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Prolific poster 1,037 posts dfandrews Prolific poster 1,037 posts
dfandrews
I’ve been delving into a variety of publications covering local and California history, both in books available through library searches, and pamphlets available through local museums. They all have a common theme. The state’s and region’s development of agriculture, and then oil, was centered around how the railroad was able to provide an outlet for local products. The book “Pacific Fruit Express” extensively covers how, from 1906 on to 1978, PFE had been a major shipper of fruits and vegetables from California and other western states, to the rest of the country, and then internationally. Ventura County produces lemons, oranges, strawberries, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, and tomatoes. Much of it was shipped via PFE reefers iced at PFE facilities in Oxnard, which used ice manufactured on site by Union Ice Company, under contract.

Ventura County has had extensive oil fields. The Ventura Avenue field was one of the largest in production for many years. If you look at a map plot of oil wells in the area, they sit on a straight line from Castaic, through Santa Paula canyon, Ventura River valley, west coastal Ventura County (at Seacliff), and then off-shore in the Santa Barbara Channel. Union Oil Company got its start in Santa Paula; and Union Oil, Shell, Continental, and Richfield all have had production and refinery operations in Ventura County. Regional oil products distributors are also emerging from local research.  Seaside oil company started in Summerland (between Carpinteria and Santa Barbara), and had gas stations throughout the region.  After their refinery in Summerland was destroyed, they acquired another in Ventura.  Seaside was bought up by Tidewater Oil in 1946, which in turn then became a subsidiary of Phillips Petroleum in the 1960’s.

Don - CEO, MOW super.

Rincon Pacific Railroad, 1960.  - Admin.offices in Ventura County

HO scale std. gauge - interchanges with SP; serves the regional agriculture and oil industries

DCC-NCE, Rasp PI 3 connected to CMRI, JMRI -  ABS searchlight signals
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feldman718 Prolific poster 1,359 posts
feldman718

Historical Research

Everyone needs to research their layout. Only that can understand why a particular railroad was developed and what it provided in an ear before roads and gasoline powered vehicles were available. But gasoline powered vehicles still can't provide certain services as can trains eexpecially if it involves heavy weights moved over long distances. Just look at every road system in the country and you'll notice that they are heavily travelled and often feature air and noise polution and heavy traffic with frequent accidents that cause problems that further increase congestion and pollution. How do you solve some of it? Put the stuff that travels on trucks on trains. and put some of the people who travel by car on trains as well.

Irv
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dfandrews Prolific poster 1,037 posts
dfandrews

Nudges

That's what people need:  gentle nudges.  To change habits, like everyone using their own car:  moring rush hour is one to a vehicle.  I must say, though, that since Metrolink started running trains in 1994, the ridership has slowly increased.  Now, there are three trainsets that run from Ventura to downtown LA, and they're pretty full by the time they've made half their stops.

Don - CEO, MOW super.

Rincon Pacific Railroad, 1960.  - Admin.offices in Ventura County

HO scale std. gauge - interchanges with SP; serves the regional agriculture and oil industries

DCC-NCE, Rasp PI 3 connected to CMRI, JMRI -  ABS searchlight signals
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