The East Bay Electric Lines were a unit of the Southern Pacific Railroad that operated electric interurban-type trains in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Beginning in 1862, the SP and its predecessors operated local steam-drawn ferry-train passenger service in the East Bay on an expanding system of lines, but in 1902 the Key System started a competing system of electric lines and ferries. The SP then drew up plans to expand and electrify its system of lines and this new service began in 1911. The trains served the cities of Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, Oakland, Alameda, and San Leandro transporting commuters to and from the large Oakland Pier (the "mole") and SP Alameda Pier. A fleet of ferry boats ran between these piers and the docks of the Ferry Building on the San Francisco Embarcadero.
The East Bay Electric Lines became the Interurban Electric Railway (IER) in anticipation of the opening of the Bay Bridge Railway in January 1939. This railway consisted of two tracks on the southern side of the lower deck of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, running from the East Bay to the San Francisco Transbay Terminal. SP IER transbay commuter train service ended in July 1941.
History
Before electrification (1863–1911)
Prior to the formation of the East Bay Electric Lines (and later Interurban Electric Railway), commuter services by the Southern Pacific Railroad and predecessor Central Pacific Railroad were run entirely by steam traction. The first railroad to operate suburban services in the East Bay was the San Francisco & Alameda Railroad, which was formed on March 25, 1863.
Through a series of mergers with the San Francisco, Alameda, & Stockton Railroad Company and the prior San Francisco & Alameda Railroad, the San Francisco, Oakland, & Alameda Railroad (SFO&A) was formed in June 1871. The SFO&A would be absorbed by the Central Pacific Railroad in August. With the merger with the Central Pacific, trains would terminate at the Oakland Mole (a long ferry pier into the San Francisco Bay), starting in January 1882. Suburban commuter services by the Central Pacific would be operated in the same manner after Southern Pacific took over.
In 1902 the San Francisco, Oakland, & San Jose Railway (SFO&SJ) would build a pier from Emeryville into the San Francisco Bay. The "Key System Mole" as referred to by patrons would rival the Southern Pacific's Oakland Mole for speed and general service. The SFO&SJ interurban line was faster, quicker, cleaner, and quieter than the Southern Pacific's steam operations, which paled in comparison. Between 1902 and 1911, the appeal of the SFO&SJ, and later companies San Francisco, Oakland, & San Jose Consolidated Railway and Key System, would rival the Southern Pacific's steam operated commuter operations. After management changed hands in the Southern Pacific between Collis P. Huntington and Edward H. Harriman, the decline of revenue by the rivalry would force the Southern Pacific to electrify their lines in competition in 1911.
Electrification to reorganization (1911–1934) In 1911 Southern Pacific embarked on a task to double track and electrify its commuter lines. When the construction of catenary over the new lines was complete, Southern Pacific received a new fleet of steel interurbans from the American Car & Foundry Company in the later months of 1911. Electric service commenced on June 1, 1911 along the length of the Encinal Avenue Line to the Alameda Mole. For the first weeks, electric trains were relegated to midday service with steam trains taking over during rush-hours. When the electrification of the lines was completed, a passenger could board an East Bay Electric Lines interurban from either the Oakland or Alameda Moles, and travel to Dutton Avenue, Thousand Oaks, Albany, Berkeley, and Downtown Oakland. Long term plans called for extensions to Richmond and San Jose (to presumably link up with Southern Pacific's other interurban subsidiary, the Peninsular Railway), which never materialized. The company invested $10million between 1909 and 1912 upgrading the East Bay lines, though the increase in passengers failed to offset the expenditure.
In addition to interurban service, streetcar service began in 1912 through various sections of the cities it served. A series of smaller streetcars by the Pullman Car Company also served these lines until 1930. Between 1912 and 1930 there was little change to the services of the East Bay Electric Lines. Southern Pacific's efforts in the 1920s to relax work rules and increase fares failed. As a result, the company sought to merge East Bay Electric Lines with the rival Key System. Employee backlash halted these plans.
