Anyone have SP employee timetables, going back to the 1960's? My question- I saw a photo in the RailImages albums, which showed a lift bridge. It is captioned as being at Fruitvale Ave, Oakland, CA. I have an SP train order from the office named "Fruitvale". The contents seem to place me roughly in the same vicinity as the bridge. I would like to know, if the location copying my flimsy, was the same as this bridge? Or, where was Fruitvale, if sited elsewhere? Boxcab E50
Yep, you have train order from Fruitvale tower. Fruitvale bridge crosses the Oakland Estuary. SP MP9.7 Fruitvale Station#12160. Station info from my buddy Gary, [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Georgia, Verdana]EspeeGary[/FONT]
BoxCab, The Fruitvale tower seen in the picture and the Fruitvale bridge are within about a quarter mile from each other. I think the picture is looking north. If so the bridge would be due west or to the left of that picture. Also there was a Fruitvale auto bridge next to the train bridge located on Fruitvale Ave. An area of shops and a large supermarket were east of this area on Fruitvale Ave. It was called the Fruitvale District. I grew up in that area of Oakland in the sixties and watched a lot of trains at the tower. The Fruitvale bridge went across to Alameda where it met the Alameda Belt Line. There was also a big catchup plant just to the left of the Fruitvale tower. Shannon
Great info. This is one reason I enjoy collecting train orders. Was Fruitvale once a seperate community? Swallowed up as Oakland grew? Or? Sounds like a name someone would give to an area with a lot of fruit packing warehouses... Boxcab E50
I have a 1987 SP timetable and there is Fruitvale listed as a station. Its station number is 12160 and is mile post is 9.7 on the Mulford Line of the Niles Subdivision. Its between Oakland and Santa Clara.
