West 19th Street Line (Bakersfield and Kern Electric)

West 19th Street Line
Overview
Type	Streetcar
System	Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway
Status	Abandoned
Locale	Bakersfield, California
Termini	19th St / F St Truxtun Ave / Oak St
Operation
Opened	1903
Closed	August 26, 1933
Depot(s)	19th St / Union Ave Car barn (1903-1912, 1920-1933) 19th St / Oak St Car barn (1912-1920)
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	550-volt DC Overhead lines
Route map Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Line 19th St / F St Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Line 19th St / C St Carrier Canal 19th St / A St 18th St / Ceder St 19th St / Pine St 19th St / Myrite St 19th St / Elm St 19th St / Oak St 19th St / Oak St Car barn 18th St / Oak St Truxtun Ave / Oak St Route in 1915

The West 19th Street Line was a line of the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway. The route originated at the intersection of 19th Street and F Street, and traveled west on 19th Street. It would turn south on Oak Street and terminate at Truxtun Avenue. For most of its life, the line was combined with the North Chester Line. The line was constructed in 1903, as part of the original expansion plan. It closed in 1933.^[1]

The line originally single track, constructed with 36-pound rails.^[2] It would run west on 19th Street to Elm Street. On March 27, 1905, a franchise was granted to extend the line to Oak Street, then turn south and end at Truxtun Avenue. A spur was also constructed at Cedar Street, to run south to 18th Street. That spur was abandoned in 1910.^[1]

On 1912, a new Car barn was constructed at the intersection of 19th Street and Oak Street. It was adjacent to the Recreation Park. Operations continued until 1920, when a fire at the park would spread and burn down the car barn. In addition, two streetcars were destroyed (believed to be car 1 and car 8). Operations were relocated back to the 19th Street and Union Avenue Car barn.^[3]

Between 1922 and 1930, the Truxtun Avenue section was removed, and the line terminated at Oak Street. The 1930 timetable showed streetcars operating every 20 minutes. However, ridership was declining. On August 26, 1933, the line was abandoned and replaced with buses.^[1]

Connections

• Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Line (B&KE)

B&KE = Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway

References

1. Bergman, John. The Southern San Joaquin Valley: A Railroad History. Jostens Printing and Publishing Company. Visalia, California: 2009. ISBN 978-0-615-25105-9. Page 139.
2. Lynch, George. The Streetcars, Gone but not Forgotten. The Bakersfield Californian. March 11, 2008. Accessed: 05-10-2011.
3. Bergman, John. The Southern San Joaquin Valley: A Railroad History. Jostens Printing and Publishing Company. Visalia, California: 2009. ISBN 978-0-615-25105-9. Page 126-127.