If not for the broken Bay Bridge, it would have been the biggest transportation story of the day: the reaction to Mayor Newsom’s musings about eventually removing all Muni service, including the F-line, from Market Street. The chatter started in Blogsville the moment the Mayor appeared looking pensive on the front page of the Examiner yesterday.
Birmingham Electric No. 1077 followed by San Diego No. 1078 at Fisherman’s Wharf. Kevin Sheridan photo.
This morning’s Examiner has a startling story: Mayor Gavin Newsom is dreaming about going way beyond the current test auto restrictions on Market Street, and move all vehicles, including Muni buses and F-line streetcars off the street.
Muni’s latest vintage streetcar, 1946 Melbourne tram No. 916, will formally join the historic fleet Wednesday morning, October 7, at ceremony to be held in the Embarcadero median across from the San Francisco Railway Museum at 9:45 a.m.
Pittsburgh’s “Mod Desire” livery, the word at the center of the cars is “trolley”
PCC No. 1006 in its original “Wings” livery in the early 1950s. Will Whittaker photo.
Since our blog has attracted new readers of late, it’s a good time to make sure folks are clear on what Market Street Railway does, and what it doesn’t do. We are Muni’s non-profit preservation partner. Muni, a city agency, actually owns and operates the F-line and cable cars as part of San Francisco’s overall transit system, and are responsible for maintenance, security, and safety.
PE Car No. 5000 poses in sunlight, wearing a post-World War II version of its livery, with the original silver roof replaced by tan and the “Pacific Electric” lettering replaced by a logo.
Melbourne tram No. 916 is here. Following its trans-Pacific voyage, the 1946 SW6 class tram, a generous gift to San Francisco from the government of the State of Victoria, Australia (facilitated by Market Street Railway), was unloaded last night at Muni Metro East. This morning, it ran under its own power via the T, F, and J lines to Geneva Division to be prepared for its formal Muni debut.
