James Hitchcock

California Southern Transcontinental Terminus Depot Plans Added

California Southern transcontinental terminus depot west elevation plan National City California

The California Southern Railroad’s depot in National City, California is the last transcontinental terminus depot in the United States at its original location and in its original condition. The Italiante-style depot was built in 1882, the fruition of more than 10 years work to secure a transcontinental railroad link for the San Diego Bay region, and marked an end to the monopoly of the Southern Pacific Railroad in California. The depot is currently operated as a museum by the San Diego Electric Railway Association.

The Historic American Buildings Survey of this building was completed before the depot was renovated to its original state in 1998. The plans we’ve published from the survey include a site plan, four exterior elevations, first and second floor plans, roof plans, a section plan and two detail plans.

Texas & Pacific Marshall, Texas depot plans added

The Mission Revival style depot was dedicated October 26, 1912 in Marshall, Texas, the eastern terminus of the Texas and Pacific Railroad. Check out the page, which features elevations and floor plans.

Other Features at Southern Pacific’s Sacramento Shops

To wrap up our deep dive into Southern Pacific’s Sacramento Shops, we’re posting some items that we have pictures of, but no plans: The privy, the water tower, the turntable, and the pitless transfer table.

Southern Pacific Sacramento Shops Planing Mill Plans Added

One of the earliest of the remaining buildings, the Southern Pacific Sacramento Shops Planing Mill was built beginning in 1867 and was in use by 1869. The masonry structure was 231 feet by 90 feet with an additional wing, built of local materials, on a foundation of brick and stone rubble, oriented east to west. Round-arched windows with corbels dominated the exterior walls between load-bearing pilasters. The ground floor of the east side had double pilasters to provide openings for four large doors to allow cars to enter and exit. Check out the page full of plans and photos.

Car Shop No. 3 plans and photos added to Sacramento Shops pages

Car Shop No 3, east side, looking southwest. Photograph by Jet Lowe.

Southern Pacific Sacramento Shops Car Shop No. 3, which began as an extension of the Planing Mill, saw drastic changes in function throughout its existence. By the time the shop closed in 1999, the building was a mixture of materials and designs from two centuries. The eastern wall was the original 1872 masonry that survived the 1916 fire. The sections created by the addition of fire walls had each been modified to create entirely different spaces in an area that was once 15 identical bays. Altered support structure, windows, and extensions demonstrate how changing needs affected the building’s architecture. Check out our page of plans and photos.

Southern Pacific Sacramento Shops Blacksmith Shop Plans Added

Blacksmith shop, north end, looking south. Photo by Jet Lowe.

Originally built in 1869, the blacksmith shop was 60 by 150 feet in size. Within a year, the blacksmith shop was enlarged by adding a 167 by 90 foot addition. Housing everything surrounding the forging of wrought iron, by 1880, there were 50 forges, two furnaces, and a trip hammer and other metal-shaping machinery in operation in the blacksmith shop. Check out our page with a historical overview, six detailed photos and five delineated plans.