Second of six installments in our history of Muni’s birth and first century
All Stories
This is the blogroll: every post (news or feature story) on our site, chronologically from the most recent to the oldest.
How Muni was born: 1900-1912
First of six installments in our history of Muni’s birth and first century
Happy 109th Birthday, Muni!
As the photo makes plain, that was one wild first ride on Muni. Emblematic, we think, of the past 20 months, with constant adjustments made to Muni’s network during the pandemic to meet unprecedented challenges.
Forty frustrating years underground
The idea of a transit subway under Market Street goes back to the first years of the 20th century, but it took more than 70 fitful years to become reality. That’s a complex and fascinating story we tell in this companion post, which explains the compromises that harmed Muni’s subway operation from the get-go.
Market Street subway dreams
Hard for some of us San Franciscans of a certain age to think of the Muni subway under Market Street as a part of history. Because that means that we ourselves…well, you know.
Muni to consider PCC streetcars for future J-line service
At its December 7 meeting, the SFMTA Board of Directors unanimously passed a resolution directing Muni management to evaluate using PCC streetcars to provide single-ride service long-term on the J-Church line. The action was part of a broader measure that instructs management to return J-line light rail vehicles to the Muni Metro Subway as soon as possible.
Maya Angelou, streetcar conductor: the full story
The revered poet and novelist Maya Angelou (1928-2014) has attracted growing attention for a job she briefly held as a teenager: streetcar conductor in San Francisco during World War II. Much of what gets tossed about in social media is untrue or only partly true. Here, we turn to her own words from her books and interviews to provide the fullest story possible and correct common misperceptions.
THIS is why we brought the Boat Trams to San Francisco
Giddy riders. Laughing kids. Happy crew members. Public transit that takes people where they want to go with flair and fun. THIS is why Market Street Railway worked hard to bring two Blackpool, England open-top “Boat Trams” to San Francisco and gift them to the City’s transit agency, Muni, 30 years apart.
Come take a cruise (or say G’Day)
The Blackpool Boat Tram and the Melbourne tram both cruised The Embarcadero to the delight of riders and onlookers on their initial day of Fleet Week service, Thursday, October 8. They’ll be out every day through Monday, October 11, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. between our San Francisco Railway Museum (across from the Ferry Building) and Pier 39.
Boat tram on the waterfront for Fleet Week
Muni’s most popular streetcar, 1934 Blackpool, England Boat Tram 228, will be delighting passengers on The Embarcadero between Fisherman’s Wharf and our San Francisco Railway Museum (across from the Ferry Building) from October 7 to October 11, the key dates of Fleet Week 2021. Final operating hours haven’t yet been set, but we expect the Boat Tram to be in service from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m each day. We’ll have volunteer docents on the Boat to answer any questions you might have.
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