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Key System engineering drawings of 1920's



I was wondering if anyone on this list knows where
we in Caltrans (State of California, Department of
Transportation), District 4 (San Francisco Bay Area)
might find Key System engineering drawings from
the 1920's and 1930's.  I am looking on behalf of
some of our engineers, who need the information
for the seismic retrofit work that is going on now.

What I am looking for specifically is:

original drawings (plans) for the "Mole Substation"
at the east end of the Bay Bridge.

That building was built by the Key System in 1926,
to supply power to start a number of streetcars moving,
which the Yerba Buena Island Substation
could not do alone.  It was originally called the
"Pier Substation", and later named the "Mole
Substation".  It is owned by Caltrans.

I work for the men & women who inspect the 7 state-owned
toll bridges, and we have many, many microfilmed
engineering drawings, but we do not have any Key
System engineering drawings, which surprised me.

Here is a list of the organizations whose on-line catalogs I
have already looked at and came up empty-handed:

Caltrans HQ Library in Sacramento, including the History Section.
University of California and "Cal State" library catalog,
     by using the "MELVYL" on-line catalog  (This includes
     the Bancroft Library catalog.)
California Historical Society
California State Archives
Library of Congress

I have also talked to people in these organizations and
found that they did not have any Key System engineering
drawings (also, they did not know where any might be):

Bay Area Electric Railroad Association (Western Railway Museum)
California State Railroad Museum
AC Transit
San Francisco Municipal Railway
Railway & Locomotive Historical Society

The last mention I can find of any Key System engineering
drawings is on one of our drawings for the construction of
the Bay Bridge.  Back in 1938, the Bay Bridge had an
o ffice in San Francisco, on Sansome Street, in the heart
of the financial district, and they had a number of Key System
drawings there.  After then, I have no idea where they went.

I hope one of you knows if any Key System drawings exist.

Good luck!

Margaret Monroe

Office Technician (Typing)
California Deapartment of Transportation
District 4
Structure Maintenance, Room 10-400
111 Grand Ave.
Oakland, CA  94612

510-286-6188 - voice
510-286-0353 -- fax

I have run out of ideas.  I hope one of you can be of
assistance.

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