imported>Mjdestroyerofworlds: better source

2025-12-21T21:08:14Z

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imported>Panamitsu: add {{Use American English}} template per MOS:TIES

2025-06-27T05:48:00Z

add {{Use American English}} template per MOS:TIES

← Previous revision		Revision as of 05:48, 27 June 2025
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	{{Short description\|Former local electric railway service in the East Bay}}		{{Short description\|Former local electric railway service in the East Bay}}
	{{Other uses\|Key system (disambiguation)}}		{{Other uses\|Key system (disambiguation)}}
			{{Use American English\|date=June 2025}}
	{{Use mdy dates\|date=December 2023}}		{{Use mdy dates\|date=December 2023}}
	{{Infobox Public transit		{{Infobox Public transit

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2025-06-06T00:43:46Z

Rescuing 3 sources and tagging 1 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5

imported>SounderBruce: fixing citation parameter

2025-04-08T01:03:43Z

fixing citation parameter

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← Previous revision		Revision as of 05:48, 27 June 2025
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	{{Short description\|Former local electric railway service in the East Bay}}		{{Short description\|Former local electric railway service in the East Bay}}
	{{Other uses\|Key system (disambiguation)}}		{{Other uses\|Key system (disambiguation)}}
			{{Use American English\|date=June 2025}}
	{{Use mdy dates\|date=December 2023}}		{{Use mdy dates\|date=December 2023}}
	{{Infobox Public transit		{{Infobox Public transit

← Previous revision		Revision as of 00:43, 6 June 2025
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	Between 1946 and 1954 transbay fares increased from 20¢ to 50¢ (${{inflation\|US\|.2\|1946\|r=2}} to ${{inflation\|US\|.5\|1954\|r=2}} adjusted for inflation). Fares in this period were used to operate and for 'motorisation' which included streetcar track removal, repaving, purchase of new buses and the construction of bus maintenance facilities. Transbay ridership fell from 22.2{{nbsp}}million in 1946 to 9.8{{nbsp}}million in 1952.<ref name=ctc05 />		Between 1946 and 1954 transbay fares increased from 20¢ to 50¢ (${{inflation\|US\|.2\|1946\|r=2}} to ${{inflation\|US\|.5\|1954\|r=2}} adjusted for inflation). Fares in this period were used to operate and for 'motorisation' which included streetcar track removal, repaving, purchase of new buses and the construction of bus maintenance facilities. Transbay ridership fell from 22.2{{nbsp}}million in 1946 to 9.8{{nbsp}}million in 1952.<ref name=ctc05 />

	The Key System's famed commuter train system was dismantled in 1958 after many years of declining ridership as well by the corrupt monopolistic efforts of National City Lines. The last run was on April{{nbsp}}20, 1958.<ref>{{cite news \|last1=Mackey \|first1=William \|title=Buses Take Over On Bay Bridge Today \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/135407334/ \|access-date=18 November 2023 \|newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner \|via=Newspapers.com \|date=April 20, 1958 \|page=17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|title=East Shore & Suburban Railway & other El Cerrito Railroad Chronology \|url=http://www.elcerritohistoricalsociety.org/ecprintfiles/railchron.pdf \|access-date=October 18, 2020 \|publisher=[[El Cerrito, California\|El Cerrito]] Historical Society}}</ref> In 1960, the newly formed publicly owned AC Transit took over the Key System's facilities.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Two-County Transit Hands Over $7.5 Million for Key \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinez-news-gazette/135220604/ \|access-date=15 November 2023 \|newspaper=Martinez News-Gazette \|via=Newspapers.com \|date=September 30, 1960 \|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinez-news-gazette/135220604/ 1]–[https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinez-news-gazette/135220719/ 2]}}</ref>		The Key System's famed commuter train system was dismantled in 1958 after many years of declining ridership as well by the corrupt monopolistic efforts of National City Lines. The last run was on April{{nbsp}}20, 1958.<ref>{{cite news \|last1=Mackey \|first1=William \|title=Buses Take Over On Bay Bridge Today \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/135407334/ \|access-date=18 November 2023 \|newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner \|via=Newspapers.com \|date=April 20, 1958 \|page=17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|title=East Shore & Suburban Railway & other El Cerrito Railroad Chronology \|url=http://www.elcerritohistoricalsociety.org/ecprintfiles/railchron.pdf \|access-date=October 18, 2020 \|publisher=[[El Cerrito, California\|El Cerrito]] Historical Society \|archive-date=February 23, 2022 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223070811/http://www.elcerritohistoricalsociety.org/ecprintfiles/railchron.pdf \|url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1960, the newly formed publicly owned AC Transit took over the Key System's facilities.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Two-County Transit Hands Over $7.5 Million for Key \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinez-news-gazette/135220604/ \|access-date=15 November 2023 \|newspaper=Martinez News-Gazette \|via=Newspapers.com \|date=September 30, 1960 \|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinez-news-gazette/135220604/ 1]–[https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinez-news-gazette/135220719/ 2]}}</ref>

