Sunday, July 5, 2015

Guz Intas and Guz Outas: 1942-3 Carloadings and Commodities on the North Bay Lines



I recently obtained a PDF copy of the History of the Santa Fe Railroad from Barstow to San Francisco from the Western Archives of the Santa Fe Railway Historical and Modeling Society.  They can be ordered from the Society website at: http://www.atsfrr.org/store/DigiHist.htm  I will post a review in the future, but for me, the file has been a gold mine of contemporaneous operational data.  Among other valuable historical documentation, in the appendix was a table of cars originated and received at the various stations along the line for 1942 and 1943.  I copied the data for my modeling area, Stockton to San Francisco, into an Excel spread sheet to help me gain a better understanding of what the traffic.  This information is more granular but less comprehensive than the commodity carloadings contained in the annual reports to the ICC and the California Railroad Commision.  (More on those in the future.) 

I had some preconceived notions as to what the traffic sources and commodities might be during the war years based on the San Francisco Port of Embarkation in Oakland, the Kaiser Shipyards and Standard Oil refinery in Richmond, Hercules Powder in Herpoco, the Naval Ordnance Depot at Port Chicago, and the Columbia Steel, Dow Chemical, and Fibreboard Plants in the Pittsburg/Antioch area.  A look at the newly discovered data confirmed some and shattered other assumptions.
 
Principal Commodities Stockton – San Francisco

Principal Commodities

Principal Commodities

Forwarded
1943
1942
Received
1943
1942
Alcohol
370
207
Alcoholic Liquors
266
512
Almonds
18
27
Asbestos
245
174
Asbestos
231
494
Autos & Trucks
1766
1178
Autos & Trucks
142
364
Autos & Trucks & Parts
383
898
Autos & Trucks & Parts
44
1662
Barrels
929
1247
Barrels
250
193
Box Board
134
219
Beer
357
706
Canned Goods
1819
1555
Box Board
1222
1458
Coal
92
93
Canned Goods
3300
5944
Explosives
13
12
Cement, Lime, Plaster
129
303
Flour & Feed
24
6
Chemical Spray
238
242
Fruits & Vegetables
683
564
Crushed Rock
286
56
Iron & Steel
1738
3130
Enamal Ware
58
0
Lumber
1076
1468
Explosives
364
383
Oil & Gasoline
3200
3658
Fish Products
206
280
Paper
307
306
Fruits & Vegetables
175
156
Pig Iron
334
477
Furniture
1
14
Potatoes
1160
1380
Grapes
131
300
Sand & Gravel
3084
2726
Iron & Steel
323
343
Steel
840
647
Oil & Gasoline
7727
10859
Structural Steel
91
0
Onions
59
48
Waste Paper
2765
2724
Paper
1702
2269



Potatoes
1136
1761



Salt Products
1382
1578



Sand & Gravel
2551
2521



Steel
1391
1677



Structural Steel
42
0



Sugar
2867
3873



Sulphate Ammonia
496
599



Tea & Coffee
307
396



Tomatoes
73
137



Waste Paper
497
473



Wine
192
231





As expected, oil and gasoline shipments led the originating freight commodities with 18.5 thousand outbound car loads over the two years.  Surprisingly, it was the second most received commodity with 6858 cars loads.  What was surprising about the oil and gasoline shipments was the origin.  Standard Oil in Richmond only accounted for 58% of the shipments, Port Chicago the other 42%.  How can that be?  Santa Fe only directly served one of the Bay Area refineries and that was in Richmond.  How did Port Chicago originate 42% of the petroleum traffic?  SP served the Shell and Tidewater refineries at Martinez and interchanged traffic to the Santa Fe at Port Chicago.  I discovered that and wrote about it in 2012, you can see that original post here: http://northbaylines.blogspot.com/2012/09/interchanges-2-port-chicago.html   What that detention report didn’t tell me was a tidbit that explains how the Santa Fe originated 7700 loads and terminated 6800 on the SP in those two years.  The traffic had to come from and go to the Shell and Tidewater refineries, as there were no petroleum facilities on the Santa Fe at Port Chicago.  On page 29 of the history, the author, F. B. Baldwin, has a paragraph dedicated to the Antioch-Martinez Switching Zone where both the SP and Santa Fe have access to all industries on either line on a switching basis.  That gave SP access to Columbia Steel and Dow in Pittsburg, and ATSF to the refineries.  And what about the Port Chicago Naval Ammunition Depot that I had planned on moving a gazillion explosive laden boxes to?  Only 107 car loads total since it opened to spring of 1944 when the report was written.  “Most of the traffic moving to it originates in Pacific Coast areas which we do not serve.” (P30)  The truth turned my expectations totally upside down.  But at least my investment in P2K and Red Caboose tank cars is paying off. 

