The San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad was a California rail line between Stockton and Bakersfield constructed in the late 1890s and very shortly thereafter purchased by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad and became their Valley Division.Walker's Manual of Far Western Corporations & Securities, Volume 5, Part 1913, p. 183Hooper, Ken (26 December 2014). History: Bakersfield freed from railroad tyranny, The Bakersfield Californian
The impetus for building the line was the monopoly position of the Southern Pacific Railroad, it being thought that a competitor would lower the prices being charged to farmers to ship their crops to San Francisco. Claus Spreckels, a leading sugar manufacturer, pledged $500,000 for the building of the line in January 1895, if $3,000,000 more could be raised. Many small investors contributed funds, giving it the nickname the "People's Railroad". The line was constructed between 1895 and 1898. The first passenger train from Stockton to Fresno ran on October 5, 1896, to great fanfare.(6 October 1896). Fresno Freed From Monopoly's Shackles, San Francisco Call Bakersfield also held a big celebration when it was reached on May 27, 1898. In both cases, news reports trumpeted how the towns were now free of the "tyranny" of Southern Pacific's monopoly.(28 May 1898). Bakerfield Freed From Tyranny, San Francisco Call
The quick sale to the Santa Fe before the end of 1898(10 December 1898). Valley Road Deal, Los Angeles Herald(20 October 1898). Confirmed Again, Los Angeles Herald disappointed many, but many backers believed combining with a larger partner was key to the line's success.Daggett, Stuart. Chapters on the history of the Southern Pacific, pp. 317-45 (1966)
The line still exists today as BNSF's Stockton Subdivision from Richmond to Fresno, and as the Bakersfield Subdivision from Fresno to Bakersfield. The Gold Runner runs along this route.
Stations Stations from north to south included the following stops:Timetable, Railroad Gazetteer (April 1899), p. 27 Richmond Luzon. Named during the Spanish-American War, when place names from the Philippines were very popular. Now located near Hercules.Gudde, Erwin G. California Place Names, p. 186 (1922) Pinole Glen Frazer Muir Station (Martinez) Bay Point Pittsburg Antioch Stockton (San Joaquin Street station) Burnham Escalon Riverbank Empire Hughson Elmwood Merced station Geneva Le Grand Marguerite Sharon Miller Lankershim Patterson Greenleaf Fresno Oleander Conejo Hanford station Corcoran station Angiola Kernell Elmo Wasco station Shafter Rosedale Bakersfield station
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