	Most of the rolling stock was scrapped, with some sold to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Several streetcars, interurbans and bridge units were salvaged for collections in the United States. Of the large bridge units, three are at the [[Western Railway Museum]] near Rio Vista, California<ref>{{Cite web \|url=http://www.wrm.org/equipment/equipment.htm \|title=WRM equipment roster}}</ref> while another is at the [[Orange Empire Railway Museum]] in southern California.		Most of the rolling stock was scrapped, with some sold to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Several streetcars, interurbans and bridge units were salvaged for collections in the United States. Of the large bridge units, three are at the [[Western Railway Museum]] near Rio Vista, California<ref>{{Cite web \|url=http://www.wrm.org/equipment/equipment.htm \|title=WRM equipment roster}}</ref> while another is at the [[Orange Empire Railway Museum]] in southern California.
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	The Key System operated a fleet of ferries between the Key Route Pier<ref>[http://collections.museumca.org/gallery.jsp?user_id=25 Exhibit Name: Trains of Oakland] {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060827091252/http://collections.museumca.org/gallery.jsp?user_id=25 \|date=August 27, 2006 }}, Oakland Museum of California</ref> and the San Francisco Ferry Building until January 15, 1939, when a new dual track opened on the south side of the lower deck of the [[San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge]], bringing Key System trains to the then-new [[Transbay Terminal]] in San Francisco's downtown. The bridge railway and Transbay Terminal were shared with the [[Southern Pacific Railroad\|Southern Pacific]]'s [[East Bay Electric Lines\|Interurban Electric]] and the [[Western Pacific Railroad\|Western Pacific]]'s [[Sacramento Northern]] railroads.		The Key System operated a fleet of ferries between the Key Route Pier<ref>[http://collections.museumca.org/gallery.jsp?user_id=25 Exhibit Name: Trains of Oakland] {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060827091252/http://collections.museumca.org/gallery.jsp?user_id=25 \|date=August 27, 2006 }}, Oakland Museum of California</ref> and the San Francisco Ferry Building until January 15, 1939, when a new dual track opened on the south side of the lower deck of the [[San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge]], bringing Key System trains to the then-new [[Transbay Terminal]] in San Francisco's downtown. The bridge railway and Transbay Terminal were shared with the [[Southern Pacific Railroad\|Southern Pacific]]'s [[East Bay Electric Lines\|Interurban Electric]] and the [[Western Pacific Railroad\|Western Pacific]]'s [[Sacramento Northern]] railroads.

