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