Because the historic F-Market & Wharves streetcars are stored near Balboa Park Station they begin each day with a trip along the J-Church line to either 17th Street where they turn towards the stop at Castro or continue to Market Street.
Photographer Kevin Sheridan captured streetcar no. 1051 (which is dedicated to District Supervisor and gay rights icon Harvey Milk)
at the end of its day a few years ago, returning to the Geneva rail yard by way of the J-line through Noe Valley.
This photo reminds me of how I’ll always remember my first trip to San Francisco as a middle schooler in 1959 – seeing those cream and green streetcars on Market Street and then in the neighborhoods beyond – so foreign to a visitor from Seattle. Thanks for piquing a great memory.
This photograph was taken on 22nd st., looking down on Church st. This is such a pleasure to see, as I lived in the middle flat of the building on the corner with the rounded corner windows. That was in 1967 to 1972, and this “historic” streetcar was not yet “historic”. The fare was 15 cents, and we complained when it was raised to 20 cents. I have some photo’s taken from the window, and I also have the old yeller J-Church car stop sign, which has a dent in it as it was twisted off the pole when snagged by a truck. The crew that replaced it was going to toss it, but I was in the right place at the right time. I don’t know what sort of interest this sign would be to others, but it’s of great interest to me. As a lover of streetcars, I regret ever leaving that streetcar perfect corner. Now I live in a city that has only belching buses.