. Maybe the tracks were just paved over when the Key System trains were abandoned.

It was much cooler today. I'm happy.

East Bay Terminal Last Days -- August 6, 2010

Today was the last work day for the East Bay Terminal, which opened in 1939 to serve the electric trains of the Key System, Southern Pacific's Interurban Electric Railway, and the interurban Sacramento Northern. I took this photo of the tower on 07-July-2010. The tower operator used the N-X (Enter-Exit) interlocking system to control the track switches for trains of the three companies.

Alley #9 -- July 11, 2010

Looking west on Natoma from First Street, along the back of the East Bay Terminal. Signs say that the move to the temporary terminal will take place on 07-August. The curving ramp in the distance was built to take Key System, Interurban Electric Railway, and Sacramento Northern suburban and interurban trains to Rincon Hill and the Bay Bridge. Now it carries AC Transit, Greyhound, and Muni 108-Treasure Island buses.

We have family visiting from out of town. We had a nice dinner last night.

Hark the Herald #4 -- February 13, 2010

I like railroad heralds, and I especially like the Key System's logo. I took this photo at Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista Junction, showing the logo on the side of car 987, which was built in the Key's Emeryville Shops. I took the photo in October, 2009.

Western Railway Museum -- October 17, 2009

Today we visited the Western Railway Museum at Rio Vista Junction (http://www.wrm.org/), which was having its annual pumpkin patch fund raiser. There were lots of happy families. I took the photo of Key System bridge unit 187, which we rode out to the pumpkin patch. The other bridge unit was also running. It was not too warm and the traffic was moderate.


I got to drive the S-curve on the Bay Bridge for the first time. I can see where it would cause problems for people who drive too fast and don't pay attention.

Today it is twenty years since the Loma Prieta earthquake. If I hadn't stayed late to try to solve a bug in a program I was writing, I would have been standing on the BART platform when the lights went out and plunged it into Stygian darkness.