Coast Line (Union Pacific Railroad)

Last updated

Coast Line
The Southbound Coast Starlight at horseshoe curve.jpg
The Coast Starlight navigating a horseshoe curve near San Luis Obispo.
Overview
Owner SCRRA (Los Angeles-Moorpark)
Union Pacific Railway (Moorpark-Tamien)
Caltrain (Tamien-San Francisco)
Locale Greater Los Angeles
Central Coast
San Francisco Bay Area
Termini
Stations68 (25 Amtrak stations, 43 commuter rail stations)
Service
Type Inter-city rail
Freight rail
Commuter rail
System Amtrak (through SCRRA)
Caltrain
Union Pacific Railroad
Operator(s) Amtrak (Amtrak California)
Metrolink
Caltrain
Altamont Corridor Express
Ridership338,017 (FY23)Decrease2.svg -4.2% [lower-alpha 1] [1]
History
Opened1871 (first section)
1901 (final section)
Technical
Track length470 mi (760 km)
Number of tracks1-4
Track gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification 25 kV AC at 60 Hz overhead line (San Jose-San Francisco; Caltrain and California High-Speed Rail; Caltrain beginning in 2024 and CAHSR beginning in 2029-2033)

The Coast Line is a railroad line between Burbank, California [lower-alpha 2] and the San Francisco Bay Area, roughly along the Pacific Coast. It is the shortest rail route between Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Though not as busy as the Surf Line, the continuation of the Coast Line southbound to San Diego, it still sees freight movements and lots of passenger trains. The Pacific Surfliner, which runs from the San Diego Santa Fe Depot to San Luis Obispo via Union Station in Los Angeles, is the third busiest Amtrak route outside of the Northeast Corridor between Washington D.C. and Boston, which in turn hosts two of Amtrak's busiest routes being the Acela and the Northeast Regional.

Contents

History

Predecessors

The San Francisco and San Jose Railroad built the first segment of the line from San Francisco to San Jose between 1860 and 1864. The founders of the SF&SJ incorporated as the Southern Pacific Railroad, which was authorized by Congress in 1866 to connect the line from San Jose south to Needles, where it would meet the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad. SP had built to Tres Pinos by 1873, however they abandoned efforts to continue the line to Coalinga, instead choosing a route from Lathrop. [2] [3]

By 1871, SP had completed a line south from San Jose through Gilroy and Pajaro, arriving at Salinas in 1872 and Soledad in 1873. SP halted southward work at Soledad for thirteen years and started building north from Los Angeles in 1873, completing a line to Burbank. In 1886, SP had pushed south from Soledad to King City, Paso Robles, and Templeton; by 1887, the southern portion of the line had been extended through Newhall, Saugus, and Santa Paula to Santa Barbara. [3] [4]

By 1894, SP had extended the line south over the Cuesta Pass from Templeton to San Luis Obispo. [5] The work continued south to Guadalupe in 1895 and Surf in 1896. [3] The 80-mile (130 km) gap between Surf and Santa Barbara was closed with the last spike driven on December 28, 1900. [6]

Southbound Coast Daylight, at Auzerais Street in San Jose in April 1970 SP 3006 with the Coast Daylight at Auzerais Street, April 1970.jpg
Southbound Coast Daylight , at Auzerais Street in San Jose in April 1970

The first version of the Coast Line, via Saugus and Santa Paula through the Santa Clara River Valley, was completed by the Southern Pacific Railroad on December 31, 1900. [7] [8]

The work between Ventura and Carpenteria eventually allowed the construction of the Rincon sea-level road for automobile traffic to travel this formerly impassible section of coastline.

Work on the Montalvo Cutoff, which crossed the Santa Clara River to serve the farmers in the Oxnard Plain and was extended to Santa Susana in Simi Valley, began in 1898. [3] The Santa Susana Tunnel opened in 1904 connecting with the Chatsworth cutoff from Burbank [lower-alpha 3] and thereafter was the main line. [9] [10] Passenger and freight traffic declined dramatically at the Hueneme wharf in Ventura County as they shifted to the railroad. [11] A new straighter track was built between Chatsworth and Burbank to coincide with the new route, and the original line through the San Fernando Valley was designated as the Burbank branch. [12] In 1907, the Bayshore Cutoff opened from San Bruno [lower-alpha 4] to San Francisco, relegating the original main line through the Bernal Cut to branch status. In 1935 the new line around downtown San Jose opened [lower-alpha 5] and thereafter was the main line. [13]

In the golden era of passenger service, SP trains on the San Francisco leg of this route ran from the Third and Townsend Depot in San Francisco to the Union Station in Los Angeles. The Oakland–Los Angeles trains originated from the 16th Street Station in Oakland.

