Southern Pacific Railroad Bayshore Roundhouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1910 on reclaimed bayshore land in Brisbane, this brick roundhouse once serviced steam locomotives at the Southern Pacific Bayshore rail yard. The building curves through 108 degrees and holds 17 enclosed stalls, numbered 24 to 40. Open-air "whisker" stalls, now marked only by wooden lighting poles, were meant to complete the circle. Construction rests on pile-supported concrete foundations, with brick walls, arched windows, cast iron posts and a timber roof frame. It was designed by the railroad's own construction department, and its designers are unknown. The nomination holds that it is the only surviving Southern Pacific roundhouse in California and the only surviving roundhouse of any major railroad in the state. Its period of significance runs from 1910 until 1957, when steam locomotives were last serviced there. A 2001 fire burned about half the roof, and vandalism has broken the windows. The walls remain intact, and the nomination says the building can be restored from surviving materials and records.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion C as a surviving example of a Southern Pacific brick roundhouse of the steam era. It is described as the only surviving roundhouse built by Southern Pacific in California, and the only surviving roundhouse of any major railroad in the state. It is significant locally or regionally in Transportation and Architecture.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 10000113, listed March 26, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Industrial Way and Bayshore Ave., Brisbane |
|---|---|
| County | San Mateo County |
| Listed | March 26, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000113 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910-1957 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown/Southern Pacific Railroad |
| Architectural style | Early 20th century/Other: Industrial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant and not in use; damaged by vandalism, neglect, weather and a 2001 fire that burned about half the roof. The turntable has been removed and its pit is filled with water and overgrown. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.70181, -122.40678 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 10000113.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q54933088
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.