California Pacific Railroad
Encyclopedia
The California Pacific Railroad Company was incorporated in 1865 at San Francisco, California
as the California Pacific Rail Road Company. It was renamed the California Pacific Railroad Extension Company in the spring of 1869, then renamed the California Pacific Railroad later that same year. The railroad was constructed just months prior to the completion of the Central Pacific
/Union Pacific Transcontinental Railway
.
The railroad ran from Sacramento
to Vallejo
and thence via passenger ferryboat
to San Francisco. It also had a branch from Adelante (later Napa Junction, now American Canyon
) to Calistoga
and another from Davis
to Marysville
.
The Cal-P operated independently from 1865 to 1876. It was then operated by the Central Pacific and was finally sold to the Southern Pacific.
Amtrak
's Capitol Corridor
follows the original Cal-P Line
from Sacramento to Suisun
/Fairfield
on its way to Oakland and San Jose
.
The first truly transcontinental railroad was through Stockton
, over Altamont Pass
and thence via Niles Canyon
to the San Francisco Bay Area
, a distance of 140 miles (225.3 km). That line was constructed by Leland Stanford
's Central Pacific Railroad
subsidiary the Western Pacific Railroad (of 1862). The route over Altamont Pass was completed in 1869. (This railroad is unrelated to the Western Pacific Railroad
(of 1916) that ran to Salt Lake City via the Feather River
Canyon.)
The other route via Stockton, to Banta
, thence to Martinez
to Oakland was 151 miles (243 km).
The Central Pacific was searching for a shorter route to the Bay Area; the recently completed (1868) California Pacific was the basis for a route of about 90 miles (144.8 km).
In July 1871 the Central Pacific offered to buy the Cal-P but their offer was rejected. Central Pacific announced plans to build a parallel route of the Cal-P but diverging at Suisun via the Suisun Marsh
to Benicia
. The California Pacific, facing financial and expansion difficulties, finally was sold to the Central Pacific in 1876.
The Central Pacific shifted traffic from its mainline via Napa Junction to Vallejo in favor of a line across the Suisun Marsh to Benicia. The Central Pacific began construction in 1877 and completed the line across the Suisun Marsh to Benicia (17 miles) in 1879. The 17 miles (27.4 km) of track took so long to build because of the unstable subgrade through the marsh, requiring tons of crushed rock to stabilize the subgrade. A railroad ferry
was established between Benicia and Port Costa
.
). Grading began on Christmas Eve
, 1866 and rails began to be laid on April 10, 1868. The railroad was built by D.C. Haskin. Two months after grading began the track was completed from Vallejo via Napa Junction and Jameson Pass to Suisun on June 24,1868. The original route of the Cal-P mainline from Suisun to Vallejo is now the route of the California Northern Railroad between Vallejo and Suisun and can be seen along portions of State Route 12.
The original Cal-P line ran to Vallejo, not along the present main line route through the Suisun Marsh between Suisun – Benicia – Martinez.
The Southern Pacific
line between Martinez and Sacramento (or perhaps Oakland and Sacramento) was informally known as the “Cal-P” after the original builder of the line, the California Pacific Railroad.
on June 9, 1869.
The Napa Valley Rail Road was built from the head of navigation on the Napa River, Soscol, near Skaggs Island, to Napa
, St. Helena
, and Calistoga. It was backed by a group headed by Samuel Brannan
, a Calistoga resort owner. The track from Soscol to Napa was completed on July 11, 1865. The NVRR reached Oakville on September 15, 1867, St. Helena on February 27, 1868, and Calistoga on July 31, 1868. After the Cal-P built through the lower Napa Valley to Vallejo, the NVRR built a connection south to the Cal-P at Adelante in January, 1869. The California Pacific purchased the NVRR in June 1869 when the NVRR was sold under foreclosure. After purchasing the Cal-P, the Southern Pacific operated passenger service to Calistoga until 1929. In the 1980s, as freight service declined, the track beyond St. Helena
was abandoned. In 1987 the track from Napa to St. Helena was sold to the new Napa Valley Railroad for operation of the Napa Valley Wine Train
.
causing damage to the line between Knight’s Landing
and Yuba City. That portion of the line was abandoned and track removal commenced on May 14, 1877.