Looking south at the junction of the Coast Subdivision (left) and Peninsula Corridor (right), Santa Clara (2022) Coast Subdivision & Peninsula Corridor, Santa Clara.jpg
Looking south at the junction of the Coast Subdivision (left) and Peninsula Corridor (right), Santa Clara (2022)

Current lines

The line has several subdivisions. [14] Ownership is currently split into three segments:

The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board purchased the line on the San Francisco Peninsula north of Tamien in 1991, and the line north of Santa Clara is primarily used by passenger services. In 1992, Southern Pacific granted the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission an option to purchase the entire Coast Line for passenger train operations at 110 mi/h (180 km/h). Upgrades to signals and tracks to enable higher-speed operations were estimated to cost $360 million at the time. [15] In the case of both purchases, SP retained freight trackage rights along those lines which continue to be held by the company's successor, Union Pacific.

Service

Freight

A Caltrain train (left) passes Union Pacific and Helm Leasing Company engines at South San Francisco, April 2014 Rush Hour at CalTrain's South San Francisco depot - 13883708559.jpg
A Caltrain train (left) passes Union Pacific and Helm Leasing Company engines at South San Francisco, April 2014

Union Pacific freight trains run on the route, although the Fresno Subdivision through the San Joaquin Valley is the preferred north–south California route due to having easier grades and curves. [16] The freight trains are typically local freights, empty bare-table and autorack trains. The line sees varying freight activity across its length. As of 2003, the line between Niles and San Jose saw four freight trains per day, the segment between San Jose and Watsonville saw 13 freight trains per day, between Watsonville and San Luis Obispo saw 7, San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara saw 9, and 16 south of Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. [17]

Passenger

Coast Starlight crossing the Santa Ynez River, July 2019 Coast Starlight crossing the Santa Ynez River, July 2019.jpg
Coast Starlight crossing the Santa Ynez River, July 2019

The Coast Line is used by commuter, regional, and inter-city passenger trains:

The southern part of the Coast Line is the northern portion of the 351-mile-long (565 km) LOSSAN Rail Corridor between San Luis Obispo and San Diego. Local agencies along with the host railroads formed the Los Angeles–San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency (LOSSAN) in 1989 to work together on upgrading the route. [18] Millions in enhancements to improve the reliability and safety of the railroad corridor have been proposed by Caltrans and federal railroad officials. Ventura County would get rail curve realignments near Seacliff, the Santa Clara River and Montalvo in the near term for an estimated $300 million. Future rail service could include a Ventura–Santa Barbara commuter train. [19] Long-range plans also including commuter service between Ventura and Santa Clarita along the original route through the Santa Clara River Valley. The Ventura County Transportation Commission purchased the Santa Paula Branch Line within Ventura County from Southern Pacific. While a portion of the line was abandoned after being washed out in Los Angeles County, the Great Park development will provide for a route through the community of Valencia. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Coast (California)</span> Region of California in the United States

The Central Coast is an area of California, roughly spanning the coastal region between Point Mugu and Monterey Bay. It lies northwest of Los Angeles and south of the San Francisco Bay Area, and includes the rugged, rural, and sparsely populated stretch of coastline known as Big Sur.

<i>Pacific Surfliner</i> Intercity rail service in California, US

The Pacific Surfliner is a 350-mile (560 km) passenger train service serving the communities on the coast of Southern California between San Diego and San Luis Obispo.

CalTrain was a short-lived commuter rail system in the Los Angeles area which operated between 1982–1983. It connected downtown Los Angeles's Union Station with Oxnard in Ventura County, using the tracks of the Southern Pacific Railroad. It was the first local rail service in Los Angeles since 1961 and was a forerunner of the modern Metrolink Ventura County Line. Service ended in the face of high costs, lower-than-expected ridership, a changing political climate, and staunch opposition from the Southern Pacific.

<i>Capitol Corridor</i> Amtrak service between San Jose and Auburn, California

The Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile (270 km) passenger train route in Northern California operated by Amtrak between San Jose, in the Bay Area, and Auburn, in the Sacramento Valley. The route is named after the two points most trains operate between, San Jose and Sacramento. The route runs roughly parallel to I-880 and I-80. Some limited trips run between Oakland and San Jose. A single daily round trip runs between San Jose and Auburn, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Capitol Corridor trains started in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ventura County Line</span> Commuter rail line in California, U.S.