Here is a list of the 1942-43 traffic by station.  The busiest was the WP interchange in Stockton, the least busy was Orwood.  And this does not account for the empties, only the loads originating or terminating at a station or coming from or going to an interchange. 

Total Originating and Terminating Carload Traffic by Location

Station
Orig 1943
Orig 1942
Term 1943
Term 1942
Total 1943
Total 1942
2 Year Grand Total
Avg loads/day
WP Stockton
30471
29306
22685
23115
53156
52421
105577
144.6
San Francisco
13351
13969
35016
32124
48367
46093
94460
129.4
Richmond
14118
14877
29352
18089
43470
32966
76436
104.7
SP Stockton
19514
17346
14799
13895
34313
31241
65554
89.8
Oakland
7018
10805
23053
23912
30071
34717
64788
88.8
Stockton
4616
5045
9888
8754
14504
13799
28303
38.8
Antioch
4940
3331
3545
3840
8485
7171
15656
21.4
Pittsburg
4070
4860
2840
3573
6910
6433
13343
18.3
Port Chicago
3471
5835
1326
353
4797
6188
10985
15.0
CCT Stockton
1934
1857
362
562
2296
2419
4715
6.5
NWP Tiberon
1596
1334
3148
4128
1596
1334
2930
4.0
Middle River
1087
1515
36
54
1123
1569
2692
3.7
El Cerrito
422
169
771
419
1193
588
1781
2.4
SN Port Chicago
401
420
237
328
638
748
1386
1.9
Oakley
261
538
92
81
353
619
972
1.3
Holt
593
212
95
61
688
273
961
1.3
Berkeley
63
34
435
414
498
448
946
1.3
Herpoco
364
383
13
12
377
395
772
1.1
Orwood
222
331
7
23
229
354
583
0.8

This Table shows that Stockton was the busiest place on the Valley Division as it handled nearly 280 loads each day to the interchanges or local industries plus all the through traffic to and from the Bay Area.  WP delivered 3 cars to the Santa Fe for every 2 the SP did and Santa Fe sent about the same proportion to each.  Perhaps it is just as well that I represent Stockton as my east staging, it could easily be layout unto itself with two major direct interchanges and one minor one plus the myrad of local industries.  The relative traffic levels are generally what I had guestimated, but with two surprises.  One, Herpoco had very little traffic and I will have to use my Hercules Powder cars less than I had planned.  Two, Middle River, the start of my on layout locations, chosen for its Bascule Bridge, had a lot more than I knew about.  As you can see in the next table most of that traffic was potatoes.  I may need to include a potato packing house and increase my SFRD reefer count.  That, or I can plan my ops sessions to avoid the potato rush.  I may need to up the reefer count anyway, the history documents the shipment of  550 car loads each year of fresh peaches from one orchard north of Merced to canneries in the Bay Area.  It still won’t be the solid reefer blocks needed for Bakersfield or Cajon though.

