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  • San Francisco Belt Railroad

  • Pertaining to all railroad subjects, past and present, in the American West, including California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, and The Dakotas. For specific railroad topics, please see the Fallen Flags and Active Railroads categories.
Pertaining to all railroad subjects, past and present, in the American West, including California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, and The Dakotas. For specific railroad topics, please see the Fallen Flags and Active Railroads categories.

Moderator: Komachi

 #1194015  by carajul
 
I've been doing a bit of research on this short line and on a recent visit to SF followed it along Embarcadero. If anyone knows answers to my questions I would appreciate it.

1. Was the RR owned by the state of CA or City of SF or was it a subsidiary of another class 1 rr?

2. It's amazing to see the old photos of Embarcadero St jammed with boxcars. When did the rail traffic diminish significantly until the rr was on an as-needed basis only?

3. All the piers along Embarcadero St are now used for parking and storage or have been torn down. Did they close as a result of TOFC over in Oakland and become obsolete?

4. The end of the branch went under Ft Mason thru a tunnel. When was the last train thru the tunnel? What did it serve?

5. What was the location and who was last customer on line?

6. Who made the decision to abandon the line?

7. Are there ANY potential rail customers left?

8. Before TOFC/modern shipping containers were shipped docked next to these piers and manually unloaded?

9. When did the piers start closing?

10. When did the rails get pulled and all the spurs get pulled out across Embarcadero St?

11. When was the roundhouse last used? Was it used up to the end of operations?

12. Was safety ever an issue with the rail line running near all the pedestrians?

13. Does anything of the rr still exist at all? Any operation or customers or is it 100% abandoned?

14. Where are the locomoties? I've read they are still in side pier 96 and move once in a while. Is this true? How can they get out of the rail is torn up?