Sacramento Valley Electric Railroad
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1912 |
| Founder | Melville Dozier Jr. |
| Defunct | 1917-08-09 |
| Fate | Line closed and tracks dismantled |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Solano County, California |
Key people | Melville Dozier Jr. |
| Products | Electric interurban rail service |
The Sacramento Valley Electric Railroad, which was later known as the Dixon Branch, functioned as a brief electric interurban rail line in California. It commenced operations on October 10, 1914, running a distance of 12.5 miles between Dixon and Rio Junction (subsequently renamed Olcott), situated in Solano County between Sacramento and Rio Vista Junction. The Oakland, Antioch, & Eastern Railway managed the line until its closure on August 9, 1917, prompted by diminishing financial returns.
History
Established on May 4, 1912, by Melville Dozier Jr., the railway's vision was to link Redding with Rio Junction through towns such as Dixon, Woodland, Marysville, Colusa, Hamilton City, and Red Bluff. Construction began circa 1913 under the Sacramento Valley West Side Electric Railway, which later reorganized as the Sacramento Valley Electric Railroad following unsuccessful attempts to secure investment. The initial design included a connection with the Vallejo & Northern Railroad at Dixon. Both rolling stock and track materials were provided by the Oakland, Antioch, & Eastern Railway, which also maintained a major ownership stake.
Out of the intended 193-mile stretch, only the 12.5-mile segment between Rio Junction (Olcott) and Dixon was completed. Operations were leased to the Oakland, Antioch, & Eastern Railway by the Sacramento Valley Electric Railroad, with revenues shared monthly. Service officially began on October 10, 1914. Melville Dozier had planned for the line to extend northward from Dixon Junction through Dixon to Woodland and Marysville; however, construction was limited solely to the portion connecting Dixon Junction and Dixon. The route proved financially unsustainable due to low population density and flat terrain—between March and June 1915, ridership totaled only 56 passengers. Expenses consistently outweighed income.
On July 23, 1917, the Oakland, Antioch, & Eastern Railway requested authorization to discontinue the line; this approval was granted promptly. The final train ran on August 9, after which the tracks were dismantled and partially repurposed by the Tidewater Southern Railway for use in its electrified system.
The station agent at Dixon often had to remind officials from Oakland, Antioch, & Eastern to settle his payments because of ongoing financial difficulties tied to operating this route.