The Biola Branch of the
Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) was a freight branch line serving the
raisin
A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the ...
and agricultural area west of
Fresno
Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...
. The line ran from Fresno (
Biola Junction) to
Kerman, California
Kerman (formerly Collis) is a city at the intersection of State Route 180 and State Route 145 in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 13,544 at the 2010 census. Kerman is located west of Fresno, at an elevation of 220 ...
where it connected with the Southern Pacific mainline that ran from Fresno - Tracy via Los Banos (known as the West Side Line).
The first of the Biola Branch between Biola Junction (Fresno) and
Biola was completed by the
Fresno Traction Company
Fresno Traction Company operated electric trams in Fresno, California, from 1903 to 1939. Earlier horsecar tracks were improved and electrified under consolidated ownership which passed to Southern Pacific Transportation Company operation in 1910 ...
(which was owned by SP) on November 15, 1913. The Fresno Traction Company then immediately
lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are leased. Industrial ...
d the branch to SP. One source says the entire branch was in operation as of 1920.
Another source says that the branch was constructed between 1929-1930 when the SP was doing major expansion of its rail yard in Fresno.
On March 3, 1930 the Biola Branch was extended from Biola to Kerman where it connected with SP's Los Banos Subdivision. On October 26, 1936, the branch was
deeded to the SP. SP's purpose for having the Biola Branch extending from Kerman to the south end of SP's Fresno yard was so that West Side (Los Banos Subdivision) trains could enter the Fresno yard at the north (SP West) end of the yard without having to go through downtown Fresno.
On April 5, 1985, the
Interstate Commerce Commission approved abandonment of the Biola Branch from MP 199.93 to MP 208.3.
[ ICC Fin Docket Number AB-12 (Sub 75)]
The right-of-way used to run along what is today known as Gettysburg Avenue to the west of Fresno. Partial remnants of a signal tower exist on the abandoned right-of-way just west of
State Route 99. You can also see where the tracks used to cross Golden State Highway at Biola Junction, just north of Ashlan Avenue in Fresno. The line ran along Gettysburg Ave which is located between the major roads of Ashlan Ave and Shaw Ave.
Route
In 1937, the Biola Branch was listed as a part of the Los Banos Subdivision with the below stations:
Stations
*Kerman (MP 193.0) Junction with SP's Los Banos Subdivision - to Biola Jct.
*
Biola (MP 200.5)
*Truman (MP 202.0)
*Everts (MP 204.0)
*West Acres (MP 206.0)
*Biola Junction (MP 208.6) Connection to the Merced Subdivision/SP Mainline
References
*
{{reflist
External links
Map of the Biola Branch
Southern Pacific Railroad