,_USS_New_Mexico_(BB-40)_and_USS_Kitty_Hawk_(APV-1)_docked_at_San_Francisco,_California_(USA),_on_10_February_1942_(80-G-K-1026).jpg)
The picture was ostensibly taken because of the battleship Pennsylvania docked here at one of the piers on the North end. This photo was taken in February 1942, after the ship had completed major work at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, repairing the damage suffered in the Pearl Harbor attack of December 7, 1941.
But look just inland. THAT is the realm of the State Belt. The roundhouse is near the top of the picture (we’re looking northwards here). The Embarcadero is a major street running along the waterfront, and the Belt’s trackage is immediately inland of the road, with spurs and other tracks plum near EVERYWHERE.
Look at all of the orange cars (I’m making the assumption that most of them are PFE reefers). Just inland from the battleship, you can find a few cars just parked parallel to the road with a truck parked across the rest of the tracks, presumably transferring goods between the RR car and the truck.
This is a BIG picture. Zoom in on it. I hope you find it as fascinating as I do.
Here’s a story about building up a battleship task force about to head out to war.
Building the State Belt Railway 