Simla Junction, California facts for kids

Simla Junction is a special historical spot in Los Altos, California. It's near where Homestead Road and Foothill Expressway are today. You won't find Simla Junction on modern maps because it was mainly a name used for a train junction long ago.

This area was important for the Peninsular Railroad. This railroad ran electric trains, called interurban cars, across the San Francisco Bay Area's peninsula. The trains stopped running sometime in the 1940s. At Simla Junction, there was a "wye junction," which is like a Y-shaped track that allowed trains to change direction.

Over time, the train tracks moved to make way for new roads and water pipes. Part of where the tracks used to be is now Foothill Expressway. Another set of tracks nearby, to the south, is still used by the Union Pacific railroad today.

In the 1950s, after the trains stopped, the area around Simla Junction became home to businesses. There was a lumber yard called Simla Supply. You could also find Val's Market, Miles Auto Seat Covers, and even a place called The Burger Castle. The bridge over Interstate 280, near Foothill Expressway, was even known as the Simla Overpass.

Where Was Simla Junction?

Finding the exact spot of Simla Junction can be a bit tricky because its location changed over the years on different maps.

Old Maps and Locations

• A map from the Chamber of Commerce in 1941 showed a place named Simla. It was located near where a Chevron gas station is today.
• Another map, from the Southern Pacific Transportation Company railroad in 1933, also called the spot Simla. This map placed it on a street called Deodara, between Arboretum and Beechwood.
• Older maps from 1899 and 1961 of the Palo Alto area don't show Simla Junction at all. This shows how some historical places can disappear from common records.

Other Places Named Simla

The name Simla isn't unique to California. There have been other places with this name.

Simla Station in Montana

There was a historical place called Simla Station in Toole County, Montana. It seems this station was no longer used by the 1920s.

Simla, Colorado

There is also a town named Simla, Colorado in Elbert County, Colorado. This town is still active today.

Simla on Official Records

• The name Simla Station also appeared on an official map of Santa Clara County from 1941.
• Simla Junction is listed in a special computer database used by Santa Clara County for public safety.
• An old map of the Peninsular Railway Company, kept at the California History Center, also shows Simla Junction. On this map, the train station north of Simla Junction was Loyola, and the one to the south was Monta Vista.
• The name Simla was mentioned in 1962 when the Southern Pacific railroad officially closed down a section of its Vasona Branch line. This part of the line stretched from Alta Mesa to Simla Junction.