San Francisco MUNI (SFMTA) Trolleybuses and Streetcars

This film features San Francisco's trolleybus and also shows a few scenes of its tram.
San Francisco's trolleybus system is quite large; it is supposedly the second largest in the western hemisphere. It consists of 14 lines and is operated (among other models) by a fleet of 239 Czech Škoda 14TrSF buses. This model has been derived off the 14Tr model, which is operating in many East European countries.
The light rail vehicles which can be seen at the end of the film are manufactured by Breda, an Italian company.
Index to the film:
0:00 -- Caltrain depot
0:22 -- 5th Street
3:10 -- Mission Street
3:46 -- Market Street (also briefly shown are some heritage streetcars)
7:29 -- Mason & Market Streets intersection
8:01 -- Ferry Plaza (shown are some heritage streetcars)
9:47 -- Mason & Sacramento streets (notice the steep grade of 17%)
10:41 -- A short ride on a 14TrSF on route 30 from Pierce Street to Divisadero Street in the Marina District of San Francisco
11:47 -- Chestnut and Fillmore streets
12:19 -- Fillmore and Jackson streets
13:13 -- trams at Duboce Ave near Noe Street station
14:15 -- trams at Cole & Carl streets station
15:44 -- trams underground at Powell station
16:33 -- trolleybuses on Market Street
Enjoy.

[@jemdude22]

this is the reason why SF is so lovely. the city would never be the same without them.

[@NetworkerExpress]

The Skodas are amazing.The electric motors are built by Vossloh-Kiepe,and have that ring of familiarity to them as they are also used in trams.They are also really efficient.Wish more cities would get trolleybuses.

[@KandiKlover]

SF is a disgusting crime ridden degenerate shithole. But yeah the busses are njce.

[@danielcarroll3358]

For those who are wondering: San Francisco leans left politically. Comments like this come from those who lean right. As the saying goes, "It comes with the territory."

[@robfriedrich2822]

@@NetworkerExpress But the few trolley bus towns in Germany think about changing to battery bus.

[@robfriedrich2822]

Frisco doesn't look so "American" as I would expect.

[@howdoyoulikethat5253]

"OH MY GOSH", I had thought that these " trolley buses" had gone extinct AGES ago. I remember similar types of busses running up and down Flushing Ave. in Brooklyn N.Y. in the 1950s. As a child I recall the FRUSTRATIONS that the drivers went through, when the connecting rods, would get entangled in the over head power lines and they would " disconnect" then, they would have to dismount the bus, then run all the way to the "back" of the bus, and reel in the connecting rods back into these "greasy" spools in the back and reconnect these rods to the overhead power lines. This would often happen, when the drivers had to make left or right turns .....AND BOY when this would happen, did ( literally ) the SPARKS FLY . Man what an electrical "light show" they would create. Any way those were the days before the diesel busses took over. After bit, the City took down the wires. I remember also, that we mischievous kids would make musical instruments out of the steel poles, that held up the overhead wires. Boy, they sure made some bad ass sounds when reverberating, when struck by sticks. Well, I am 65, now.....Just thought I'd share some boy hood memories, in regards to the "trolley" busses of the 1950s. And by the way.....When the bus operators wanted to put the pedal to the metal..... Those old busses SURE, MOVED. Be well all.

[@KandiKlover]

That's all still the same now other than the music instrument thing nothing has changed.

[@DanielRodriguez-rp2eg]

How do you Like That ? Trolley buses are needed to go up the steep hills that would be too hard for diesel buses.

[@nbirna]

I am of about the same age than you and I understand very well your memories about old times trolleybuses !👍♥️🚎🚎

[@tigrovica8417]

@ferzy09 Not sure how they do it in the US, but in the Europe (Mainly Eastern Europe), the wires intersections were designed that the pole would just slip on the line in which was the vehicle turning, this was shaky mistaky sometimes. But now the modernised systems have electronic switching on the wires, similar to the railways, which will automatically switch the wire path depending on which line is comming to the intersection.

[@user-100let]

Which trolleybuses were in 1950 and which ones are running now. Science does not stand still. And so, any car body can be redone and a modern motor can be inserted. So do not compare your time with the current one. Progress has stepped far ahead!

[@lawrencekeesler7369]

The capacity for quiet acceleration and hill-climbing of a trolley bus can't be beat! S.F. and Seattle both give opportunity to display the latter. Great video! Fascinating shots of the trolleys threading their way through complex overhead.

[@johnpritchard347]

Fantastic video, thank you. Trolleybuses were withdrawn from U.K. streets decades ago unfortunately, but at least the tram (streetcar) has made a comeback in some places. I see the SF trolleys all have a space outside at the front to carry a cycle; what a great idea!

[@icald]

Actually that's common on most public buses in America

[@CoffeeSuccubus]

Rip the old trolley buses. Got replaced by the new crappy ones.

