One of the world’s oldest operating streetcars, built 10 years BEFORE the 1906 earthquake, will play a starring role in this year’s Muni Heritage Weekend, September 26-27. Market Street Railway Company single-truck “dinky” No. 578 (above, surrounded by fans at a previous Heritage Weekend), built in 1896, will be running FREE shuttles from our San Francisco Railway Museum at 77 Steuart Street to Pier 39 and back along the scenic Embarcadero.
But that’s just the start. The newest member of the vintage fleet, Muni’s latest addition to the heritage fleet, Blackpool, England boat tram No. 233, built in 1934, will join the dinky on the FREE museum-Pier 39 shuttle. Thanks to a generous donation by the Thoresen Foundation and shipping by FedEx Trade Networks, Market Street Railway was able to acquire No. 233 and donate it to Muni to join its near-twin, No. 228, a popular member of Muni’s heritage fleet for the last 30 years.
And there’s more. In 1912, America’s first big city publicly owned transit company, the Municipal Railway, debuted on Geary Street, to compete with for-profit competitors. Muni’s very first streetcar, beautifully restored No. 1, will be on the Embarcadero as well. It’s scheduled to be out both days, with two other vintage cars, Muni’s own No. 130 (1914) and Melbourne No. 496 (1928) out one day each. Regular Muni fares apply to these vintage cars, since they’re expected to fill regular runs on the E-Embarcadero (and perhaps F-Market & Wharves) line during the weekend. Note, too, that we expect restored 1948 double-end Muni PCC No. 1006 and 1952 single-end No. 1040, both painted in the classic “wings” livery (shown below on the bus) to be in regular service as well: 1006 on the E, 1040 on the F.
Did we mention buses? Three historic buses will be operating at 15-minute intervals from the museum to Union Square and back via Steuart, Market, Sutter, Mason, Market, Spear, Mission and Steuart. Trolley coaches No. 776 (Marmon-Herrington, 1950) and No. 5300 (Flyer, 1975) will be joined by classic GMC “New Look” No. 3287 (1969). These three buses encompass the past three standard Muni liveries: green and cream “wings” (776), maroon and yellow, borrowed from the California Street Cable Car line (3287) and the famed Landor white, gold, and orange (5300). BONUS: Muni will debut new historic photo displays in the vintage buses.
Oh, and one-of-a-kind O’Farrell, Jones & Hyde cable car No. 42, built in 1906 and reacquired and cosmetically restored by Market Street Railway, with mechanical restoration by Muni, will be on the California Street cable car line both days. It will be joined by California Cable Car No. 51, the last car to run on the O’Farrell, Jones & Hude line in 1954 and then, after cable car restructuring, the first to run on the shortened California line in 1957. Regular cable car fares apply for rides on these two cars…but note, you can save on the paid rides by buying a one-day Muni Passport at the museum at the beginning of the day.
Both days, September 26 and 27, Saturday and Sunday, the action starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 5 p.m. All day, we’ll have special memorabilia sales at our museum, along with displays and some great new merchandise. (Come and get started on your holiday shopping!)
