During the early days there were many packing sheds located along the Tidewater Southern Railway mainline and the branch lines.  The sheds or packing houses were constructed by farmers and farm coops in order to prepare the fruits and vegetables grown in the area for shipment by rail.   

The following photographs were taken in 1991 and depict two of the last packing sheds located along the Tidewater Southern.  They are adjacent the Carrolton Road crossing, located on State Highway 120 approxiamtley midway between Manteca and Escalon and across the road from St. Patrick's Church.  Severly weathered signs identify the owners as "Costa & Licciardi" and the use of the buildings for processing grapes.  The photos also illustrate the typical construction design of packing sheds.  On July 7, 1995 the larger of the two packing sheds succumbed to fire, and the remaining shed was demolished in the cleanup process.

Larger Packing Shed

  West End

  Westerly South Side Truck Doors

  Westerly South Side Truck Doors

  South Side - Office Entrance

  Easterly South Side Truck Doors

  Easterly Track Side

  Westerly Track Side

  Smaller Packing Shed

  West End - Track Side

  East End - Truck Side

  Typical Foundation

  Typical Structure Framing

  Typical Loading Door