Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad

Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad was a 600 volt DC electric interurban railway[1] in Sonoma County, California, United States. It operated between the cities of Petaluma, Sebastopol, Forestville, and Santa Rosa. Company-owned steamboats provided service between Petaluma and San Francisco.

Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad
The Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railroad Station at Railroad Square, Santa Rosa
Overview
Statusdismantled
LocaleSonoma County, California
Service
Typeinterurban
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 600 V DC
Route map

 MacDonald
23.4 mi
37.7 km
 Santa Rosa
Forestville
23.8 mi
38.3 km
Battle of
Sebastopol Road
Graton
20.9 mi
33.6 km
22.6 mi
36.4 km
 Stop 45
Powerhouse
20.2 mi
32.5 km
 Leddy
16.7 mi
26.9 km
 Sebastopol
14.9 mi
24 km
 Alten
13.2 mi
21.2 km
 Cunningham
11.3 mi
18.2 km
 Turner
10.9 mi
17.5 km
 Orchard
9.6 mi
15.4 km
 Quarry
9.4 mi
15.1 km
 Roblar
Two Rock
10.4 mi
16.7 km
7.9 mi
12.7 km
 Stony Point
Cherry
7.7 mi
12.4 km
5.1 mi
8.2 km
 Liberty
3.6 mi
5.8 km
 Denman
0 mi
0 km
 Petaluma
San Francisco

Portions of the original right-of-way have been acquired by Sonoma County government for the West County Trail and Joe Rodota Trail, managed by the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department.[2] A portion of the original right-of-way can be found along the waterfront in Petaluma. Efforts have been made by volunteers to re-activate this line to become a trolley line once again.[3]

History

On June 20, 1903, the Santa Rosa Street Railway, the Union Street Railway of Santa Rosa, the Petaluma Street Railroad, and the Central Street Railway were consolidated to form the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway. The four consolidated horse car lines built between 1888 and 1891 were to be replaced by an electric railroad operated in conjunction with the Steamer Gold which had been providing ferry service between Petaluma and San Francisco since 1883. A first-spike ceremony was held on April 5, 1904, at the Steamer Gold landing at the foot of Copeland Street. The electric line was completed to Sebastopol in October, and extended along Sebastopol road toward the western edge of Santa Rosa.[4]

The construction crew needed to cross the north–south steam railroad to reach downtown Santa Rosa. The steam railroad had operated a parallel branch line from Santa Rosa to Sebastopol since 1890, and would not consent to the crossing allowing a new competitor to offer direct service downtown. By November the steam railroad stationed guards at the proposed crossing site to prevent cutting of its rails. Trolley service began to the west side of the crossing on December 1, 1904. Rails were laid on the east side of the steam railroad tracks, and an electric wire was strung overhead in preparation for installing the crossing. A threatened boycott of the steam railroad by 92 Santa Rosa merchants had no effect.[4]

The Battle of Sebastopol Road
See also: Frog war

A crossing was prefabricated in Sebastopol and loaded on a flat car pushed to the crossing location, but when the interurban crew arrived to install the crossing on January 3, 1905, they found a pair of steam locomotives on either side of the crossing fitted with steam nozzles to spray hot water on anyone approaching the crossing site. The interurban construction crew retreated.

The following day the regularly scheduled interurban car #57 arrived secretly carrying the construction crew. Before the steam railway could respond, the crew laid a temporary track across and over the steam rails and had a team of horses pull trolley #57 across to serve downtown Santa Rosa. The steam railroad then obtained a temporary injunction from a San Francisco judge prohibiting installation of the crossing. For a few weeks, passengers from Sebastopol were required to depart their arriving trolley and walk over the steam railroad to reboard trolley #57 for the remainder of the trip.

The injunction was dissolved in late February and the interurban construction crew assembled again to install the crossing on March 1, 1905. The steam railroad appeared to be unaware of the status of their injunction, and so their locomotives again discouraged the construction crew with hot water. A special steam railroad train arrived with 150 San Francisco waterfront thugs hired to discourage the interurban crew. The steam railroad also had a flat car loaded with gravel on hand for their men to fill in the excavation as soon as the interurban crew tried to dig out the crossing site. Tempers flared and several hundred Santa Rosa citizens assembled to watch the entertainment. Santa Rosa police ultimately restored order, and the crossing was installed that evening.[5][6]

Expansion
Restored P&SR Car at the Western Railway Museum

With the main line from Petaluma to Santa Rosa in operation, a branch line extended service from Sebastopol to Forestville on July 15, 1905. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake cancelled plans for additional extensions to Tomales, Dillon Beach, Geyserville, Healdsburg, Sonoma, Napa, and a closer San Francisco ferry connection on Point Pedro near San Rafael; and completion of a branch line from Liberty to Two Rock was delayed until July 28, 1913. Economic recovery from the quake allowed purchase of the steamer Resolute in 1912, and it was rebuilt as Petaluma to allow two daily ferry connections in 1914. Steamer Gold burned on November 29, 1920, but was replaced by the steamer Fort Bragg (renamed Gold).[4]

