Copyright Randy Hees, 1996 Northern California had no shortage of home grown carbuilders. Most were small specialty shops, but a few had aspirations to join the big boys back east.
Carter Brothers, 1874-1902, The Carters probably built about 5,000 cars over 28 years. They specialized in Narrow gauge equipment, but also built horse cars, cable cars, and some standard gauge equipment. Early shops were located in Monterey, Saucilito and San Francisco. In 1877 they had built their final shop in Newark California on the South Pacific Coast Railroad.
Reference, Carter Bros. Builders, by Dr. Leo L. Stanley, M.D., The Western Railroader, Volume 37, issue 410, July 1974, p 3-8
A list of Carter Brothers cars
Casebolt, 1863-1876, Henry Casebolt was blacksmith, a carriage and car builder, and the builder and operator of the Sutter Street Railroad. Sometimes it is difficult to separate the enterprises. Casebolt built horse and cable cars as well as a few railroad cars. As an inventor he held several patents for cable car machinery and was a participant in the “cable trust”. Casebolt both built cars and assembled (or “set up”) cars sent out from the east. His most unique cars were his pattented Balloon Cars, with strange, pivioting bodies.
Hall Scott (Berkeley), 1909-1947, Founded as a car builder, it achieved fame and success for its industrial engines. Hall Scott produced mostly motor cars. Total production was probably under 50 units including 8 steel trailers for the Antioch and Eastern (Sacramento Northern). The company was controlled by J. G. Brill after 1925.
J. Hamond & Co. the California Car Works, 1883-1907+, Local regional builder, building horse, cable, electric streetcars, as well as both narrow gauge and standard gauge cars for short lines. Hammond also was an early builder of elevators.
W. I. Holman, 189?-1913, William Holman had been the foreman and a partner with Hamond. He formed his own company in the early 1890's. His production was similar to his ex-employers, a mix of cable horse and street cars with an occasional freight or passenger car thrown in. Holman's shop was destroyed in the earthquake and fire in 1906. He rebuilt, and tried to make the transition to steel cars in 1912 with an order for the Municipal Railway's type A streetcars. He went bankrupt half way through the order and the remaining cars were built by the Union Iron Works.
Kimball, 1860-1876, Kimball built everything from railroad cars to carriages and even furniture. The factory he built at 4th and Bryant in 1868 was huge. With the backing of Ralston's Bank of California he planned to become a major carbuilder. He received orders from the Virginia & Truckee, NPC and a few from the SP. Most of his production was horse cars, which he sent as far away as Japan.
Reference; George Kimball: A Pacific Coast Car Builder,, Railroad History, Bulletin 138, John H White, (published by the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Inc. Spring 1978, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA) p74-84
Mahoney Brothers, 1885-1889, Built cable cars for lines in Oakland and San Francisco. They listed themselves in San Francisco directories as contractors, not carbuilders. There is some evidence that they may have had their cars built for them under contract, possibly by O’Brien or the Carter Brothers.
D. McLean & Co, 1867-68, This ex- Casebolt employee established a shop at 4th and Bryant in San Francisco. He probably only built horse cars. The site was taken over by Kimball by 1869.
O' Brien, dates unknown, Built early electric street cars.
Palmer Cox (care of Vulcan Iron Works), 1868, Palmer Cox had been an employee of Wason car Co. in Springfield Mass. . It was reported he arrived in California with patterns stolen from his previous employer. He produced cars for the Napa Valley R. R., San Francisco & San Jose, and the San Francisco and Alameda.
Risdon Iron, Built some small iron cars primarily for industrial use.
Southern Pacific, Sacramento Works, The mighty SP built cars for its own use, but also built some cars for others.
Stockton Agricultural Works, Also Known as Holt, or Holt Brothers, dates unknown, Built narrow gauge freight and early electric street cars.
Union Iron Works, Built small iron cars primarily for industrial use, as well as Streetcars for San Francisco Municipal Railroad. They even built some locomotives.
Copyright Randy Hees, 1996