Ocean Shore Railroad facts for kids

The Ocean Shore Railroad was a special train line that ran along the Pacific coast in California. It operated from 1905 to 1921. The original idea was to build one long track connecting San Francisco and Santa Cruz. However, big challenges like the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, money problems, and the rise of cars meant the railroad never finished its full plan. Instead, it stayed as two separate parts: a northern section and a southern section.

Why Build a Coastal Railroad?

For many years, people dreamed of a train line connecting San Francisco and Santa Cruz. This was because the coast between these two cities was beautiful but hard to travel. A railroad would make it easier to move people and goods.

Early Ideas for a Train Line

Even before the Ocean Shore Railroad, several companies tried to build a train line along the coast.

• The San Francisco, Santa Cruz & Watsonville Railroad Company: This was one of the first ideas in 1870. It was supposed to be paid for by public money, but it seems other train projects took people's interest away.
• San Francisco, San Mateo, & Santa Cruz Railroad: Started in 1875, this company planned a route through Half Moon Bay. They even had a survey team check if it was possible, but they likely ran out of money.
• San Francisco & Ocean Shore Railroad Company: This company started in 1879. They wanted a narrow-gauge train line (a type of track that is narrower than standard) from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. They faced many lawsuits from business owners, which cost them a lot of time and money. They never laid any track.
• San Francisco & West Shore Railway Company: In 1892, this group planned an electric train line. They wanted to carry freight from coastal villages. However, the Mayor of San Francisco rejected their plans, and they couldn't get their project going.
• West Shore Railway Company: This company started in 1895. They aimed to build a standard-gauge line for both passengers and freight, hoping to make the trip between San Francisco and Santa Cruz in just over two hours. They struggled to get land from property owners and eventually ran out of money and time.
• Bay & Coast Railway Company: Formed in 1889, this private company also failed to build tracks by the deadline set by San Francisco officials, and their plan ended in 1902.
• The San Francisco & Southern Railway Company: In 1903, this company tried to follow the same route as earlier attempts. They were funded by investors from the East Coast, but their plans also faded away.

Planning the Ocean Shore Railroad

This map from 1908 shows the planned route of the Ocean Shore Railroad. It was supposed to connect San Francisco and Santa Cruz.

The Ocean Shore Railway Company officially started on May 18, 1905. The big idea was to build a modern, double-track electric train line between San Francisco and Santa Cruz. It would use special electric trains called "interurbans" and electric freight trains. Rich businessmen from San Francisco, like J. Downey Harvey, supported the project.

Construction started on September 17, 1905, with workers digging out the ground in San Francisco and Santa Cruz. There were also plans for other train lines that would connect to the Ocean Shore Railroad, like one going to Fresno. The company even planned to build new towns and attractions, like a big boardwalk and amusement park at Granada. El Granada was one of the few towns actually built by the railroad, known for its unique circular street design.

However, the dream of a fully connected, double-track electric line never came true. The terrible 1906 Earthquake and money problems stopped these big plans.

History of the Railroad

This 1902 map shows parts of the Ocean Shore Railroad. It ran from the north to Tunitas Creek and from Santa Cruz to the Davenport Area.

Construction began in 1905 from both ends of the planned route. But the line was never fully connected. The huge earthquake on April 18, 1906, caused a lot of damage and slowed down the project.

Workers built a major tunnel at Devil's Slide and another near Davenport. There were also many bridges and wooden structures called trestles along the way. The tracks from San Francisco reached as far south as Tunitas Creek, which is south of Half Moon Bay. From Santa Cruz, the tracks went north to Swanton, north of Davenport.

Trains in San Francisco were electric, but the rest of the line used steam locomotives. Later, they used self-propelled railcars. Even though many passengers used the train, especially on weekends, the railroad never fully recovered from the earthquake damage. It also didn't get enough freight business to make enough money.

A planned branch line that would have gone to Golden Gate Park was never built.

In 1913, the new Pedro Mountain Road opened. This created more competition for the railroad. Farmers started using trucks to take their produce to San Francisco instead of paying the train's freight fees.

The main train service stopped in 1920. The part of the line north of Santa Cruz was used by the San Vicente Lumber Company until 1920. The electric tracks in San Francisco, which served big businesses, were used for many more years, partly by the San Francisco Muni. A section in southeast San Francisco was even used by the Western Pacific Railroad until the mid-1980s, making it the last part of the Ocean Shore Railroad to operate.

After the railroad stopped running, the company spent many years dealing with who owned the land where the tracks were. They had bought large parts of this land. The company still exists today as the Ocean Shore Railroad Company, Inc., managing the sale and rental of properties they still own.

What's Left Today?

The tunnel at San Vicente Creek near Davenport is still there.

You can still find parts of the old Ocean Shore Railroad today!

Old Stations You Can See

Some of the old train stations have been turned into other buildings:

• The station at Montara is now a house at 222 Second Street. You can even see bricks spelling "Montara" in the pavement.
• The Farallone City Station in Montara, built in 1903, is now a two-story house.
• The North Granada Station, built in 1900, is still standing vacant at 10151 Cabrillo Highway in El Granada.
• The Arleta Park Station in Half Moon Bay, built in 1904, is still a house and looks much like it did originally.
• The Kelly Street Station is now a day-care center near the Johnston House.
• The Vallemar Station is now a restaurant at 2125 Coast Highway. Inside, you can see models and photos of the Ocean Shore Railroad!
• The Tobin Station on San Pedro Point is now a private home. It used to be an outdoor shelter and even housed the Pedro Valley Post Office for a while.

Other stations, like Salada Beach, Brighton Beach, Rockaway Beach, Moss Beach, Edgemar, and the old Santa Cruz Depot, have been torn down. The Granada Station was moved a block from its original spot.

Parts of the Old Track Route

You can still see parts of where the tracks used to be:

• Some parts of the old route can be seen along the Rockaway headlands and on the railway mound in Pedro Point.
• A huge cut in the land between Fairway Park and Vallemar was blasted out by the railroad engineers.
• A small section of track can still be seen crossing 13th Street in San Francisco, in front of a Best Buy store.
• Today's Alemany Street in San Francisco was built on the railroad's old route! The line also ran through Westlake to the ocean and then south through Pacifica.