F Street and H Street Loop (Bakersfield and Kern Electric)

The F Street and H Street Loop was a line of the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway. It originally operated as a loop on F Street and H Street, between 19th Street and California Avenue. The line was constructed in 1903, as part of the original expansion plan. The exact date the line was closed, and converted to buses is not known. However, the line was upgraded in 1909, and was not operating in 1922.[1]

F Street and H Street Loop
Overview
Status	Abandoned
Locale	Bakersfield, California
Termini	Santa Fe Bakersfield Station 19th Street / H Street
Service
Type	Streetcar
System	Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway
Depot(s)	19th St / Union Ave Car barn (1903-1912, 1920-1922) 19th St / Oak St Car barn (1912-1920)
History
Opened	1903
Closed	Between 1909 and 1922
Technical
Line length	0.89 mi (1.43 km)
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 Santa Fe Bakersfield Station ATSF 14th St / F St California Ave / F St California Ave / H St 14th St / H St ATSF 14th St / H St Truxtun Ave / H St 17th St / H St 19th St / H St Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Line Route in 1915

The line was originally single track, constructed with 36-pound rails.[2] In 1909, the rails were upgraded to 87-pound rails. The line was also double tracked for its entire length. The switch at 19th Street and H Street was not replaced in the upgrade, and was abandoned. This converted the loop into a line, although it would still be called a loop. This also reduced the route to simply Santa Fe Bakersfield Station to 19th Street/H Street.[1]

Connections

• Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Line (B&KE)
• Westpark Bus Line (B&KE) - Feeder bus route serving areas southwest of the station.[3]
• Santa Fe Bakersfield Station - with connections to Santa Fe express routes serving the San Joaquin Valley.

B&KE = Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway

References

1. Bergman 2009, p. 139.
2. Lynch, George (March 11, 2008). "The Streetcars, Gone but not Forgotten". The Bakersfield Californian. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
3. Bergman 2009, p. 127.

• Bergman, John (2009). The Southern San Joaquin Valley: A Railroad History. Visalia, California: Jostens Printing and Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-615-25105-9.