[@Matdogg2k]

Cool video man. Great sights

[@JMMT7022801]

The Hotel Intercontinental is a really nice addition to the San Francisco skyline.

[@Matdogg2k]

JMMT7022801 How about that Millennium Tower?

[@arnaldofarias4694]

Em São Paulo/BRASIL o sistema de ônibus elétrico é muito eficiente a décadas. Ninguém imaginaria que sua implantação seria tão revolucionária para os dias de hoje com relação ao meio ambiente!. Havia sistemas de Bondes elétricos, mas infelizmente graças ao crescimento da indústria automobilística o lobby derrubou os Bondes!! Ótimo vídeo, parabéns 👏🇧🇷

[@Ricki63-Ok]

Extraordinario...exquisito....sublime. ;)

[@FabianMildenberger]

This Video is very good ,very intresting Bus es, greatings from Germany your EVAG und Umgebung

[@freddie_video]

Trolleybus was legacy, but In now, Trolleybus become innovative vehicle. Unbelievable SF!

[@michaelsandford1015]

cool.

[@user-nv5bt5zx8p]

what's it on the top?

[@robfriedrich2822]

7:14 does the streetcar use one of the trolleybus wires?

[@lawrencekeesler7369]

Are the trolley bus systems of Seattle or Vancouver larger than S.F.?

[@dc4158]

Lawrence Keesler No, SF has the largest trolley bus system in North America, with 14 lines and over 300 vehicles. Vancouver comes close though, with 13 trolley bus lines and 264 vehicles. And Seattle has 14 lines and 159 vehicles (all stats are from wikipedia).

[@VancouverComposer]

There are eight trolley bus systems in North America. San Francisco has the largest system currently, followed by Vancouver in second place. Vancouver is the only system in Canada, other systems in North America are Seattle as you mentioned, plus Dayton, Ohio. Boston, Massachusetts, and Philadelphia. There are also two systems in Mexico, one in Guadalajara and one in Mexico City.

[@glendenig9962]

Trolley buses are great! Forget this propane business...

[@robfriedrich2822]

6:00 Is the switch set automatically?

[@prohibido]

I would like that Valparaiso was like this

[@nathant.3568]

What is the model name of the articulated bus at the scene 3:20 ?

[@Luftschlange]

Nathan Tertulino It is a Škoda 15TrSF. It's the articulated version of the shorter 14TrSF model.

[@shaferkam3907]

Sorry this is so late but, I’ve always wondered how the trolley bus’s poles know what wires to go on. For example, when a bus is at an intersection and it is going to turn but buses also go straight. The poles always go where the bus goes. I’ve been to Vancouver and San Francisco and I’ve seen buses do the exact thing and I’ve always wondered.

[@danielcarroll3358]

It is rather like a railroad switch (points). There is a section of wire before the switch that controls the direction. If you are taking power, i.e. have the accelerator pushed, you go one way. If you just move using your momentum you go the other way. Rather simple actually.

[@shaferkam3907]

Daniel Carroll Cool! Thanks for that. Never really known but always watched when a bus when over a section.

[@VancouverComposer]