The Metrolink Ventura County Line is a commuter rail line serving Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles, in the Southern California system. The line is the successor of the short lived CalTrain commuter rail line.

<i>Coast Starlight</i> Amtrak service between Seattle and Los Angeles

The Coast Starlight is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States between Seattle and Los Angeles via Portland and the San Francisco Bay Area. The train, which has operated continuously since Amtrak's formation in 1971, was the first to offer direct service between Seattle and Los Angeles. Its name is a combination of two prior Southern Pacific (SP) trains, the Coast Daylight and the Starlight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amtrak California</span> Caltrans passenger rail services

Amtrak California is a brand name used by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of Rail for three state-supported Amtrak regional rail routes in California – the Capitol Corridor, the Pacific Surfliner, and the San Joaquins – and their associated connecting network of Amtrak Thruway transportation services.

<i>Coast Daylight</i> Southern Pacifics premier San Francisco-Los Angeles passenger train

The Coast Daylight, originally known as the Daylight Limited, was a passenger train on the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) between Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, via SP's Coast Line. It was advertised as the "most beautiful passenger train in the world," carrying a particular red, orange, and black color scheme. The train operated from 1937 until 1974, being retained by Amtrak in 1971. Amtrak merged it with the Coast Starlight in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surf Line</span> Rail line in Southern California from Los Angeles to San Diego

The Surf Line is a railroad line that runs from San Diego north to Orange County along California's Pacific Coast. It was so named because much of the line is near the Pacific Ocean, within less than 100 feet (30 m) in some places. The tracks are now owned by the Orange County Transportation Authority and the North County Transit District, and hosts Metrolink's Orange County Line and Inland Empire–Orange County Line, the San Diego Coaster, and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner passenger trains. The BNSF Railway operates freight over the line using trackage rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Jose Diridon station</span> Transit hub in San Jose, California, U.S.

San Jose Diridon station is the central passenger rail depot for San Jose, California. It also serves as a major intermodal transit center for Santa Clara County and Silicon Valley. The station is named after former Santa Clara County Supervisor Rod Diridon Sr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burbank Airport–South station</span> Railway station in Burbank, California

Burbank Airport–South station, referred to as Hollywood Burbank Airport station by Amtrak and formerly known as Bob Hope Airport station, is an unstaffed Amtrak and Metrolink train station on the southeast corner of Hollywood Burbank Airport in the city of Burbank, California. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, Amtrak's Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle, Washington, and Metrolink's Ventura County Line from Los Angeles Union Station to East Ventura stop here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Clara Transit Center</span> Train station in Santa Clara, California, U.S.

Santa Clara Transit Center is a railway station in downtown Santa Clara, California. It is served by Caltrain, Amtrak Capitol Corridor, and Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) trains. It is the planned terminus for the Silicon Valley BART extension into Santa Clara County on the future Green and Orange Lines. The former station building, constructed in 1863 by the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad, is used by the Edward Peterman Museum of Railroad History.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Fe Depot (San Diego)</span> Main railroad station for San Diego

Santa Fe Depot in San Diego, California, is a union station built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to replace the small Victorian-style structure erected in 1887 for the California Southern Railroad Company. The Spanish Colonial Revival style station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a San Diego Historic Landmark. Its architecture, particularly the signature twin domes, is often echoed in the design of modern buildings in Downtown San Diego.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Coast Railway</span> Narrow-gauge railway in California, United States

The Pacific Coast Railway was a 3 ft narrow gauge railway on the Central Coast of California. The original 10-mile (16 km) link from San Luis Obispo to Avila Beach and Port Harford was later built southward to Santa Maria and Los Olivos, with branches to Sisquoc and Guadalupe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chatsworth station</span> Transit hub in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California

Chatsworth station is an intermodal passenger transport station in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Chatsworth, United States. It is served by Amtrak inter-city rail service, Metrolink commuter rail service, Los Angeles Metro Busway bus rapid transit, and several transit bus operators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Nuys station</span> Railway station in Van Nuys, California

Van Nuys station is an Amtrak and Metrolink train station in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, close to the nighborhood of Panorama City. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, Amtrak's Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle, Washington, and Metrolink's Ventura County Line from Los Angeles Union Station to East Ventura stop here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxnard Transit Center</span> Train and bus station in Oxnard, California, US