In 1930, all streetcar services ceased in Oakland and Berkeley as they had failed to turn a profit. An internal report by Southern Pacific management in 1933 recommended total abandonment of East Bay electric services. Due to the widespread adoption of the automobile, the Great Depression, and high labor costs, the IER was rapidly losing both money and patronage, so a franchise was granted to them for operation on the lower deck of the San Francisco Bay Bridge to the new Transbay Terminal, in order to entice new patrons. On November 14, 1934, the East Bay Electric Lines reorganized as the Interurban Electric Railway (IER).
Bay Bridge operation to abandonment (1934–1941) From the reorganization of the East Bay Electric Lines into the Interurban Electric Railway in 1934, the new IER had already begun plans to reroute service and maintenance facilities well before the Bay Bridge had been completed. The location of the approach to the Bay Bridge was located directly next to the Key System's trackage that led to the Key System Mole. So, the Interurban Electric Railway began construction of a trestle over the Southern Pacific and Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad tracks in order to access this new area. Additionally, it was agreed that the IER and Key System should share a maintenance facility in the new Bridge Yard, so work began on a new facility and yard storage area for the two lines.
When completed, the new Bridge Yard would replace existing Key System tracks with a joint Sacramento Northern, Interurban Electric Railway, and Key System maintenance yard. Extra trains for Bay Bridge usage could also be stored here, but this practice was not used by the Sacramento Northern Railroad who preferred to utilize an existing yard.
The Interurban Electric Railway's new route also featured a fly-over bridge over Key System tracks. From the Bridge Yard to the new Transbay Terminal, the three interurban lines would share two tracks. This required an extensive signaling system, so all trains were retrofitted with special signaling devices that warned of speed limit and the automatic block signaling. Electrification on the bridge would be at 1200 volts for the Sacramento Northern and Interurban Electric Railway, so all trains were also retrofitted to run on this voltage.
Beginning January 1938, IER trains could now run across the Bay Bridge. Routes now terminated at the Transbay Terminal, but with a central stop at the 26th Street Station for transferring, instead of the usual Oakland and Alameda Moles. With the new addition of interurban service to San Francisco, patrons from Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda, and upper San Leandro could now ride into San Francisco. Alameda passengers, however, were disappointed with their arrangement with bridge operations; cars would have to run a large U-shaped route out to Fruitvale before running to the bridge on the 7th Street line. The IER saw a brief increase of patronage, but due to automobile competition and the fact that cars had been allowed to use the Bay Bridge since 1936, the IER could not compete. Between 1938 and 1940 the IER reduced services drastically in order to try and stay afloat, but could not.
On February 26, 1940, the IER applied to the Public Utilities Commission to abandon services. Interurban commuter services were no longer making money. On July 26, 1941, the Interurban Electric Railway ran its last interurban, and was shut down the following day.;
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 Street 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 Street South in Alameda. The IER had two lines terminate at Thousand Oaks and two lines at West Alameda.
Berkeley, — 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 Street station, thence to Oakland Pier. Opened as a newly-built line with partial service beginning on January 3, 1912. Terminated after March 31, 1933.
Berkeley, (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),Red car (before bridge) at Berkeley Station Adeline, Stanford to the upper platform of the Oakland 16th Street Station, thence to Oakland Pier. Electric service began on December 23, 1911. Designated Line #3 (local) and #9 (express) for Bay Bridge service, re-routed direct to the bridge with no stop at Oakland 16th Street 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 Street Line to Albany (San Pablo Avenue) because there was no 9th Street Line service at this time; this was the last IER service when terminated in July 1941.
Berkeley, — Thousand Oaks station (Colusa Wye) in Berkeley, via Solano, Jackson, private right-of-way, Ninth Street to private right-of-way to Stanford to the upper platform of the 16th Street Station in Oakland, thence to Oakland Pier. Opened as a new line (not a converted steam service) on February 7, 1912. An extension beyond Albany to Richmond was surveyed in 1912, though never built. Designated Line #5 for Bay Bridge service, re-routed direct to the bridge with no stop at Oakland 16th Street Station. Terminated July 1941.
Berkeley, Ellsworth Street Line — Ellsworth and Allston Way in Berkeley, via Ellsworth to Woolsey, Adeline, Stanford to the upper platform of the Oakland 16th Street Station, thence to Oakland Pier. A spur of the Berkeley Branch, electric service began on January 3, 1912. Line shortened one block to Bancroft Way in 1931. Terminated after March 31, 1933.