Decline

Passenger service on the Two Rock branch was discontinued on September 30, 1925, after monthly passenger revenues on the branch dropped from $400 to $27.[4] A new passenger and freight depot was built in Santa Rosa in 1927.[7] The Santa Rosa line was dismantled from McDonald Avenue to Olive Street in 1931.[8] The Petaluma & Santa Rosa was purchased by Northwestern Pacific Railroad (NWP) in 1932 and all trolley passenger service ended on July 1 of that year. Ferry passenger service was discontinued in 1935, but both ferries continued to carry freight until Gold was scrapped in 1940. Petaluma made the last ferry trip on August 24, 1950.[4] The Santa Rosa line was dismantled from Olive Street to Stop 45 junction with the NWP Sebastopol branch in 1946 and from Stop 45 to Leddy junction with the NWP branch in 1947.[9] Electric operation ended when Motor #1008 brought a carload of horses to Liberty on January 24, 1947. Diesel locomotives replaced the electric motors which were burned at Sacramento on March 15, 1947.[4] The Two Rock branch was dismantled in 1952, and the Forestville line was shortened by 1-mile (1.6 km) to Ross in 1961. Southern Pacific Railroad diesel locomotives replaced the last Petaluma and Santa Rosa diesel in 1966. The Forestville line was shortened by another mile to the Sebastopol Apple Growers' Union (SAGU) plant in 1969. Eight miles of track were abandoned between Denman and Turner in 1973, and four more miles of track were abandoned between Turner and Alten in 1978. Sonoma County supervisors directed the parks department to acquire portions of the abandoned right-of-way as the line from Santa Rosa to Sebastopol was abandoned between 1984 and 1989. NWP continued using the southern end of the line to serve local industries in Petaluma.[10]

Route
Petaluma & Santa Rosa route with Northwestern Pacific Railroad and U.S. Route 101 shown for reference.

From south to north:

  • Milepost 0 – Petaluma
  • Milepost 3.6 – Denman
  • Milepost 5.1 – Liberty – branch west to: Cherry (MP 7.7) and Two Rock (MP 10.4)
  • Milepost 7.9 – Stony Point
  • Milepost 9.4 – Roblar
  • Milepost 9.6 – Quarry
  • Milepost 10.9 – Orchard
  • Milepost 11.3 – Turner
  • Milepost 13.2 – Cunningham
  • Milepost 14.9 – Alten
  • Milepost 16.7 – Sebastopol – branch east to: Leddy (MP 20.2), Stop 45 (MP 22.6), and Santa Rosa (MP 23.4)
  • Milepost 20.9 – Graton
  • Milepost 23.8 – Forestville

Roster of passenger rolling stock
Number Builder Type Date Length Notes
51 American Car Company Motor 1904 47 ft 9 in retired 1933[11][12]
53 American Car Company Motor 1904 47 ft 9 in retired 1933[13][14]
55 American Car Company Motor 1904 47 ft 9 in became inspection car in 1932 retired 1941[15][16]
57 American Car Company Motor 1904 47 ft 9 in became inspection car in 1932 retired 1941[17][18]
59 W. L. Holman Car Company Motor 1904 44 ft retired 1932[19]
61 W. L. Holman Car Company Motor 1904 44 ft retired 1932[20]
63 W. L. Holman Car Company Motor 1904 44 ft retired 1932 preserved Western Railway Museum[21]
65 W. L. Holman Car Company Motor 1904 44 ft retired 1932[22]
67 W. L. Holman Car Company Motor 1904 44 ft retired 1932[12][23]
69 W. L. Holman Car Company Motor 1904 44 ft converted to express trailer in 1919 retired 1932[16][24]
71 W. L. Holman Car Company Trailer 1905 44 ft retired 1929
73 W. L. Holman Car Company Trailer 1905 44 ft retired 1929
01 W. L. Holman Car Company Express Trailer 1916 built as #8 express motor demotorized 1917 designated express trailer 1920 retired 1933[21][25]

