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Railroad crossing sign along Missisippi Street.
(Photo by Philip Krayna)
| As the railway lines that once supplied this commercial zone are
replaced with T-1 lines, this sign is a reminder--and a remainder--of
a time past. by Philip Krayna San Francisco's China Basin has passed through many incarnations during its 150-year history. Originally a fishing camp for Asian immigrants, it later developed into the center of the city's heavy industry. Now, the area is undergoing a massive "conversion" as unused industrial space is renovated into pricey lofts and offices for Internet startups. On the sidewalk along Mississippi Street, standing alone and listing at a slight angle, is a rusted "Railroad Crossing" sign. The words painted on its wooden face are nearly worn off, but the Santa Fe logo remains, painted vertically along the chipped signpost. The sign's warning is an anomaly--and also unnecessary--since all the nearby train tracks were long ago removed or paved over. To the passing motorist, it might easily be ignored or mistaken for one of the legions of "No Parking" signs that announce San Francisco's draconian parking restrictions. As the railway lines that once supplied this commercial zone are replaced with T-1 lines, this sign is a reminder--and a remainder--of a time past. |
Keywords:
San Francisco, China Basin, railroad crossing, Santa Fe rail