The Oxnard Transit Center is an intermodal transit center in downtown Oxnard, California. It is served by Amtrak Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner intercity service plus Metrolink Ventura County Line commuter service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Luis Obispo station</span> Railway station in San Luis Obispo, California, US

San Luis Obispo station is an Amtrak intercity rail station in the city of San Luis Obispo, California, United States. It has one side platform and one island platform serving the two tracks of the Coast Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayward station (Amtrak)</span>

Hayward station is an Amtrak intercity train station in Hayward, California, United States. It is served by seven daily round trips of the Capitol Corridor route. The station has two side platforms serving the main track and a passing siding; most trains use the platform on the main track.

The Santa Susana Tunnel is a railroad tunnel that connects the Simi and San Fernando valleys in Southern California. The tunnel is credited with saving considerable time and distance between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The tunnel is 7,369 feet (2,246 m) long and runs through the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains. The tunnel is located beneath the Santa Susana Pass.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Amtrak's Fiscal Year (FY) runs from October 1 of the prior year to September 30 of the named year.
  2. ↑ 34°11′10″N118°19′16″W / 34.1861°N 118.321°W Burbank Cutoff
  3. ↑ Burbank, 34°14′57″N119°12′46″W / 34.24917°N 119.2129°W
  4. ↑ San Bruno, 37°37′52″N122°24′43″W / 37.631°N 122.412°W
  5. ↑ Between 37°20′29″N121°54′46″W / 37.3414°N 121.9127°W to 37°17′05″N121°50′34″W / 37.2848°N 121.8427°W
  6. ↑ Moorpark, about 34°17′06″N118°53′28″W / 34.28488°N 118.891°W
Citations
  1. ↑ "Amtrak Fiscal Year 2023 Ridership" (PDF). Amtrak. November 27, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  2. ↑ Daggett, Stuart (1922). Chapters on the History of the Southern Pacific. New York: Ronald Press Company. pp. 123–124.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Coast Line History" (PDF). The Ferroequinologist. June 1984. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  4. ↑ Robertson 1986 , p. 240
  5. ↑ Middlecamp, David (August 31, 2019). "From stagecoach robberies to railroads, SLO's new train tracks signaled end of an era". The Tribune. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  6. ↑ "New Bonds Unite Los Angeles with the Northern Metropolis". Los Angeles Herald. December 29, 1900. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Chronology of Goleta Depot". Institute For American Research. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013– via South Coast Railroad Museum.
  8. ↑ Ryan, MaryEllen; Breschini, Ph.D., Gary S. "Railroads of the Central Coast—An Overview". Monterey County Historical Society. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Southern Pacific Company, 20th Annual Report" (December 10, 1904) The Economist
  10. ↑ "CHATSWORTH PARK CUTOFF LINE OPENS TODAY". Los Angeles Herald . Vol. XXXI, no. 173. March 20, 1904. p. 2.
  11. ↑ Chase, J. Smeaton (1913). "California Coast Trails: a Horseback Ride from Mexico to Oregon" Chapter VI. Reprinted in The Double Cone Register, the online journal of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance, Volume VIII, No. 1, Fall 2005
  12. ↑ Curtiss, Aaron (April 7, 1996). "Tracks to the Past". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  13. ↑ McGovern 2012 , pp. 26, 125
  14. ↑ SMA Rail Consulting (April 2016). "California Passenger Rail Network Schematics" (PDF). California Department of Transportation. p. 6.
  15. ↑ Kaufman, Lawrence H (September 30, 1992). "LA transit agency gets option to buy SP's Coast Line route proposed for high-speed use". The Journal of Commerce. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  16. ↑ Norbom, Mary Ann (August 30, 2016). "Ride historic railcars along the coast". Santa Ynez Valley News. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  17. ↑ Union Pacific Tons per Train (PDF) (Map). Trains. 2003. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  18. ↑ "LOSSAN Corridorwide Strategic Implementation Plan, Final Report (April 2012)" (PDF). San Luis Obispo Council of Governments. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 18, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  19. ↑ Clerici, Kevin (January 9, 2011) "Camarillo meeting to address train projects" Ventura County Star
  20. ↑ Lozano, Carlos V. (April 29, 1992) "SANTA CLARITA : Panel Says Rail Line to Cost $45 Million" Los Angeles Times
Bibliography
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.