Set the Way-Back Machine to 1874, when the transcontinental railway was still new and the Central Pacific Railway had arrived in Oakland, CA. They built a paint shop to refurbish rolling stock and its un-reinforced brick structure somehow survived major earthquakes.
The building has been through many changes and survived to this date as a diesel locomotive “running repair” facility, meaning light repairs and servicing. Now, the UP finds this an inconvenient structure, seismically unsound, uneconomical to repair and plans to demolish it.
Since it’s an industrial facility, close to I-880, one would think it has few friends. But that’s not true. Oakland Heritage Alliance, Golden Gate Railroad Museum and others would like to see it survive. But that’s probably not to be. The UP plans to demolish the structure by the end of the month and is asserting its federal rights (under the Surface Transportation Board) to trump state’s rights.
The legal issues are convoluted and those who wish to save the building are running fast out of time. While it’s easy to paint the UP as bad guys in this story, they did give notice of the impending demolition and offered a tour of the facility (September 23) prior to the planned demolition. The railroad was open to ideas about relocation and museum use, but moving a brick building on a month’s notice is virtually impossible, assuming funding could be found.
The railroad provided notice of its intent to erase an important and perhaps the last surviving structure of the first transcontinental railroad, but it did so in such a manner that preservationists could barely respond. In 2001 the structure, with its segmented-arched windows, and graceful style, was approved as an Oakland Landmark. For the next few days, drivers on I-880 and BART riders can view the brick building that was once instrumental to the first transcontinental railroad.
Comments
Trumping state's rights? How ridiculous is that. If you asked the majority of the state's population to pay extra taxes to buy such a structure to preserve it, they would tell you to demolish it immediately and make way for something that generates jobs like a new building. No wonder California is so screwed up with people like you suggesting that the state wants that piece of sh..."
If they'd given MORE THAN A MONTH'S NOTICE -- like, six months -- some private group would have bought it and moved it to a museum.
The article fails to mention that the building has not been used for years and is fenced off due to its deteriorated condition. UP had previously attempted to demolish the building and replace it with a modern shop structure, but was thwarted by railbuffs and preservationists. There is nothing particularly historic about the building, which was originally part of the passenger car shop complex. It's just an old, unreinforced brick building
"It's just an old, unreinforced brick building"
Yeah so are hundreds of other historic buildings. What, are you a stooge fir UP from Omaha? I think so.
The usual stupidity?
How could someone move an enomorous unr-renforced brick building to a Museum? The building is larger than most museums.
Still sad to see it go. I hired out there in the 70's.
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