The line from Davis to Woodland was later operated by the Southern Pacific
and currently by the California Northern Railroad.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
as the California Pacific Rail Road Company. It was renamed the California Pacific Railroad Extension Company in the spring of 1869, then renamed the California Pacific Railroad later that same year. The railroad was constructed just months prior to the completion of the Central Pacific
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
/Union Pacific Transcontinental Railway
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
.
The railroad ran from Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
to Vallejo
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
and thence via passenger ferryboat
Ferries of San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay in California has been served by ferries of all types for over 150 years. Although the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge led to the decline in the importance of most ferries, some are still in use today for both commuters and...
to San Francisco. It also had a branch from Adelante (later Napa Junction, now American Canyon
American Canyon, California
American Canyon is a city located in southern Napa County, California, northeast of San Francisco. It is part of the San Francisco Bay Area. The 2010 census reported the city's population at 19,454. Its zip code is 94503, and its area code is 707...
) to Calistoga
Calistoga, California
Calistoga is a city in Napa County, California, United States. The population was 5,155 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , 99.30% of it land and 0.70% of it water.-Climate:...
and another from Davis
Davis, California
Davis is a city in Yolo County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
to Marysville
Marysville, California
Marysville is the county seat of Yuba County, California, United States. The population was 12,072 at the 2010 census, down from 12,268 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, often referred to as the Yuba-Sutter Area after the two counties, Yuba and...
.
The Cal-P operated independently from 1865 to 1876. It was then operated by the Central Pacific and was finally sold to the Southern Pacific.
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Capitol Corridor
Capitol Corridor
The Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80...
follows the original Cal-P Line
Cal-P Line
Cal-P is an unofficial term for the railroad line from Martinez to Sacramento, California ....
from Sacramento to Suisun
Suisun City, California
Suisun City is a city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 28,111 at the 2010 census. The city takes its name from the adjacent Suisun Bay, which in turn is named for the Suisunes, a Native American tribe of the area.-Geography:...
/Fairfield
Fairfield, California
Fairfield is a city located in Solano County in Northern California, USA. It is generally considered the midpoint between the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, approximately from the city center of both cities, approximately from the city center of Oakland, less than from Napa Valley, 18...
on its way to Oakland and San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
.
A shorter transcontinental route
While the transcontintal railroad was the first railway line to cross the U.S., it wasn't truly a transcontinental line because it terminated at Sacramento, short of the Pacific destination of San Francisco.The first truly transcontinental railroad was through Stockton
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, over Altamont Pass
Altamont Pass
Altamont Pass, formerly Livermore Pass, is a mountain pass in the Diablo Range between Livermore in the Livermore Valley and Tracy in the San Joaquin Valley in Northern California...
and thence via Niles Canyon
Niles Canyon
Niles Canyon is a canyon in the San Francisco Bay Area formed by Alameda Creek. The canyon is largely in an unincorporated area of Alameda County, while the western portion of the canyon lies within the city limits of Fremont and Union City...
to the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, a distance of 140 miles (225.3 km). That line was constructed by Leland Stanford
Leland Stanford
Amasa Leland Stanford was an American tycoon, industrialist, robber baron, politician and founder of Stanford University.-Early years:...
's Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
subsidiary the Western Pacific Railroad (of 1862). The route over Altamont Pass was completed in 1869. (This railroad is unrelated to the Western Pacific Railroad
Western Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
(of 1916) that ran to Salt Lake City via the Feather River
Feather River
The Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River, in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. The river's main stem is about long. Its length to its most distant headwater tributary is about . Its drainage basin is about...
Canyon.)
The other route via Stockton, to Banta
Banta, California
Banta is a small unincorporated town in San Joaquin County, California. Historically, it was a major interchange point between the Central Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads...
, thence to Martinez
Martinez, California
Martinez is a city and the county seat of Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 35,824 at the 2010 census. The downtown is notable for its large number of preserved old buildings...
to Oakland was 151 miles (243 km).
The Central Pacific was searching for a shorter route to the Bay Area; the recently completed (1868) California Pacific was the basis for a route of about 90 miles (144.8 km).
In July 1871 the Central Pacific offered to buy the Cal-P but their offer was rejected. Central Pacific announced plans to build a parallel route of the Cal-P but diverging at Suisun via the Suisun Marsh
Suisun Marsh
Located in northern California the Suisun Marsh is the largest brackish marsh on west coast of the United States of America. The marsh land is part of the San Francisco Bay tidal estuary, and subject to tidal ebb and flood...
to Benicia
Benicia, California
Benicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,997 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the San...