	The Key System's first trains were composed of standard wooden railroad [[Passenger car (rail)\|passenger cars]], complete with [[Clerestory#Transportation\|clerestory]] roofs. Atop each of these, a pair of [[pantograph (rail)\|pantographs]], invented and manufactured by the Key System's own shops, were installed to collect current from overhead wires to power a pair of electric motors on each car, one on each truck (bogie).<ref>{{harvnb\|Demoro1\|1985\|pp=16–17}}</ref><ref>{{cite patent \|url=https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=00764224&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526d%3DPALL%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsrchnum.htm%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526s1%3D0764224.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F0764224%2526RS%3DPN%2F0764224&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page \|country=US \|number=764,224 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal \|url=https://archive.org/stream/streetrailwayjo241904newy#page/116/mode/2up \|title=Street Railway Patents \|journal=The Street Railway Journal \|volume=24 \|number=3 \|date=July 16, 1904 \|page=116 \|via=Archive.org}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb\|Sappers\|2007\|pp=369 }}</ref><ref>{{harvnb\|Rice\|Echeverria\|2007\|pp=13, 16}}</ref>		The Key System's first trains were composed of standard wooden railroad [[Passenger car (rail)\|passenger cars]], complete with [[Clerestory#Transportation\|clerestory]] roofs. Atop each of these, a pair of [[pantograph (rail)\|pantographs]], invented and manufactured by the Key System's own shops, were installed to collect current from overhead wires to power a pair of electric motors on each car, one on each truck (bogie).<ref>{{harvnb\|Demoro1\|1985\|pp=16–17}}</ref><ref>{{cite patent \|url=https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=00764224&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526d%3DPALL%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsrchnum.htm%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526s1%3D0764224.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F0764224%2526RS%3DPN%2F0764224&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page \|country=US \|number=764,224 }}{{Dead link\|date=June 2025 \|bot=InternetArchiveBot \|fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal \|url=https://archive.org/stream/streetrailwayjo241904newy#page/116/mode/2up \|title=Street Railway Patents \|journal=The Street Railway Journal \|volume=24 \|number=3 \|date=July 16, 1904 \|page=116 \|via=Archive.org}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb\|Sappers\|2007\|pp=369 }}</ref><ref>{{harvnb\|Rice\|Echeverria\|2007\|pp=13, 16}}</ref>

	The design of rolling stock changed over the years. Wood gave way to steel, and, instead of doors at each end, center doors were adopted.		The design of rolling stock changed over the years. Wood gave way to steel, and, instead of doors at each end, center doors were adopted.
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	Signs of the system still remain:		Signs of the system still remain:

