Hi John--
You have embarked on an adventurous (sic) search regarding your grandfather's employment in SP's "West Oakland Yard"... I hope you are successful !
Now then, your grandfather (Juan Jose de la pena) and my grandfather (Victor T. Shattock) were both hired by SP in 1923. Victor would eventually become foreman of the "Water Service Dept" with his office in the TIN SHOP (next to the Scale Shop) near the Roundhouse. He retired from SP in December-1959. I'm almost positive that they knew each other for two reasons:
1. He would have been called if anything was wrong with plumbing items at Juan's workplace.
2. He was Secy-Treasurer of Lodge 407 of the BMWE Union and Division Grievance Chairman.

The "Planing Mill" (aka Woodworking Mill) was on the WEST side of the Yard near Middle Harbor Road. The Carpenter Shop was on the EAST side of the "Machine Shops" (later known as the "System Maintenance-of-Way Shop) near the Roundhouse. "Car Painting Shop No. 1" (later known as the "Diesel Shop" was not too far away.
The "Bridge & Building Dept" (aka the B&B Dept) was located very near to the "Planing Mill" .
"Ernie Haase" was the B&B Supervisor during the years my grandfather worked in West Oakland.

If you look in the book "Southern Pacific's Western Division" by John Signor at take a peek at Pages 94 and 95, you will find a drawing of West Oakland Yard with locations of most buildings identified.There is also an aerial photo of West Oakland Yard on Pages 96 and 97.

Trying to locate something at either CSRM or SPH&TS regarding your search is like "pulling teeth". Good luck! Both organizations have an immense amount of material with no staff to give you personal assistance. In most cases, they have so darn much stuff, they really don't have a clue as to what they have.

Here are a couple of better possibilities for you to try :
WESTERN RAILWAY MUSEUM
c/o Harry Aitken, Curator
Rio Vista Junction
Suisun City, CA.
(707-374-2978)

The Union Pacific Railroad Museum
200 Pearl Street
Council Bluffs, Iowa 51503
(712) 329-8307
Hours:
Tuesday through Saturday
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Closed Sunday and Monday
MUSEUM STAFF
• Abby Cape
Community Relations Coordinator
• Beth Lindquist
Museum Director • Patricia LaBounty
Outreach Coordinator
• John Bromley
Director Historic Projects



John Bromley at the UPRR is your best bet. Really a great guy to work with. "Carol Voss" on this forum knows him personally and will vouch for what I'm saying. UPRR has most of the former Southern Pacific Photo Archives. WRM at Rio Vista Junction has tons of SP stuff too, NOT just trolley and interurban stuff.
Before contacting "John Bromley" at the UPRR Museum, it might be good if you browsed thru the photo negative index of the Southern Pacific that THEY used to maintain.
It was simply known as the "X" and "N" files. I have a copy of both, John. They are detailed and extensive. If you are interested in seeing these, contact me DIRECT at:
keyrouteken@msn.com

I practically lived in West Oakland Yard when I was a kid. I will be 65 in November.
Maybe two "railroad grandsons" can come up with something. Let me know if I can help !

Cheers.
KEN SHATTOCK (KRK)