Berkeley Branch Railroad facts for kids

The Berkeley Branch Railroad was a short train line, about 3.84 miles (6.18 km) long. It was a special branch of the Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR). This line connected a place called "Shellmound" in what is now Emeryville to downtown Berkeley. The end of the line was very close to the new University of California campus.

This train line started running on August 16, 1876. At first, the trains stopped at Shattuck and University Avenues in Berkeley. This spot was called "Berkeley Terminus." In 1878, the line was made longer. It went north along Shattuck Avenue to Vine Street, where "Berryman's Station" was added. The original stop then became known as Berkeley Station.

The Berkeley Branch Railroad connected with other trains at Shellmound. These trains went to the Oakland Pier. From the pier, people could take ferries across the bay to San Francisco. Starting in 1882, trains from the Berkeley Branch could go directly to the pier.

Why Was This Railroad Built?

The Berkeley Branch Railroad was built because many important local people wanted it. They worked hard to make it happen. One of these people was Francis K. Shattuck. People connected with the University of California also pushed for the new train line. They knew it would be helpful for students and the growing town.

How the Line Changed Over Time

The Central Pacific Railroad used the Berkeley Branch Railroad for a few years. They leased it, which means they rented it. In 1885, the Central Pacific's partner, the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP), took over the lease.

In 1888, the Southern Pacific made the Berkeley Branch Railroad part of another company it owned, called the Northern Railway. Even though the Berkeley Branch company stopped existing, people still called the tracks the "Berkeley branch line."

Later, in 1911, the train line was changed. It was electrified, meaning it used electricity to power the trains. This was for commuter service, helping people travel to and from work or school. It became part of the Southern Pacific's East Bay Electric Lines.

The electric commuter trains stopped running in July 1941. But parts of the tracks were still used for carrying goods (freight). This section, up to Ward Street and Shattuck Avenue, was called the "Berkeley Lead." Freight trains used it until the early 1960s. The Southern Pacific's Ward Street Freight Depot was the end point for these trains in Berkeley.

Beyond Ward Street, the tracks were used by another company called the Key System. Their F-line commuter trains ran on these tracks until April 1958. The Key System had its own tracks before this. The Berkeley Branch tracks were always on the west side of Shattuck Avenue, south of University Avenue.

The Route and Train Operations

The Berkeley Branch route started at Shellmound. Here, it connected to the main train line of the Central Pacific and later the Southern Pacific. There was a special tower called the Shellmound Tower to control the train switches.

From Shellmound, the tracks curved onto Stanford Avenue. Then they went along Adeline Avenue and finally onto Shattuck Avenue, leading into downtown Berkeley.

Before the tracks were electrified, the trains on the Berkeley Branch had a special way of running. It was a single-track line, meaning only one track. There was no way to turn the engines around at the end of the line. So, the locomotives had to run "tender-first" in one direction. This means the back part of the engine (the tender, which holds fuel and water) would lead the train.