Mayfield Cutoff

Mayfield Cutoff
Legend
Coast Line 31.8 California Avenue Peninsular Railway Mayfield Junction 33.0 Neal 34.0 Alta Mesa Foothill Expressway 35.7 Los Altos 37.5 Springer Road 38.2 Loyola Grant Road 39.7 Simla Permanente Quarry 41.0 Monta Vista Peninsular Railway Sunny Brae Fremont 43.8 Azule McDonald Moreland 45.2 Congress Junction Peninsular Railway 46.1 San Tomas 46.9 Pollard Road 47.8 Quito 48.1 Vasona Junction South Pacific Coast Railway
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The Mayfield Cutoff (also called the Los Altos Branch or Vasona Line) was a branch line of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Santa Clara County, California. It branched from the Coast Division mainline at California Avenue in Mayfield (now part of Palo Alto) and ran south to Vasona Junction where it met the South Pacific Coast Railway. ^{[1] [2]} The southern segment remains in use for freight trains.

Background

The rail line was constructed by the Southern Pacific Railroad between 1906 and 1908. ^{[1] [3] [4]} Some of the right of way was shared with an electrified track used by the Peninsular Railway between 1909 and 1933. ^{[1] [5] [6]} It was built as a vessel to open up the west side of Santa Clara Valley for development and to reduce the travel distance between Santa Cruz and San Francisco. ^[7] The line saw passenger service as a branch of the Peninsula Commute, which ran between Los Altos and Los Gatos via the cutoff. ^[1] Service along the northern end of the line ended in early 1964, though the tracks temporarily remained pending a federal ruling. ^{[8] [9]} The rails north of Permanente Junction were removed and much of the right of way reused for the Foothill Expressway, ^[1] which was under construction by 1966. ^[10] Kaiser Cement Corporation had a private spur from the line leading to their Permanente Quarry. ^[11] The plant remains active (though is planned to close ^[12] ) and tracks continue to be used for freight as part of the Union Pacific Vasona Industrial Lead. ^{[1] [13] [12]} The former line is the preferred west-side routing for future VTA light rail expansion. ^[12]

Animated alternation between USGS maps from 1965 and 1969 showing the Mayfield Cutoff being replaced by the Foothills Expressway and removed south of Hansen Way (lower right of frame)

References

1. Kelley & Conaway 2006, p. 9.
2. Kelley & Conaway 2006, p. 19.
3. "Road completes new "Y"". San Francisco Call. Vol. 104, no. 119. September 27, 1908. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
4. "News Of The Week: Construction Notes" (PDF). Vol. XXXI, no. 12. Street Railway Journal. March 21, 1908. p. 474. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
5. Kelley & Conaway 2006, p. 22.
6. Whaley, Derek (October 7, 2021). "Streetcars: Peninsular Railway Company". Santa Cruz Trains. Zayante Publishing.
7. "Railroad Officials Pleased With Cut-Off". San Jose Mercury and Herald. April 19, 1908. p. 9. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
8. "Tracks, but no trains". The Palo Alto Times. Palo Alto, California. January 28, 1964. p. 1. Retrieved September 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
9. "Rail line stayed—but only for a while". The Palo Alto Times. Palo Alto, California. December 30, 1964. p. 6A. Retrieved September 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
10. "'06 earthquake debris turns up". The Palo Alto Times. Palo Alto, California. January 25, 1966. Retrieved September 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
11. Kelley & Conaway 2006, p. 33.
12. Buchanan, Bill (November 1, 2023). "Buried train tracks once linking San Francisco with San Jose may find new life". SFGate. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
13. Kelley & Conaway 2006, p. 124.

Bibliography

• Kelley, Edward; Conaway, Peggy (2006). Railroads of Los Gatos. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   0-7385-4661-5.

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