I love the electric street cars in San Francisco, they are a frustration for drivers, but a delight for riders. The system has preserved old cars, from around the world, refurbishing them with modern updates like heat and air conditioning. The stops, have raised platforms, assuring accessibility. The main line runs from fisherman's wharf, down around the waterfront, then makes a sharp turn at the Terminal and runs out Market Street to a turn around at Castro Street. Yes that Castro Street, the center of the LGBTQ universe.
Many American cities had electric street cars 100 year ago, most disappeared in the years following WWII, when every American family wanted a car, then two cars and a move to the far distant suburbs. The sprawling of America. My father spoke fondly of riding the Detroit system as a youngster. For 5-cents he could ride for hours in and out of the city.
I look forward to riding the street cars of SF, back to the future again someday.
On my many trips to San Fran every summer to visit a fellow blogger, we always used the electric street cars to get around. It's nice their one of the only cities to still run so many. What is it... three or four lines still running?
ReplyDeleteSomething like that
DeleteAh... I worked for the MUNI for a while. While I was there, we purchased and put into service a number of orange streetcars from Milan, Italy. Beautiful! MUNI's historic streetcars are a rolling museum and have great local support from an association of streetcar enthusiasts.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that Walt. How about elaborating and posting on your own blog.
DeleteSF has great local transit.
DeleteI also loved the streetcars. And I remember when the orange Italian ones mentioned by wcs joined the fleet!
ReplyDeleteGreat old designs,
DeleteWhile I know San Francisco has both electric and cable trams, I've never really investigated them. What petrol and tyre companies did to public transport in your country is a disgrace.
ReplyDeletePrimarily GM, In Detroit the deal was buy GM busses, and we will repave the streets eliminating all of those annoying rails.
DeleteThanks. I knew GM was involved but I didn't know how.
DeleteWe visited SF a few years back and enjoyed the trolly. SF didn’t really impress us, though. I keep thinking we missed something and should go back.
ReplyDeleteSassybear
Www.Idleeyesandadormy.Com
Interesting, I have had the same response to Amsterdam, most people love it, it leaves me flat.
DeleteI went to college in San Francisco, and grew up not so faraway, so it and everything about it, holds a very special place in my heart. I never found one part of the City I didn't love.
ReplyDeleteThe views, the food, the diversity, the shopping, I don't think I have ever had a bad visit there, I have had cold and wet.
Deletewe still have electric trolley lines in the city. in the 60s, a one-way ride cost 25 cents. grandmom and I would walk 2 blocks to the stop, hop on, and ride into center city, where all the department stores and movie palaces and automats were located. for a kid, it was magical.
ReplyDeleteSFO has some of our old PCC cars, like the one pictured above. our colors were cream and green.
There are a couple of DSR, Detroit Street Railway cars, when I ride one of those I wonder if it is one my father rode as a kid.
DeleteBack in 2001, I was working on a project in San Francisco and I rode on the street cars many times. I was in the city for 5 months and enjoyed my time there very much. It's another great city!
ReplyDeleteI think I would enjoy living there, I interviewed for a job there once.
DeleteWhat would San Francisco be without its iconic trolleys?
ReplyDeleteAnd cable cars,
DeleteI too would love to see SF again; it is a fun tourist town.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, yes, I need to go back there again, and again
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