Streetcars and cable cars have stirred the imaginations of countless young San Franciscans for 150 years. Here, lightly edited, are childhood memories of three of our members. Market Street Railway continues to work to interest today’s young San Franciscans in the importance of clean, safe, efficient public transit.
Don Jewell
My parents owned a “Mom and Pop” grocery store at Geneva and San Jose Avenues from 1947 to 1961. I grew up in a wonderland of streetcars, just across the street from what’s known today as Cameron Beach Yard, home of Muni’s vintage streetcar fleet.
Here are some stories about my growing up at Geneva Car House, as it was known then, as well as the sprawling Elkton Shops and Paint Shop across San Jose Avenue.
I was there at Geneva for the last days of streetcar lines (9, 11, 14, and 40) which Muni had taken over from the old Market Street Railway in 1944. I watched the old cars pull in many evenings during my summer school vacation in 1948, and at other evenings until everything changed in January 1949. One day, they told the crews operating the old Market Street Railway cars not to pull in to Geneva that evening, but operate instead out Haight Street to the “boneyard”—the graveyard for retired streetcars, at Funston Avenue and Lincoln Way next to Golden Gate Park. At the same time, Muni crews on the J, K, L, and M Lines were instructed to turn their cars in at Geneva, instead of Potrero Division, which was about to be turned over to trolley coaches.
During this same time period, Muni started putting rear doors on 64 Muni cars for Twin Peaks Tunnel service (150-168, 169-188 and 189-213). Most of these doors came from scrapped Market Street Railway cars.
I was there in 1948 when several of the new double-end “Torpedo” PCC cars were delivered by Southern Pacific Railroad (photo above) at its Elkton Station siding (where BART and Interstate 280 run now). I watched as Muni Work Motor Car 0925 (inherited from Market Street Railway) took the flatcar with 1006 on board and moved it to the Elkton Paint Shop, where cranes unloaded it onto Muni rails. After inspection and set-up at Elkton, the 1006 was moved to the back of Track 2 at Geneva.
I wanted to see this car close up, so my mom took me over to the Car House (by this time, my folks knew many of the employees there as customers), and the foreman at the time, Herb Strickland, let us go ahead and look the 1006 over. That was my first time in Geneva Car House. It but soon became a daily occurrence for me.
I witnessed the delivery of many more PCCs, the 25 brand new single end Cars 1016-1040 in 1951-52, and the 66 second-hand single-enders leased in 1957 from St. Louis Public Service, numbered 1101-1166 (four more St. Louis cars, numbered 1167-1170, came a year after our store was sold, and I was in the Army then).
There are stories about the first 1100s when they arrived, like the brakes not holding on any hill, the poor condition of the first arrivals.
I have so many other memories of this time period. For example, on some Saturday nights, the Geneva swing shift crew would let me move the cars around the car house for the Monday morning sign-outs. Iron Monsters (I hate that description) and PCCs, whatever needed to be repositioned.
Another story, I would be asked by the Elkton Paint Shop crew to run a 6-pack of beer to them on many afternoons. Not much got done the rest of those days.
And on and on. I could write a book about all these adventures, but I am sure that it would not be a big seller. And I am working on two other railroad books right now anyway. But I wanted to share these memories with my fellow Market Street Railway members!
Thank you, Don, for all you have done over the decades to document and preserve transit history in the City. –Ed.
Bill Burket
Starting in 1964 at the age of thirteen I was known as a “Trolley Pup” on the Muni PCCs. It was my passion to ride and get to know the motormen, especially on the N-Judah. This was a great period for me through 1969. They were my heroes: Mike O’Brien [run number] 01N, Bill Barry 12N, Bill Whelan 17N, Leo Mahoney 20N, Jim Cary 21N, Ralph Strickland Extra Board and others who I can’t recall. Early on summer weekday mornings I would board an “N-Judah Market to 11th” at Forest Hill Station and ride with one of my favored motormen to begin my day.
I became very good friends with one motorman in particular, Bill Barry 12N. He hired out in 1941 Badge #662 and retired in 1967 at age 62. He was a tall robust Irishman with a quick wit. One of his favorite sayings was, “A city without streetcars is like an ocean without ships.”
