Map of the Abandoned Rails of Niles to Milpitas, CA
Niles to Milpitas, CA
Home | CA | UP , WP
In 1921, the Western Pacific built its 23-mile San Jose Branch, which begins east of Niles Junction and continues south through Milpitas toward San Jose. The Niles-to-Milpitas section was abandoned earlier this decade after a derailment just north of the Milpitas Yard. A connector track was built to the parallel ex-SP Milpitas Line (currently the UP Warm Springs Sub) instead of rebuilding the track.
A small section of the abandoned right-of-way will be used in the Warm Springs Sub's new grade separation project in Fremont. Another portion of the line is being converted into a trail.
Thanks to Paul Carr for contributing information.
Concrete bridge over Mission Blvd. stamped "WPRR 1921". UP "erased" all traces of WP after the merger of 1982, so this must have been covered by a metal UP sign at one point. Photo by Mike Palmer, August 2011.
Looking north from the Morrison Canyon Road grade crossing. Photo by Mike Palmer, August 2011.
Looking north from the Pickering Avenue bridge in Fremont, CA. Photo by Mike Palmer, August 2011.
Milepost 1 still stands just a short walk south of the Morrison Canyon Road crossing. Photo by Mike Palmer, August 2011.
Looking south from the Washington Boulevard bridge in Fremont, CA. The former WP track ends where the crossing panels are piled. The active track at right is the former Southern Pacific line. Photo by Mike Palmer, August 2011.
This view is at the Warm Springs yard, where the connection to the former WP is in place. The two tracks at left are former SP, the one at right is the former WP. Note the deactivated SP target signal, with the head turned away from the track. This area is called "East Industrial" in the map on the website; the picture was taken near the cul de sac on Warm Springs Road. Photo by Mike Palmer, August 2011.
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