Trains in the Mission

Unfinished History

Southern Pacific's San Jose Railroad chugging through the Mission District, c. 1920

Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA

Railroad bridge crossing Dolores at 27th Street, May 1929.

Photo: Charles Ruiz collection

Railroad right of way visibly curving through lower Noe Valley (part of which has been affectionately dubbed "La Lengua" by blogger Burrito Justice) in this early 1940s aerial image. Also notable is the location of the not-yet built Noe Valley Recreation Center on the west end of the block bounded by 30th, Sanchez, and Day Streets.

Photo: San Francisco Planning Department

Mission Street north from 25th Street, with the Southern Pacific railroad crossing mid-block between 25th and 24th, seen here in 1926. The building on the northwest corner of 24th and Mission visible at back left of this photo still stands (and houses Dance Mission upstairs, a Chinese fastfood place downstairs), but BART plazas have replaced the structures on the southwest and northeast corners behind the long-vanished railroad crossing in this photo.

Photo: C.R. collection

Mission Street between 24th and 25th looking southwest on the Southern Pacific railroad line, June 1905.

Photo: SFMTA

Mission Street between 24th and 25th, February 1907. (Misidentified as being between 23rd and 24th.)

Photo: SFMTA

Train route cutting diagonally through the Mission. Where the train line leaves the image at lower left edge of this photo is where the train cuts across Mission Street between 24th and 25th Streets. Photo: 1938

Photo: Harrison Ryker, courtesy David Rumsey collection

Train on bridge near Dolores Street, 1908.

Photo: San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library

Railroad passing Bernal Cut, 1908.

Photo: San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library

United Railroads carbarn and trolley at Valencia and Tiffany (Mission Street is in distance), 1937.

Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco

Southern Pacific train running on Harrison Street near 21st, 1905.

Photo: San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library

29th & Dolores Sts., apx. 1902, railroad bridge in background.

Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA

The actual route of the San Francisco-San Jose Railroad through Noe Valley - 1873

Photo: David Rumsey Collection

Train route clearly visible through the Mission leading to the Bernal Cut in this 1938 aerial photograph.

Photo: Harrison Ryker, courtesy David Rumsey collection

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