:: UrbEx Series :: Southern Pacific BayShore Yard Roundhouse ::

In 1870, the present day Southern Pacific Railroad was born and a new route was needed to the entrance of San Francisco. The route between San Bruno and San Francisco, would prove to be one of the most expensive ever built, costing almost a million dollars a mile, over a 9.81 mile stretch. Eventually, after completion, this BayShore Yard (“Cut Off”) became a switching place where cuts from other trains would be formed for outbound trains. By 1988 this yard finally became completely abandoned as all traffic moved from this once bustling yard to South San Francisco.

Precisely what this last standing structure was used for that you see in the pictures was predominately for repair on cars and locomotives that were assigned to the Coastal Division. This BayShore roundhouse was built around 1910 or 1912 for the car repair shops, and then in 1920 facilities for locomotive repair was added. It was ultimately phased out in the mid-1950’s. Finally, a fire destroyed much of what was left in 2001.