	*The south wall of the lower level (today's eastbound lanes) of the [[Yerba Buena Tunnel]], connecting the two spans of the Bay Bridge, still contains the as-built "deadman holes", regularly spaced refuge bays into which railway workers could duck whenever a train came along.<ref>[http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/tollbridge/SFOBB/EastSpan/012024/MaterialsHandout/cd1/asbuilt/Yerba%20Buena%20Crossing%20%28Contract%20No.%2004-5%29.pdf State of California, Dept. of Public Works, Tunnel Section and Details, Yerba Buena Crossing, San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, June 1934, Sup. Drawing No. 19A, PDF p.28]</ref><ref name=findit>{{cite news \|url=https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/bay-area-key-system-transit-remembered-18214791.php \|title=Key System was the Bay Area's original BART, and then it vanished. Here's how to find it. \|newspaper=SF Gate \|date=July 26, 2023 \|first=Bill \|last=Buchanan \|access-date=July 27, 2023}}</ref>		*The south wall of the lower level (today's eastbound lanes) of the [[Yerba Buena Tunnel]], connecting the two spans of the Bay Bridge, still contains the as-built "deadman holes", regularly spaced refuge bays into which railway workers could duck whenever a train came along.<ref>{{Cite web \|url=http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/tollbridge/SFOBB/EastSpan/012024/MaterialsHandout/cd1/asbuilt/Yerba%20Buena%20Crossing%20%28Contract%20No.%2004-5%29.pdf \|title=State of California, Dept. of Public Works, Tunnel Section and Details, Yerba Buena Crossing, San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, June 1934, Sup. Drawing No. 19A, PDF p.28 \|access-date=October 21, 2018 \|archive-date=April 18, 2003 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030418115859/http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/tollbridge/SFOBB/EastSpan/012024/MaterialsHandout/cd1/asbuilt/Yerba%20Buena%20Crossing%20(Contract%20No.%2004-5).pdf \|url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=findit>{{cite news \|url=https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/bay-area-key-system-transit-remembered-18214791.php \|title=Key System was the Bay Area's original BART, and then it vanished. Here's how to find it. \|newspaper=SF Gate \|date=July 26, 2023 \|first=Bill \|last=Buchanan \|access-date=July 27, 2023}}</ref>
	*The eastern end of the [[San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge]] sits on landfill which was added to the northern edge of the causeway which carried the Key System railbed to the ferry piers.<ref>[http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/Californiahighways/chpw_1933_dec.pdf "'Great Fill and Wall for Bay Bridge Approach", ''California Highways and Public Works'', Dec. 1933, p.13]</ref>		*The eastern end of the [[San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge]] sits on landfill which was added to the northern edge of the causeway which carried the Key System railbed to the ferry piers.<ref>[http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/Californiahighways/chpw_1933_dec.pdf "'Great Fill and Wall for Bay Bridge Approach", ''California Highways and Public Works'', Dec. 1933, p.13]</ref>
	*The tunnel that Key System trains used to cross under the [[Southern Pacific Transportation Company\|Southern Pacific]] (now [[Union Pacific]] and [[Amtrak]]) tracks to the mole and later the Bay Bridge still exists. It is visible from the [[Alexander Zuckerman Bike Path]], the ramps of the Macarthur Maze, and at the southwest end of the Target store property in Emeryville, a locale that was once part of the Key System yards and shops.<ref>[https://www.ci.emeryville.ca.us/661/Emeryville-Comes-of-Age-1930s-to-1960s "Emeryville Comes of Age – 1930s to 1960s", City of Emeryville]</ref><ref name=findit />		*The tunnel that Key System trains used to cross under the [[Southern Pacific Transportation Company\|Southern Pacific]] (now [[Union Pacific]] and [[Amtrak]]) tracks to the mole and later the Bay Bridge still exists. It is visible from the [[Alexander Zuckerman Bike Path]], the ramps of the Macarthur Maze, and at the southwest end of the Target store property in Emeryville, a locale that was once part of the Key System yards and shops.<ref>[https://www.ci.emeryville.ca.us/661/Emeryville-Comes-of-Age-1930s-to-1960s "Emeryville Comes of Age – 1930s to 1960s", City of Emeryville]</ref><ref name=findit />
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	*The bus yards of today's AC Transit in Emeryville and Richmond were originally the bus yards of the Key System. The Richmond yard was also previously the site of the Northern Carhouse of the Key streetcar system.<ref>[http://www.actransit.org/2017/01/27/ac-transit-hosts-grand-reopening-open-house-and-tour-of-richmond-division-3-bus-facility/ ''AC TRANSIT HOSTS GRAND REOPENING, OPEN HOUSE AND TOUR OF RICHMOND-DIVISION 3 BUS FACILITY'', AC Transit press release, January 27, 2017]</ref>		*The bus yards of today's AC Transit in Emeryville and Richmond were originally the bus yards of the Key System. The Richmond yard was also previously the site of the Northern Carhouse of the Key streetcar system.<ref>[http://www.actransit.org/2017/01/27/ac-transit-hosts-grand-reopening-open-house-and-tour-of-richmond-division-3-bus-facility/ ''AC TRANSIT HOSTS GRAND REOPENING, OPEN HOUSE AND TOUR OF RICHMOND-DIVISION 3 BUS FACILITY'', AC Transit press release, January 27, 2017]</ref>
