Pacific Electric (Southern California) Historic Streetcar No. 1061
Aside from its world famous fleet of cable cars, San Francisco operates another fleet of historic transportation vehicles – streetcars from all over the world. These vintage streetcars make the round trip primarily from the Castro District along Market Street to The Embarcadero and up to Fisherman’s Wharf and back. I have even seen some run south past AT&T Ballpark into China Basin, along the same line of trackage where the MUNI’s T Line (Sunnydale) runs.
Dallas, Texas Historical Streetcar No. 1009
Birmingham, Alabama Historical Streetcar No. 1077
The “F” Line, as the streetcar route is known, was born from the San Francisco Historic Trolley Festivals that ran from 1983 to 1987. This festival offered an alternative to the cable car fleet, shut down for two years beginning in 1982 for renovation. In September 1995, the permanent “F” Line route was opened. The vintage streetcars that ran the route were painted to represent some of the streetcars that once served several North American cities. Other streetcars from different countries were added later. The “F” Line proved to be very popular.
San Francisco Municipal Railway Historical Streetcar No. 1050 (Interior)
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota Historic Streetcar No. 1071
Brooklyn, New York Historic Streetcar No. 1053
While not having the same panache and popularity of the cable cars, it is a very nice way to get to the wharf and back. The streetcars don’t tackle San Francisco’s hills like the cable cars, but you do get a good look at downtown activity and the wharves north of the Ferry Building. And end the end, the streetcars get you to Fisherman’s Wharf like the cable cars do – with a much shorter waiting time and for a lot cheaper. You just can’t hang onto the sides, though.
San Francisco Municipal Railway Historic Streetcar No. 130
Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Co. Historic Streetcar No. 1007
Check out my more comprehensive images of streetcars and cable cars on my website at http://www.jimwatkinsphoto.com/San-Francisco-Cable-Cars-and-t/.
I have a streetcar set on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.603367749773568.1073741924.246777948765885&type=1
You can find page with great information on individual historic streetcars at http://www.streetcar.org/streetcars/.
Jim Watkins Photography 