San Mateo gets connected

Things in San Francisco were still in flux and the western and south western vacant lands only needed transportation to solve labor needs in the burgeoning downtown. Land speculation abounded everywhere. On April 7, 1892 Mr. Joost, Realtor of the Glen Park area in San Francisco, saw the first electric car of the San Francisco and San Mateo Railway complete its run to the southern border of San Francisco County at the "Top of the Hill” in Daly City (13 miles from San Mateo). The franchise for the railway had not been secured to San Mateo and the trolleys went no further than the cemeteries in Colma. The turnout and profit was less than expected by Joost and the company was purchased by a "Baltimore Syndicate” in 1901 and the new owners, United Railroads of San Francisco (URR) immediately acquired the rights to complete the line to San Mateo. On Dec. 26, 1902, the line was completed to San Mateo and the trolleys made the trip in 40 minutes from Baden (South San Francisco).

The 1906 earthquake destroyed a lot of the tracks in San Mateo County and, in addition to repairing the tracks, the president went on a buying spree. From a St. Louis shop, he purchased 16 classic interurbans, 12 motor cars. The interurbans were huge — over 52 feet long and weighed 75,640 pounds. They had spoked wheels, a pilot (cowcatcher) in front and it had a lot of power (four 75- horsepower GE motors) as well as eclipse fenders to cover the sides (and cut down on accidents). They became called the "Big Subs” and their use lasted for 10 years before they were retired.

After leaving Baden, there were a lot of open fields and the trolleys could pick up a lot of speed. With the speed came a "rolling” and "rocking” motion that made the trolley feel like it was coming apart. The hum of the electric engines and the squeal of the brakes were sounds not easily forgotten. When passengers were spotted, the engineer would put on the brakes, slow down and stop while passengers entered the trolley. Stops varied over the years due to traffic demand but popular stops were at: Lindenville Housing (South San Francisco), Tanforan Race Track (three or four stops), San Bruno Avenue, Lomita Park, Millbrae Water Plant (16-Mile House), The Power Plant at Millbrae Avenue, D.O. Mills Dairy barn; Easton and Burlingame Train Station. At the Burlingame Train Station (California Drive), the trolley had the right-of-way south on San Mateo Avenue with various stops in San Mateo until it arrived at Main Street to rest a while. The railroad station was to the east, the Union Hotel was to the south, and there was an area for buses and taxis to stop, as well as trolleys (Main Street is not a main street any more).

There were no high schools in San Bruno and Millbrae until the 1950s when Capuchino and Crestmoor were built. The school trustees decided to fund the students’ transportation to San Mateo High School (on Baldwin Avenue and San Mateo Drive and later Delaware Street and Bellevue Avenue) and Burlingame High School. The students loved the ride and many friendships and love affairs were initiated on these rides to school. In 1949, the trolley system in San Mateo County was discontinued. For a while, the Southern Pacific was utilized to get students to school but eventually the school district bought buses to transport the students.