	*Several streetcars and bridge trains from the Key System are preserved at the [[Western Railway Museum]] at Rio Vista Junction in [[Solano County, California\|Solano County]], as well as a Bridge Unit at the [[Southern California Railway Museum]] in [[Perris, California]] and a streetcar at [[Seashore Trolley Museum]] in [[Kennebunk, Maine]].<ref>[http://www.bera.org/cgi-bin/pnaerc-query.pl?sel_allown=Key+System&match_target=&Tech=Yes&pagelen=200 "Key System in Preserved North American Electric Cars Roster"]. Retrieved on August 18, 2009.</ref>		*Several streetcars and bridge trains from the Key System are preserved at the [[Western Railway Museum]] at Rio Vista Junction in [[Solano County, California\|Solano County]], as well as a Bridge Unit at the [[Southern California Railway Museum]] in [[Perris, California]] and a streetcar at [[Seashore Trolley Museum]] in [[Kennebunk, Maine]].<ref>[http://www.bera.org/cgi-bin/pnaerc-query.pl?sel_allown=Key+System&match_target=&Tech=Yes&pagelen=200 "Key System in Preserved North American Electric Cars Roster"]. Retrieved on August 18, 2009.</ref>
	*One of the 0-4-0 [[Steam locomotives]] used to push the trains during power outages is on display at the [[Redwood Valley Railway]]. It had a brief stint on the currently re-constructing [[Virginia and Truckee Railroad]] in [[Virginia City, Nevada]]. Here, the mountain grades proved too taxing for the little locomotive. It was later replaced by 2–8–0 Steam locomotive No. 29.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.virginiaandtruckee.com/ \|title=Virginia & Truckee \|website=Virginiaandtruckee.com \|access-date=2013-07-15}}</ref>		*One of the 0-4-0 [[Steam locomotives]] used to push the trains during power outages is on display at the [[Redwood Valley Railway]]. It had a brief stint on the currently re-constructing [[Virginia and Truckee Railroad]] in [[Virginia City, Nevada]]. Here, the mountain grades proved too taxing for the little locomotive. It was later replaced by 2–8–0 Steam locomotive No. 29.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.virginiaandtruckee.com/ \|title=Virginia & Truckee \|website=Virginiaandtruckee.com \|access-date=2013-07-15 \|archive-date=December 21, 2009 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221180731/http://www.virginiaandtruckee.com/ \|url-status=dead }}</ref>
	*Although built by the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]], the Key System inherited the [[Northbrae Tunnel]] right-of-way, which it operated from 1942 through 1958. It was converted to street use and opened to auto traffic on December 15, 1962.<ref>[http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/Californiahighways/chpw_1963_marapr.pdf ''California Highways and Public Works'', March-April 1963, pp.61-64]</ref>		*Although built by the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]], the Key System inherited the [[Northbrae Tunnel]] right-of-way, which it operated from 1942 through 1958. It was converted to street use and opened to auto traffic on December 15, 1962.<ref>[http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/Californiahighways/chpw_1963_marapr.pdf ''California Highways and Public Works'', March-April 1963, pp.61-64]</ref>
	*Located at the former [[Oakland Army Base]] site, The Interurban Electric Railway Bridge Yard Shop Building, was used as a maintenance facility for the Key System electric trains. Today, the building is now known as the Bridge Yard Building and is used as a venue for events as part of the [[Judge John Sutter Regional Shoreline]]. A substation located at the site also provided electrical power to all the Key System trains.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news \|date=October 18, 2020 \|title=Oakland's new Sutter Regional Shoreline park now open \|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/park-it-oaklands-new-sutter-regional-shoreline-park-now-open \|access-date=October 31, 2020 \|newspaper=East Bay Times \|language=en-US}}</ref>		*Located at the former [[Oakland Army Base]] site, The Interurban Electric Railway Bridge Yard Shop Building, was used as a maintenance facility for the Key System electric trains. Today, the building is now known as the Bridge Yard Building and is used as a venue for events as part of the [[Judge John Sutter Regional Shoreline]]. A substation located at the site also provided electrical power to all the Key System trains.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news \|date=October 18, 2020 \|title=Oakland's new Sutter Regional Shoreline park now open \|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/park-it-oaklands-new-sutter-regional-shoreline-park-now-open \|access-date=October 31, 2020 \|newspaper=East Bay Times \|language=en-US}}</ref>

Key System - Revision history

imported>Mjdestroyerofworlds: better source

imported>Panamitsu: add {{Use American English}} template per MOS:TIES

imported>InternetArchiveBot: Rescuing 3 sources and tagging 1 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5

imported>SounderBruce: fixing citation parameter