. The California Pacific, facing financial and expansion difficulties, finally was sold to the Central Pacific in 1876.
The Central Pacific shifted traffic from its mainline via Napa Junction to Vallejo in favor of a line across the Suisun Marsh to Benicia. The Central Pacific began construction in 1877 and completed the line across the Suisun Marsh to Benicia (17 miles) in 1879. The 17 miles (27.4 km) of track took so long to build because of the unstable subgrade through the marsh, requiring tons of crushed rock to stabilize the subgrade. A railroad ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
was established between Benicia and Port Costa
Port Costa, California
Port Costa is a census-designated place in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 190 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
.
Vallejo - Sacramento line
The California Pacific commenced construction at South Vallejo (west of the Carquinez BridgeCarquinez Bridge
The Carquinez Bridge refers to parallel bridges spanning the Carquinez Strait, forming part of Interstate 80 between Crockett and Vallejo, California. The name originally referred to a single cantilever bridge built in 1927, helping to form a direct route between San Francisco and Sacramento. A...
). Grading began on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
, 1866 and rails began to be laid on April 10, 1868. The railroad was built by D.C. Haskin. Two months after grading began the track was completed from Vallejo via Napa Junction and Jameson Pass to Suisun on June 24,1868. The original route of the Cal-P mainline from Suisun to Vallejo is now the route of the California Northern Railroad between Vallejo and Suisun and can be seen along portions of State Route 12.
The original Cal-P line ran to Vallejo, not along the present main line route through the Suisun Marsh between Suisun – Benicia – Martinez.
- January 3, 1865 California Pacific Rail Road Company is incorporatedIncorporation (business)Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
. - January 10, 1865 absorbs the Sacramento & San Francisco Rail Road Company and the San Francisco & Marysville Rail Road Company.
- December 24, 1866 commenced grading from Vallejo towards Suisun then Davisville (Davis)Davis, CaliforniaDavis is a city in Yolo County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. - April 10, 1868 commenced laying of rails.
- June 24, 1868 construction completed Vallejo - Suisun (via Napa Junction).
- July 27, 1868 construction completed Suisun - ElmiraElmira, CaliforniaElmira is a census-designated place in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 188 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Elmira is located at ....
. - August 10, 1868 construction completed ElmiraElmiraElmira may refer to the following places:In Canada:* Elmira, Ontario* Elmira, Prince Edward IslandIn the United States:* Elmira, California* Elmira, Indiana* Elmira, Michigan* Elmira, Missouri* Elmira, New York...
- DixonDixon, CaliforniaDixon is a city in northern Solano County, California, United States, located from the state capital, Sacramento. The population was 18,351 at the 2010 census. Other nearby cities include Vacaville, Winters and Davis....
. - August 24, 1868 construction completed Dixon - Davisville (Davis)
- November 15, 1868 construction completed Davisville (Davis) - Washington, CaliforniaWashington, CaliforniaWashington is a census-designated place located in Nevada County, California. Washington is located on the banks of the South Fork of The Yuba River and has a population of approximately two hundred people...
- April 14, 1869 renamed the California Pacific Railroad Extension Company.
- June 9, 1869 acquires under foreclosureForeclosureForeclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
the Napa Valley Rail Road Company which was originally founded and developed by Samuel BrannanSamuel BrannanSamuel Brannan was an American settler, businessman, and journalist, who founded the "California Star" newspaper in San Francisco, California... - December 23, 1869 renamed the California Pacific Railroad Company.
- January 15, 1870 construction completed Washington, California - Sacramento and railroad ceases to be operated by builder, D.C. Haskin. Operation by California Pacific begins.
- July 1871 Central Pacific offer to buy railroad but offer is rejected. Central Pacific announces plan to build a line paralleling Cal-P but crossing the Carquinez StraitCarquinez StraitThe Carquinez Strait is a narrow tidal strait in northern California. It is part of the tidal estuary of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin rivers as they drain into the San Francisco Bay...
at Benicia instead of at Vallejo (Cal-P's route). - December, 1871 flooding damages track between Knight's Landing and Yuba CityYuba City, CaliforniaYuba City is a Northern California city, founded in 1849. It is the county seat of Sutter County, California, United States. The population was 64,925 at the 2010 census....