I don’t know how it works in San Francisco, but I can tell you how the system in Vancouver works but I believe San Fran is similar. There are essentially four types of switches you can find in a trolley bus system built to North American standards. European systems may have different technological methods. The first is called a Selectric switch. If a bus is approaching an intersection with the options of going straight or making a right turn, there will be a switch to make that right turn onto a separate set of wires otherwise the bus just continues straight. Immediately before the switch itself, there are what are called contacts placed on the wires. These are essentially metal strips that hang over the wires that the end of the trolley poles will have to contact as the bus drives forward. These are connected by electrical wires into the switch motors or frogs located at the switch itself. These two contacts are not parallel to each other. But are placed skewered or diagonal to each other. In the case of a right hand turn for instance, the contact on the right hand wire which is the negative wire or ground, is placed before the contact on the left wire or the positive wire. If you were to view them from above for instance they would be on an approximate 35° angle from each other. If the bus is driving straight through the poles will run through the contacts at separate times one before the other, nothing will happen the switch will not activate and the bus will continue forward in a straight line. If the vehicle is making that turn however , as the vehicle rotates around the corner and gets progressively more angled away from the straight wires the poles rotate on the roof to follow the bus around, this results in one pole travelling ahead of each other on the same wire by the time they reach the switch. They are now at the exact angle that the contacts were placed and therefore will run through the contacts at the same time. Because they run through at the same time they complete an electrical circuit which sends power to the switch motors causing them to turn thereby directing the poles onto the turning wires and allowing the bus to complete the turn. Immediately after the switch motor are tiny mechanical fins that push the switch back into its default position once the poles complete their movement through it. The switch will always default to being in a straight position unless a bus turns it by the methods I described. The second switch type is a “power on power off” switch. Called a POPO switch in Vancouver. The mechanics and basic principle of operation are the same as the Selectric only it’s used in locations where it would be impossible or difficult to position the bus correctly in order to operate the switch the way I described before. Example being a left turn, or bypass wire simply to change lanes or something like that. Instead of off centred contacts, the contacts are placed parallel. In order to go straight the driver has the option of pushing a switch on the dash panel into what’s called a coast position and all the driver needs to do is continue driving. The switch will not activate and the bus will go straight. If the driver wants to activate the switch he pushes the toggle switch in the opposite direction to a power position. This sends power up the poles into the wires and the power energizes the circuit which causes the switch motors to turn. The rest of their mechanical operation is the same as the Selectric. Older trolley buses never had this toggle switch. The driver would power the switch to make a turn by holding the accelerator pedal down and literally driving slowly through the switch. Power would generate the same way as the toggle switch allows on modern buses. If the driver took his foot off the pedal and allowed the bus to coast through the switch, (hence the name coast), then no power would be applied and the switch would not turn allowing the bus to continue straight. Theoretically a driver of a modern bus could run the switch the same way, I’ve done it on Vancouver buses many times even though we have the toggle switches on ours. But in the winter time with heaters on and defrosters and things like that, such a draw is made on power, that the bus will almost power the switch itself even without the operator doing anything. Having the ability of the coast function on the switch ensures that no power makes its way up to accidentally energize the switch motors. Operators are able to perfectly time the precise moment to activate a power or coast switch by reading specialized markings that are painted on the roadway in front of the bus. In Vancouver these are called teardrops, and they are literally tear shaped markings that are placed at the appropriate locations before all switches in the city. The teardrop markings point in the direction that the switch will activate if it is powered. If an operator wants to power a switch it’s simply a matter of powering it when the operator, (from their seated perspective) has the sense of “driving over” these markings. Vancouver has both conventional and articulated trolleys, so different sets of teardrops are used in slightly different locations to account for the further pole distance with the articulated vehicles. These have slightly different shapes to identify them. The third type of switch, operates almost exactly the same as a POPO switch, except rather than using electricity generated by the bus, a switch on the dash, operates a device on the trolley poles themselves which transmits a specific radio signal to a receiver in the switch motor. If the switch detects that radio signal the switch will turn, if the driver does nothing the switch will not turn and the bus continues straight. Vancouver does not use this kind. Seattle makes use of this type however, and the Selectric type as well. I think most cities use electric switches in addition to either a Popo or radio controlled switch. Edmonton, Canada also used this type however they have not had trolley buses for over 10 years now. The last type of switch, used by all systems, is simply a trailer switch. The switch is not powered, and doesn’t do anything, other than facilitate merging. It’s like a receiving switch. Imagine you have an intersection where wires allow trolleys to travel north-south, And on the other street there are wires to allow travel east west. There is a right or a left turn from one straight to the other. The bus will turn right or left using a method as I described earlier, but at some point those wires that allow the bus to turn will have to merge back onto the street wire on the street onto which the bus is turning. A trailer switch simply allows that merge to connect back onto another set of wires. It does nothing except facilite that connection. I hope that helps, and you were able to understand. I explained as best as I know after working with the technology for 16 years, and without just copying something from Google or Wikipedia. I use my own words. 👍🏻 Edited for some spelling errors I detected.

[@shaferkam3907]

VancouverComposer, It’s awesome to hear from an experienced transit operator! Thank you so much for the explanation!

[@user-100let]

@@VancouverComposer What a complex and not practical system.

[@basictransportenthusiast4386]

Why was the F going to 17th and Noe???

[@danielcarroll3358]

It is the end of the line, a block off Market street. The end of the line is a loop. The F goes up Market to the intersection of Castro, Market and 17th. It then turns left 215 degrees and goes down 17th a block turns left on Noe and then right to get back on Market. Here is a map. You may have to drag it to see the loop. www.sfmta.com/routes/f-market-wharves

[@basictransportenthusiast4386]

4:26 a musical skoda! Unfortunately though that unit had its musical sound removed. It was also one of the loudest musicals

[@shaferkam3907]

Miles Campbell What do you mean by a musical Skoda?

[@robfriedrich2822]

Skoda is a Czech word and means damage. Not a good name to sell vehicles.

[@neville3151]

Looking for an adventure?...try riding the 14Mission just after mission high school lets out.

[@eltigreriver3108]

у нас стрелки медленей проежают иначе токоприемники могут слететь.

[@ronaldcoleman1210]

BOSTON PHILADELPHIA SAN FRANCISCO SEATTLE *& DAYTON A LL HAVE ETBS DAYTON SMALLEST CITY IN NORTH AMERICA WITH TROLLEY BUSSES 7 LI NES **& 57 COACHES

[@robfriedrich2822]

5:30 Never thought, that Gender Mainstreaming would allow a bus to define as cable car.