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But if you're borderline obsessive-compulsive, and enjoy minutely examining historic videotape for hints about San Jose's fruit industries, then check out the video below - a ride on a Siemens diesel railcar from Campbell to San Jose in 1996. There's not much to see, of course; even then, most of the signs of the fruit industry were long gone. There are points where the train ride goes past the former sites of canneries. At the 5:45 mark, you'll see the train going past the site of the Ainsley Cannery, now completely covered in houses. The sawtooth warehouses just north of the Ainsley Cannery are also visible. At the 19 minute mark, you'll see the train going past Race Street, and I was surprised by the hints about all the sidings for Contadina, U.S. Products, and Denver Meat either buried in the pavement or visible by the switch ties still visible under the track.
WP fans may want to look at the diamond at the WP crossing. Looks like there'd been three tracks crossing there at one point, though one track is long gone and the diamond carrying the other has been yanked up and dumped next to the tracks.
An amazing snapshot of how the line looked prior to VTA ownership and the line side development that occurred since. Interesting to hear the comments about the original light rail route concept of branching onto the WP than going down San Carlos into downtown; however the idea was nixed in favor of going closer to the arena.
ReplyDeleteAs one commenter alluded..."There's the practical method and then there's the political necessity."
Ken