/MarysvilleMarysville, CaliforniaMarysville is the county seat of Yuba County, California, United States. The population was 12,072 at the 2010 census, down from 12,268 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, often referred to as the Yuba-Sutter Area after the two counties, Yuba and...
, placing line out of service and causing railroad financial hardship. - June 30, 1876 the railroad, facing financial difficulties caused by the flooding of December 1871, is sold to the Central Pacific Railroad but continues to be listed as California Pacific.
- May 14, 1877 damaged and abandoned track is removed between Knight's Landing and Yuba City.
- December 6, 1879 Central Pacific completes 17 miles (27.4 km) line from Suisun - Benicia and the trial run of the ferry across the Carquinez Strait (1.08 miles) between Benicia and Port Costa begins.
- April 1, 1885 the railroad was leased to and operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad. SP also acquires the Northern Railway, a subsidiarySubsidiaryA subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
paper railroad of the SP. - 1888 listed in ICC reports as a non-operating subsidiary of Southern Pacific Railroad.
- April 14, 1898 the railroad is sold to the Southern Pacific Railroad.
The Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
line between Martinez and Sacramento (or perhaps Oakland and Sacramento) was informally known as the “Cal-P” after the original builder of the line, the California Pacific Railroad.
Napa Valley Railroad
California Pacific purchased the Napa Valley Rail Road at foreclosureForeclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
on June 9, 1869.
The Napa Valley Rail Road was built from the head of navigation on the Napa River, Soscol, near Skaggs Island, to Napa
Napa, California
-History:The name Napa was probably derived from the name given to a southern Nappan village whose people shared the area with elk, deer, grizzlies and cougars for many centuries, according to Napa historian Kami Santiago. At the time of the first recorded exploration into Napa Valley in 1823, the...
, St. Helena
St. Helena, California
St. Helena is a city in Napa County, California, United States. It is part of the northern San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 5,814 at the 2010 census....
, and Calistoga. It was backed by a group headed by Samuel Brannan
Samuel Brannan
Samuel Brannan was an American settler, businessman, and journalist, who founded the "California Star" newspaper in San Francisco, California...
, a Calistoga resort owner. The track from Soscol to Napa was completed on July 11, 1865. The NVRR reached Oakville on September 15, 1867, St. Helena on February 27, 1868, and Calistoga on July 31, 1868. After the Cal-P built through the lower Napa Valley to Vallejo, the NVRR built a connection south to the Cal-P at Adelante in January, 1869. The California Pacific purchased the NVRR in June 1869 when the NVRR was sold under foreclosure. After purchasing the Cal-P, the Southern Pacific operated passenger service to Calistoga until 1929. In the 1980s, as freight service declined, the track beyond St. Helena
St. Helena, California
St. Helena is a city in Napa County, California, United States. It is part of the northern San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 5,814 at the 2010 census....
was abandoned. In 1987 the track from Napa to St. Helena was sold to the new Napa Valley Railroad for operation of the Napa Valley Wine Train
Napa Valley Wine Train
The Napa Valley Wine Train is operated by the Napa Valley Railroad . The train is a privately operated excursion train that runs between Napa and St. Helena, California. Much of the rail line parallels State Route 29 after leaving the City of Napa and passes the towns of Yountville, Rutherford and...
.
Cal-P line from Davis - Marysville
The Cal-P also built a line from Davisville (Davis) to Yuba City/Marysville. The track was completed from Davisville – Knight’s Landing on September 23, 1869. The line reached Yuba City on November 22, 1869, and Marysville on February 15, 1870. However, in December 1871 there was severe flooding in the Yolo BypassYolo Bypass
The Yolo Bypass is one of two flood bypasses in the Sacramento Valley located in Yolo and Solano Counties. It protects Sacramento and other riverside communities from flooding through a system of weirs...
causing damage to the line between Knight’s Landing
Knights Landing, California
Knights Landing is a census-designated place in Yolo County, California, USA founded by William Knight. It is located on the Sacramento River in the northeastern portion of the county. Knights Landing's ZIP Code is 95645 and its area code 530. It lies at an elevation of 36 feet...
and Yuba City. That portion of the line was abandoned and track removal commenced on May 14, 1877.
The line from Davis to Woodland was later operated by the Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
and currently by the California Northern Railroad.