Amtrak’s train #5, the westbound San Francisco Zephyr, has made its afternoon arrival at the old Southern Pacific 16th Street Station in Oakland, California, on a sunny August day. SPD40Fs 586 and 581 didn’t have to fight much – if any – snow on Donner Pass, about a 130 miles to the east. The old SP station, opened in 1912, is an imposing edifice, but the platform side is a little “industrial” looking as it still has the elevated platforms in place for the long-defunct Interurban Electric Railway (an SP subsidiary). Note the train sheds are still in place, although the IER ceased operations in July 1941. The 16th Street Station would be closed 19 years later, on August 5, 1994, replaced by a new station in Oakland’s Jack London Square.
Huge Album that Includes over 2,600+ photos of classic passenger trains across USA & Canada before and during the time of Amtrak & VIA Rail. More Images will be Added.
California-bound rail travelers from the east have three choices to reach the Golden State: California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle. A look back through the years including the now-defunct Desert Wind
