Oakland Terminal Railway

Oakland Terminal Railway
Reporting mark	OTR
Locale	Oakland, California
Dates of operation	1943–present
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters	Oakland, California

The Oakland Terminal Railway (reporting mark OTR) is a terminal railroad in West Oakland, California. The OTR was jointly acquired in 1943 by the Western Pacific Railroad and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to take over the Key System's freight railroad known as the Oakland Terminal Railroad. Today, the OTR operates on 10 miles of track and handles about 1,600 cars per year (1998 figure). It is jointly owned by the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway. The railroad operates in the industrial area around the Oakland Army Base.

The OTR interchanged with the ATSF near the Southern Pacific 16th Street Station in Oakland. The OTR also interchanged with the Western Pacific via trackage rights over the Key System from Emeryville to the Sacramento Northern (a WP subsidiary) terminal at 40th and Shafter Streets in Oakland.

Oakland Terminal Railway 97, the railroad's only locomotive.

Oakland Terminal Railroad

The Oakland Terminal Railroad was the predecessor of the Oakland Terminal Railway. The Railroad was formed in 1935 by the Railway Realty & Equipment Company, Ltd. to handle the Key System's freight customers. The Railroad operated over Key System's A, B and C lines and the Key Systems freight-only tracks on 26th Street and along the waterfront. In 1943 the Key System sold the Oakland Terminal Railroad to the Western Pacific and the Santa Fe Railway. The Oakland Terminal Railroad was renamed the Oakland Terminal Railway. Because it operated over some of the Key System, some of the switching was performed by electric locomotives.

External links

• OTR Railfan Site
• Official UPRR site OTR
• List of California railroads

References

• Fickewirth, Alvin A. (1992). California railroads: an encyclopedia of cable car, common carrier, horsecar, industrial, interurban, logging, monorail, motor road, shortlines, streetcar, switching and terminal railroads in California (1851-1992). San Marino, CA: Golden West Books. ISBN 0-87095-106-8. 
• Stindt, Fred A. (1996). American Shortline Railway Guide (5th Ed. ed.). Waukesha, WI: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0-89024-290-9. 
• Walker, Mike (1997). Steam Powered Video's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America - California and Nevada - Post Merger Ed.. Faversham, Kent, United Kingdom: Steam Powered Publishing. ISBN 1-874745-08-0.