The History of the South Bay Railroad

Over 60 people came out to Community Hall Saturday afternoon to learn about the history of the Bay Area railroad system as part of a Silicon Valley History Collaborative speaker event.

The discussion titled, “Bells and Whistles: Railroads in the Bay Area” is part of a six-month exhibit on the history of the local railroad on second floor of the Cupertino library, and was led by longtime railroad historian Randy Hees and focused on the focused heavily on the rise of the railroad system in the South Bay area.

“What I really want to talk about today is the pattern of the rail road system, specifically in the South Bay,” Hees said in his opening remark. “We’re going to look at what happened, and what could’ve happened.”

Hees, who works as the curator for the Society for the Preservation of the Carter Railroad at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont, wowed the crowd with old pictures of railroad tracks and cars of the 1800’s and explained to his audience of how traders in the state of California evolved from transporting its goods from boat and stage coach to train.

“They had a river system, and that was enough,” said Hees. “That was how we were transporting our goods. It was a monumental change in the way of tranpsotation.”

Hees shared the unfolding of the first railroad system in the area, the Niles Canyon Railway, a track through the Niles Canyon in the Fremont area that was built in 1866 as part of the federal Pacific Railroad Act of 1862.

“It was the most wonderful railway no one has ever heard of,” Hees joked.

Cupertino resident Liya Guan came to listen to Hees’ presentation after reading a flyer on the second floor of the library, and was amazed of Hees’ vast knowledge of railroad history.

“The presentation was really interesting,” Guan said. “I am new to the area and wanted to learn more about the local history.”

The Silicon Valley History Collaborative is a joint community effort led by the Cupertino Library Foundation, the Cupertino Historical Society and the Santa Clara County Library District, and plans to host a themed exhibit every six months on a different subject of California Western Americana, according to Library Foundation President Eno Schmidt.

“Cupertino is the catalyst for California Western Americana,” said Schmidt. “This is a joint community gives the community a chance to come together and talk about these things.”

Hees jumped in last minute to give his own presentation after the original speaker, Rod Diridon Sr. cancelled due to sickness.