Noticed the news below on a trail conversion in Modesto. Cal.. I've never been there, but just wondering if this is the route that Santa Fe 4-8-4 2921 took to get into the park?

http://railroadnews.net/news/11-21.html
ryarger@rypn.org

As it happens, I'm acquainted with Modesto's premier railfan and rail photographer, the great Ted Benson. I asked him for whatever reports he could give us; here's his response:

"Hi Sandy,

I'll attach the story that ran in The Modesto Bee last Thursday (11/20/03) regarding the Tidewater Southern rail trail project in Modesto.
This particular route is the path for former WP subsidiary TS Ry. took through town, starting a couple of blocks east of the the line's entrance to 9th Street (a full mile of street running down what once was US highway 99) and continuing on to Bangs Ave north of town. The last trains on the TS through town ran in April 2000 and rail was removed north of 9th Street in April of this year. The TS is still very much intact from Stockton to Bangs Ave (McHenry Station) and south of Modesto to Turlock. UP runs a mainline Roseville-Modesto (Rogers Station) hauler 5 nights a week. Turlock has a local 5 days a week while the north end sees service 3 days a week with an extra job during canning season (Escalon is a steady source of TS revenue.)

The route traced by Santa Fe 2921 enroute to Beard Brook Park in Modesto followed the Modesto & Empire Traction Company mainline from the ATSF interchange in Empire (5 miles east of Modesto) to what was in 1960 the yard and shops for the M&ET at 12th & B. Streets. Moving the 4-8-4 into the park required closing Morton Blvd on the north side of the park (adjacent to the
M&ET yard) and laying panel track down the street to the park. I'm not sure what the grade works out to--they dropped her a good 30 feet in about a quarter-mile distance. The M&ET used a 70-tonner with ten empty SFRD ice reefers for braking power to ease the 2921 down the hill. They made it OK, too--the only slight problem came from a dozer slightly bending the pilot when they pushed the engine into it's final display location.

There's been a fair amount of talk about pulling the 2921 out for display elsewhere. There's a group from Barstow that wants to put her on the block next to the Harvey House there (my choice for a proper setting) but the locals now want to put her out by the new Amtrak depot on the former ATSF northwest of town. The 2900s have zero historical footprint in the valley, but that fact seems to escape the yokels. We'll see. It's been a very quiet subject the past few years."

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Blazing A Trail: City to consider creating 4.2-mile corridor park along old railbed

By J.N. SBRANTI
BEE STAFF WRITER
Last Updated: November 20, 2003, 06:26:52 AM PST

It's been talked about for years, but now there are pretty pictures to see and detailed descriptions that depict the Virginia Avenue Corridor Trail Project.

The proposed Modesto park -- with a $20.5 million price tag -- would weave 4.2 miles along an abandoned railroad bed from downtown Modesto to the city's northern border.

Construction of the first piece of the multiyear project is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2004. Before work can begin, however, the city must approve a Virginia Corridor specific plan and environmental assessment.

Two massive documents detailing exactly what's planned and how the park would affect the environment now are available for public review.

Written comments or objections to the plans must be submitted by Tuesday to be included in the printed record.

The city's Planning Commission also has scheduled a public hearing on the documents and is expected to vote Dec. 15. The City Council is scheduled to
consider the Virginia Corridor on Jan. 6.

Here are highlights of what's proposed:

OVERVIEW -- The Tidewater Southern Branch line of the Union Pacific Railroad, which was built in 1912, would be turned into a linear park with
bike and pedestrian trails.

It would include landscaping, lighting, benches, fencing, water fountains, restrooms and parking lots.

The Union Pacific would transfer right of way to the city, but the easement would be reserved for future transportation uses.

That means, someday, the corridor potentially could be used for another railroad or mass transit system. The Tidewater route runs from Modesto, over the Stanislaus River, through San Joaquin County and by the Stockton airport.

Until the land reverts to a transportation use -- if ever -- the Modesto portion would be a park.

The proposed Virginia Corridor would run between Needham Street on the south and Bangs Avenue on the north. The average width would be 60 feet, but it would vary from 10 to 100 feet wide.

The corridor passes through residential, commercial and industrial areas, and near schools, churches and parks.

It crosses 14 streets: College, Coldwell, Princeton-Griswold, West Roseburg, West
Orangeburg, West Granger, Bowen, Woodrow, Standiford, West Union, Stoddard and
Pelandale avenues; West Rumble Road; and Leveland Lane.

Two Modesto Irrigation District canals and the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct also are crossed.

FIRST PHASE -- State funding has been secured to improve the safety of pedestrian crossings over five streets along the corridor if the project is approved.

The grant would be more than enough to pay the $294,000 needed for flashing-light crosswalks, curb ramps, streetlights and sidewalks at Granger, Orangeburg, Griswold-Princeton, Coldwell and College.

Construction would begin in spring 2004.

ROTARY CENTENNIAL JUNCTION -- Modesto's five Rotary Clubs have committed to contribute $500,000 in funds, materials and labor to develop the park between Roseburg and Orangeburg.

An additional $243,000 would be needed to finish that portion of the corridor, which may come from federal transportation funds earmarked for the park.

What's planned between Roseburg and Orangeburg are: a bike path and pedestrian trail, trees and landscaping, parking stalls along Virginia Lane, path lighting, split-rail fencing, benches, trash receptacles, trail signs and an information kiosk.

Work is expected to begin next June and be completed by January 2005, but funding agreements are yet to be finalized with the Rotary Clubs.

FUTURE SEGMENTS -- The next portion of the trail to be developed would be between Needham and Roseburg. Including the crosswalk improvements at several intersections, that phase of development would cost an estimated $3.3 million.

The next phase would be between Orangeburg and Granger, at an estimated cost of $750,000.

Next would be between Granger and Bowen, costing $5.7 million. Then would be Bowen to Woodrow, costing $1.9 million, followed by Woodrow to Pelandale for $7.5 million and Pelandale to Bangs for $319,000.

Funding for those future phases still is being sought.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT -- There would be no significant negative impact on the environment if the corridor is turned into a park, according to
environmental assessment.

Neither animals nor plants would be threatened, nor would important pieces of California history be destroyed.

DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE -- The environmental study and the specific plan can be downloaded from the Internet at www.modestogov.com/rnd/parks/planning.

The documents also can be viewed at the Modesto Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department, Suite 4400, Tenth Street Place, 1010 10th St.; or
at the Stanislaus County Library Reference Desk, 1500 I St., Modesto.

CD-ROMs of the documents can be obtained by contacting Bob Ford, 577-5437,
bford@modestogov.com

*More from Benson:
"Eugene Vicknair maintains the Tidewater Southern History Pages at and they are not to be missed!

If you'd like a great overview of a vastly-underated interurban whose rich history is still very much alive today, give TS.com a look."



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