Principal Commodities Shipped by Station

Station
Principal Commodities
Fwd1943
Fwd 1942
2yr Fwd
Com Grand Total
Richmond
Oil & Gasoline
4952
5887
10839
18586
Port Chicago
Oil & Gasoline
2775
4972
7747
18586
Oakland
Canned Goods
1970
4889
6859
10377
San Francisco
Canned Goods
985
811
1796
10377
Stockton
Canned Goods
501
632
1133
10377
Antioch
Canned Goods
345
244
589
10377
Richmond
Sugar
2460
2998
5458
6740
San Francisco
Sugar
407
875
1282
6740
Middle River
Potatoes
1005
1445
2450
5205
Stockton
Potatoes
1017
1037
2054
5205
Orwood
Potatoes
131
316
447
5205
Holt
Potatoes
172
82
254
5205
Antioch
Sand & Gravel
2551
2521
5072
5072
San Francisco
Paper
1702
2269
3971
3971
Richmond
Autos & Trucks & Parts
44
1662
1706
3592
Stockton
Autos & Trucks
696
684
1380
3592
Oakland
Autos & Trucks
142
364
506
3592
Pittsburg
Steel
1391
1677
3068
3068
Pittsburg
Salt Products
1382
1578
2960
2960
Antioch
Box Board
1222
1458
2680
2680
Stockton
Fruits & Vegetables
605
465
1070
1401
San Francisco
Fruits & Vegetables
94
142
236
1401
Orwood
Fruits & Vegetables
81
14
95
1401
Pittsburg
Sulphate Ammonia
496
599
1095

San Francisco
Beer
357
706
1063

Oakland
Waste Paper
497
473
970

Herpoco
Explosives
364
383
747

Pittsburg
Asbestos
231
494
725

San Francisco
Tea & Coffee
307
396
703

Oakland
Iron & Steel
323
343
666

Port Chicago
Alcohol
370
207
577

Richmond
Fish Products
206
280
486

Richmond
Chemical Spray
238
242
480

Richmond
Barrels
250
193
443

Port Chicago
Cement, Lime, Plaster
129
303
432

Oakley
Grapes
131
300
431

San Francisco
Wine
192
231
423

El Cerrito
Crushed Rock
286
56
342

Holt
Celery
252
76
328

Oakley
Tomatoes
73
137
210

Middle River
Onions
59
48
107

El Cerrito
Enamel Ware
58
0
58

Oakley
Almonds
18
27
45

Berkeley
Structural Steel
42
0
42

Berkeley
Furniture
1
14
15


Principal Commodities Received by Station

Station
Principal Commodities
Recd 1943
Recd 1942
2 Yr Rec
Com Grand Total
Stockton
Autos & Trucks
4154
4352
8506
12731
Oakland
Autos & Trucks
1766
1178
2944
12731
Richmond
Autos & Trucks & Parts
383
898
1281
12731
San Francisco
Oil & Gasoline
869
2334
3203
6858
Richmond
Oil & Gasoline
1154
850
2004
6858
Port Chicago
Oil & Gasoline
991
207
1198
6858
Pittsburg
Oil & Gasoline
186
267
453
6858
Antioch
Waste Paper
2765
2724
5489
6738
Stockton
Waste Paper
715
534
1249
6738
Oakland
Sand & Gravel
1322
1231
2553
6673
San Francisco
Sand & Gravel
772
953
1725
6673
Stockton
Sand & Gravel
379
484
863
6673
Pittsburg
Sand & Gravel
500
197
697
6673
El Cerrito
Sand & Gravel
356
218
574
6673
Antioch
Sand & Gravel
134
127
261
6673
Oakland
Iron & Steel
1738
3130
4868
4868
San Francisco
Paper
307
306
613
4094
Pittsburg
Pig Iron
334
477
811
4094
San Francisco
Potatoes
1138
1310
2448
4094
Stockton
Potatoes
99
31
130
4094
Middle River
Potatoes
15
48
63
4094
Orwood
Potatoes
7
22
29
4094
San Francisco
Canned Goods
1044
757
1801
3374
Oakland
Canned Goods
775
798
1573
3374
Richmond
Lumber
559
574
1133
2544
El Cerrito
Lumber
289
617
906
2544
Berkeley
Lumber
179
219
398
2544
Oakley
Lumber
49
58
107
2544
Richmond
Barrels
929
1247
2176

Pittsburg
Steel
840
647
1487

San Francisco
Fruits & Vegetables
683
564
1247

San Francisco
Alcoholic Liquors
266
512
778

Pittsburg
Asbestos
245
174
419

Antioch
Box Board
134
219
353

Berkeley
Coal
92
93
185

Berkeley
Structural Steel
91
0
91
0
Holt
Sheep & Goats
43
30
73

Holt
Shooks
29
10
39

Oakley
Flour & Feed
24
6
30

Herpoco
Explosives
13
12
25



Much more analysis to do, but most of my modeling selection remains valid, but some of my assumptions and fleet composition need updating.


JOHN BARRY
Washington, DC