San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad facts for kids
The San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad was a railway line built in California in the late 1890s. It connected the cities of Stockton and Bakersfield. Soon after it was built, a bigger company called the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad bought it. It then became their Valley Division.
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Why Was This Railroad Built?
The main reason this new railroad was built was to challenge the Southern Pacific Railroad. At the time, Southern Pacific had a monopoly on train travel in the area. This meant they were the only major railroad, so they could charge very high prices for farmers to ship their crops to places like San Francisco. People hoped a new railroad would make prices fairer.
The "People's Railroad"
In January 1895, a famous sugar maker named Claus Spreckels promised to give $500,000 to build the line. But only if another $3,000,000 could be raised. Many regular people and small investors also put their money into the project. Because so many people helped fund it, the railroad earned the nickname "the People's Railroad."
The railway was built between 1895 and 1898. The very first passenger train traveled from Stockton to Fresno on October 5, 1896. There was a big celebration! Bakersfield also had a huge party when the train reached their city on May 27, 1898. News reports at the time proudly announced that these towns were now free from the "tyranny" (meaning unfair control) of Southern Pacific's monopoly.
A New Partner: Santa Fe
Many people were a bit disappointed when the railroad was quickly sold to the Santa Fe company before the end of 1898. However, many of the original supporters believed that joining a larger company was important for the railroad to truly succeed.
The Railroad Today
This historic railway line still exists and is used today! It is now part of the BNSF's Stockton Subdivision (from Richmond to Fresno) and the Bakersfield Subdivision (from Fresno to Bakersfield). The passenger train service called the San Joaquins travels along this very route.
Key Stations Along the Route
The San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad had many stops. Here are some of the important ones from north to south:
