In the heart of Oakland’s bustling waterfront district, a sight both jarring and mesmerizing unfolds multiple times a day: massive freight and passenger trains rumble directly down the middle of a public road.
Unlike most urban rail lines that are elevated, tunneled, or fenced off, the tracks at Jack London Square are embedded in the asphalt of Embarcadero West, forcing locomotives to share the lane with cars, cyclists, and pedestrians.
This phenomenon, known as street running, is a relic of a bygone era that continues to shape the identity and logistics of Oakland today.
The Historical Blueprint of a Working Waterfront
The presence of these tracks is not a modern planning oversight but a preserved piece of 19th-century industrial design.
In the mid-1800s, the Central Pacific Railroad (a predecessor to Southern Pacific) established Oakland as the terminus for the Transcontinental Railroad. According to Great American Stations, the waterfront served as the critical link between maritime shipping and rail agriculture.
During this era, it was common for industrial cities to run tracks through streets to provide direct access to warehouses, wharves, and factories. While most American cities eventually removed these tracks to make way for the automobile, Oakland’s waterfront remained so vital to regional freight and passenger movement that the tracks stayed put.
Today, the lines are owned by Union Pacific, serving as a primary artery for goods moving through the Port of Oakland.
The “Quiet” Rules of a Loud Neighborhood
While the visual of a train passing a restaurant patio is striking, the auditory experience is equally significant. Federal law typically requires trains to sound their horns at every grade crossing. However, because the tracks in Jack London Square run through the street for several blocks, the entire stretch is essentially one long crossing.
As noted by Amtrak Unlimited, engineers must follow strict safety protocols, including:
- Reduced Speed: Trains are generally restricted to 15 mph while traversing the square to ensure they can stop for errant vehicles or pedestrians.
- Constant Vigilance: Because there are no physical barriers (like fences) between the tracks and the sidewalk, engineers often use a specific sequence of horn blasts to warn the public of their approach.
Modern Safety and the Embarcadero West Project
Sharing the road with 100-ton locomotives creates obvious safety challenges. To address this, the City of Oakland has launched the Embarcadero West Rail Safety and Access Improvements project.
According to the City of Oakland’s official project overview, several upgrades are slated for 2026 and beyond to modernize this “strange” transit corridor:
- “Quad-Gate” Systems: Installing four-quadrant gates at major intersections like Market Street to prevent cars from driving around lowered arms.
- Rail Preemption: Synchronizing traffic signals with train arrivals to clear cars out of the “track zone” before the train arrives.
- Protected Bike Lanes: Creating physical separation for cyclists who currently have to navigate the dangerous gap between the rails and the curb.
A Magnet for Railfans and Tourists
Despite the logistical headaches, the street running at Jack London Square has made it a world-famous destination for “railfans.” As Railfan Guides points out, it is one of the few places in the United States where you can stand on a sidewalk and feel the ground shake as a Union Pacific freight or an Amtrak Capitol Corridor train passes just feet away.
For visitors, it remains a “strange” reminder of Oakland’s past—a place where the rules of the road are dictated not by stop signs, but by the weight of the iron horse.
