Ojai Branch - Southern Pacific

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This branch line was originally constructed in the 1890s as the Ventura & Ojai Valley RR, and it was purchased by SP within a few years.   [Ojai is pronounced OH-hi]. This line branched off the SP Coast Line at Ventura Jct., which is just west of the existing Amtrak platform at Ventura.  The line extended north along the Ventura River, through Chrisman, Wedstrom, Ortonville and Nitroshell to Mira Monte.  At Mira Monte the line turned east to the end of the line at Ojai.  Most customers were citrus growers and other agricultural businesses. The northern portion of the branch was abandoned by 1975; the southern part might have lasted a few years longer. The right-of-way is easily traced today, as much of it has been converted to a bicycle trail, called the "Ojai Valley Trail" and the "Ventura River Trail".

The photo at left shows the location of Ventura Jct., with the Ventura Amtrak platform (left foreground) and MP 394 marker to the right.  A southbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner has just crossed the Ventura River truss bridge on its approach to this stop. The Ojai line branched off to the right, past the end of the highway retaining wall (US 101 is parallel to the track, behind the trees). The photo at right shows the trail built on the r-o-w about 1 mile north of Ventura Jct, next to Ca. Route 33. The pavement marker is "1.0 km" because the trail starts a few blocks north of Ventura Jct. Both photos from Mike Palmer, April 2003.

This is a remnant of the SP Ojai Branch where it crossed the on and off ramps to California Route 33, which heads north from Ventura through Ojai.  This location is less than 1/2 mile from Ventura Jct., and the Ventura River Trail starts where the chain-link fence blocks the track remnant.  April 2003.