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What The Trolley Was

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• 1888-1891: Predecessor horsecar lines built in Petaluma and Santa Rosa.

• 1903: Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railway incorporated.

• 1903: Paddle-wheel steamer "Gold" purchased.

• 1904: Railway built and opened between Petaluma, Sebastopol, and Santa Rosa.

• 1910: Steamer "Resolute" purchased and renamed "Petaluma".

• 1913: Branch opened to Two Rock.

• 1914: Steamer "Petaluma" burns, is rebuilt.

• 1920: Steamer "Gold" burns.

• 1925: Passenger service discontinued on the Two Rock Branch.

• 1927: New passenger and freight depot built in Santa Rosa.

• 1928: Petaluma & Santa Rosa purchased by Northwestern Pacific Railroad.

• 1931: Santa Rosa line dismantled from McDonald Avenue to Olive Street.

• 1933: All trolley passenger service discontinued.

• 1935: Steamer ferry passenger service discontinued.

• 1946: Santa Rosa line dismantled from Olive Street to Stop 45 junction with Northwestern Pacific Railroad.

• 1946-47: Electric locomotives replaced by diesels.

• 1947: Santa Rosa line dismantled from Stop 45 to Leddy junction with Northwestern Pacific Railroad.

• 1950: Steamer "Petaluma" sold.

• 1952: Two Rock branch dismantled.

• 1961: Forestville line shortened by 1-mile (1.6 km) to Ross.

• 1966: Southern Pacific Railroad diesel locomotives replace the last Petaluma and Santa Rosa locomotive.

• 1969: Forestville line shortened by another mile to Sagu.

• 1973: Eight miles of track abandoned between Denman and Turner.

• 1978: Four more miles of track abandoned between Turner and Alten.

• 1984: Line from Santa Rosa to Sebastopol abandoned. County supervisors direct the parks department to acquire portions of the abandoned right-of-way. Northwestern Pacific Railroad continued using the southern end of the line to serve local industries in Petaluma.

More to come...

Click here to view a San Fancisco Trolley video shot prior to 1906 earthquake!