Roster of freight motors
Number Builder Type Date Works Number Notes
8 W. L. Holman Car Company Express Motor 1916 demotorized as line car #4 in 1917 redesignated express trailer #01 in 1920[26]
100 Baldwin Locomotive Works Motor 1912 leased from Southern Pacific Railroad Company 1933–1941[25][27]
502 American Car Company Motor 1917 purchased from Kansas City – Kays Valley Railroad 1920 retired 1946[28][29]
504 Ocean Shore Railroad Motor 1917 purchased from Ocean Shore Railroad 1921 retired 1947[30][31]
506 Petaluma & Santa Rosa RR Motor 1923 built from Sacramento Northern Railroad frame #1000 with motors from Ocean Shore Railroad retired 1947[29][32]
1002 W. L. Holman Car Company Motor 1904 rebuilt as steeple cab in 1920 and as cabless multiple unit slave #1004B in 1928 retired 1947
1004 W. L. Holman Car Company Motor 1904 rebuilt as steeple cab in 1920 and renumbered 1004A with multiple unit controls in 1928 retired 1947[33][34]
1006 W. L. Holman Car Company Motor 1904 rebuilt as steeple cab in 1920 and as cabless multiple unit slave #1008B in 1929 retired 1947[33]
1008 W. L. Holman Car Company Motor 1904 rebuilt as steeple cab in 1920 and renumbered #1008A with multiple unit controls in 1929 retired 1947[33][34]
1010 Petaluma & Santa Rosa R.R. Motor 1917 Flat car rebuilt with motors from Express Motor #8 sold to City of San Francisco 1921 repurchased 1930 retired 1947[33][34]
1 General Electric GE 44-ton switcher 1946 28338 became Southern Pacific Railroad #1904 in 1958[35]
2 General Electric GE 44-ton switcher 1942 15034 ex-Lehigh Valley Railroad #61 then Rio Grande and Eagle Pass Railroad #10 acquired 1946 became Southern Pacific Railroad #1905 in 1958[25][35]
3 General Electric GE 44-ton switcher 1943 17928 built as San Francisco and Napa Valley Railroad #50 for work in the Mare Island Naval Shipyard; became Southern Pacific #203 in 1956;[36] acquired 1958; retired 1964
4 General Electric GE 44-ton switcher 1945 27817 ex-Southern Pacific #1903 acquired 1958 retired 1966

The company roster included 89 conventional freight cars (unpowered trailers) in 1931.[37]

See also

Sources
  • Borden, Stanley T. (1960). Petaluma & Santa Rosa Electric R.R. The Western Railroader.
  • Demoro, Harre W. (1986). California's Electric Railways: an illustrated review. Glendale, Calif.: Interurban Press. ISBN 0-916374-74-2. OCLC 13703105.
  • Schmale, John & Kristina (2009). Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-5959-9. OCLC 262428729.
  • Stindt, Fred A. (1985). The Northwestern Pacific Railroad, 1964-1985, Vol. 2. Kelseyville, Ca. ISBN 0-9615465-0-6. OCLC 83604268.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

Notes
  1. Demoro 1986 p.15
  2. "West County and Joe Rodota Trails". Retrieved December 10, 2007.
  3. Carter, Lori A. (December 1, 2014). "Petaluma trolley dream pursued by pair". Press Democrat. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  4. Ellison, Robert; Sievers, Walt (1952). "Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad Company". The Western Railroader. Francis A. Guido. 15 (148): 3–14.
  5. Borden 1960 pp.11-12
  6. Stindt 1985 pp.105 & 108
  7. Borden 1960 p.25
  8. Borden 1960 p.26
  9. Borden 1960 pp.26 & 31
  10. Stindt 1985 p.129
  11. Stindt 1985 pp.109-110 & 114
  12. Borden 1960 p.19
  13. Stindt 1985 p.110
  14. Borden 1960 p.17
  15. Stindt 1985 pp.107 & 119
  16. Borden 1960 p.20
  17. Stindt 1985 pp.104,111 & 119
  18. Borden 1960 pp.20-21
  19. Stindt 1985 p.111
  20. Stindt 1985 pp.109 & 111
  21. Stindt 1985 p.118
  22. Stindt 1985 pp.105 & 111
  23. Stindt 1985 pp.113 & 118
  24. Stindt 1985 p.122
  25. Borden 1960 p.27
  26. Stindt 1985 p.116
  27. Stindt 1985 p.124
  28. Stindt 1985 p.125
  29. Borden 1960 p.22 & 29
  30. Stindt 1985 pp.120-122 & 125
  31. Borden 1960 p.29
  32. Stindt 1985 p.117,122 & 125
  33. Stindt 1985 p.126
  34. Borden 1960 p.28
  35. Stindt 1985 p.127
  36. Cross, Carol W. (1974). "Railroading Era Comes To A Close". The Western Railroader. Francis A. Guido. 37 (408): 3–10.
  37. Demoro 1986 p.201
  38. American Society of Civil Engineers (1921). Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers (Public domain ed.). American Society of Civil Engineers. pp. 820–.
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