Most of the time I would catch his car on the morning pullout at Forest Hill Station and in the summer ride with him on his four morning round trips until he was relieved at 19th Avenue. We’d have lunch and head to Geneva Carbarn. Bill would go upstairs for a nap while I hung out with John Klobucar the foreman until it was time for Bill to pull out on his afternoon L-Taraval rush hour tripper to finish his workday.
Bill was a fast runner and preferred the St. Louis 1100s, never wanted a Baby 10 and hated the Big 10 Torpedoes. In mid-August 1966 I talked Bill into a Big 10 for the afternoon L tripper so I could get photos of him on 47th Avenue in the same spot I had seen a photo of car #56 taken in 1946. He told me to go ask John to assign him a Big 10. John was very reluctant with me and I recall that he sternly told me that Bill didn’t like Big 10’s and if I was wrong he would never allow me in Geneva Carbarn again. When Bill came down after his nap John confirmed this with him and Bill said, “Yes, that’s right. I’ll take a Big 10.” John walked away shaking his head. The end results are my photos of Bill on 47th Avenue with #1007. When Bill retired in 1967 he gave me his time schedule paddle from 12N that I still have to this day.
As for me, my dream was to be a Muni motorman on PCCs. Instead, I retired February 1, 2012 after a 35-year career as a locomotive engineer for Southern Pacific and Amtrak working out of West Oakland. My last run was January 29, 2012 on Train 5 from Reno to Emeryville. Wish you had been there Bill! Thanks!
I wish Bill Barry was still with us to see this article.
We wish Bill Barry could see the Torpedo he hated, Car 1007, today, fully restored and resplendent in Philadelphia’s “Red Arrow” livery. –Ed.
Pete Ruff
I grew up on Edgewood Avenue, but I haven’t lived in the City since 1959. Only my memories of the great life I had in my youth are attractive to me now; San Francisco has lost its appeal.
I remember the car barn on Haight Street, always stopping and looking in, hoping to get an invite to enter. Also the old “boneyard” off Lincoln Way. I’d try to sneak in and have a look around, explore the decaying cars. It wasn’t like today where a person could get arrested for trespassing or worse, wantonly destroying property.
I remember riding the White Front #6 line, getting on at Willard St., depositing my coins or tokens in the fare box on the rear platform, while the conductor turned a crank on the box. The conductor pulling the bell rope to signal the motorman to stop or start. Somehow, I remember standing on Parnassus near Stanyan watching a #6 car coming east down the hill slowing to a stop with the wheels locked. Impressive for a little guy.
The experience was much the same on the Muni N line before the “streamliners” arrived, again boarding at Willard. Once the PCC cars arrived in large numbers, we’d wait to see what kind of ride we would have, hoping for one type or the other. To me the fun was going to the front and watching the motorman use the “Iron Monster” controls to operate the car. I was so fascinated that my dad built me a replica using a wood fruit box, and various bits and pieces for the Go crank, and the brake lever.
And I cannot neglect to mention the thrill of speeding eastbound through the Sunset tunnel. The uphill trip was always slower, more of a grind.
Later, I rode the 6-Masonic [trolley coach] to Cole Street, where I’d transfer to those horrible White buses (43 Roosevelt, maybe?) over to Geary, and then west to Arguello on the Iron Monsters to glorious Roosevelt Jr. High. What a trip!
When I attended Lowell, I often walked, passing the Poly crowd and trying not to be intimidated. But I also rode the 6 trolley bus to Haight and Masonic where I’d walk the rest of the way past the Panhandle.
That’s the Muni I remember, not all this modern stuff your organization highlights now. The so-called boat cars? Blasphemy! Same for all the other streetcars not originally part of Muni or White Front systems.
I understand you have to please the present-day audience, and what is popular with that audience is what you must cover. Although I do wonder at the name your organization has chosen to use.
In the future, I’ll try to refrain from criticizing your Market Street Railway, after all what you do is probably very unique in today’s world.
[Thanks, Pete. We always welcome candid comments. –Ed.]
If you have memories of your early encounters with transit in San Francisco that made you a fan, please share them for our future publication: feedback@streetcar.org
