San Francisco Streetcar Scenes -- mid 1960s to early 1980s

This presentation features San Francisco Streetcar scenes from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s. The pictures are mostly of PCC Cars, but a few Boeing LRVs are included. There are many pictures of Market Street during subway construction.

[@larryboysen5911]

Being a second generation San Franciscan, these vintage scenes bring back so many wonderful memories. Those PCC Cars were so comfortable...they just glided along...and those green "leather" seats, along with the suspension, absorbed any bumps. I remember how well maintained all the rolling stock was p until the late 60's!

[@tassiebaz]

Hi Larry, Thanks for watching and for your comment. I am glad the presentation brought back some good memories. Regards, tassiebaz.

[@larryboysen5911]

Sure did...in fact...I just purchased a Rail King O-gauge PCC Car in San Francisco livery...plan to run her on my annual Christmas floor layout!

[@janettemcclelland2959]

Even well into the 70's. Ditto the old trolley buses from the 40's. Going through the tunnel between Castro and West Portal was always an adventure. A lot of times the streetcars would lose power and get stuck in the tunnel. That always seemed to happen at Forest Hill.

[@3henry214]

Wow... lots of memories. I worked in a building at Van Ness Av & Market St. I commuted riding the M line to Plymouth and Broad, and then transferred onto the #36 Miraloma bus to Mission and Sickle Sts. at the S.F/Daly City border. Much faster than catching the 14 Mission bus at Van Ness Av and riding it all the way down Mission St. to the same spot.

[@tassiebaz]

Hi 3henry21, Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment and share your memories. Stay well and all the best for the new year. Cheers, tassiebaz.

[@Honest300Al]

Brings back a lot of memories. We lived in the avenues and on weekends I would take the L car down to the "Terminal" and then get on a key system train and just ride it to the end. We still had the Iron Monsters so it could be a cold ride. I remember the gray skies, especially in the Sunset. Left before West Portal was remodeled.

[@nickgreenwich8649]

Amazing that they kept all the trolley lines running during that massive construction.

[@tassiebaz]

Hi Nick, Thanks for watching and for your comment. Yes, it was a real strategic exercise to keep the trolleys running during all the construction. I think they had no choice because it would have taken a lot of buses to try to replicate the operation and, of course, the tunnel was a real impediment. Every time I visited there seemed to be a different configuration. Cheers, tassiebaz.

[@waynewright2886]

How the Hell Muni Managed to Operate Streetcars during the Construction of the Bart Subway, & Muni Metro Subway Amazed Me! The F-Line I'm Damn Glad Muni put All of its Vintage Streetcars on that Line, & Painted them the Colors of the Transit Systems that Operated them in the Past. Muni Cares, & Never Forgot!!!

[@tassiebaz]

Hi Wayne, Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. It was pretty amazing with the streetcars, but don't forget, they did it with their trolleybuses too back then and are still doing it today with the construction of the new downtown subway. It's great that they were able to obtain the PCCs and other cars and make them operable on MUNI tracks. I enjoy it all when I visit. Regards, tassiebaz.

[@janettemcclelland2959]

They did a temporary entrance into the tunnel via an elevated ramp before Castro. Then the K,L and M went down 17th to Church. And all the lines used Duboce Ave behind Safeway to access Market St. They used temporary tracks on Market to continue service while the subway and BART were being built. And during the first 2 years of the subway,the J still used surface along Market. And on weekends the subway was closed entirely. It was very confusing.

[@andrewcutts7416]

I visited San Francisco in 1980 and '81. I rode and photographed most of the Muni, Bart, and SP commuter trains. I'll have to buy a scanner.

[@tassiebaz]

Hi Andrew, Thanks for watching and for your comment. I scanned all my slides several years ago and it was a real project. Scanners are probably more efficient and quicker now, but it still took a while and more than one attempt to produce results that I was happy with, this presentation included. Regards, tassiebaz.

[@olivercodyiii321]

Great video use to live in ocean view as a kid in 1970 always thought it was cool how the cars reversed themselves at Broad & Plymouth

[@tassiebaz]

H Oliver, Thanks for watching and for your comment. I think the J cars used to reverse themselves in a similar manner at 30th Church. Regards, tassiebaz.

[@janettemcclelland2959]

@@tassiebaz They did until the J got extended down San Jose Ave to Balboa Park in the early 90's.

[@tassiebaz]

@@janettemcclelland2959 Thanks. Cheers, tassiebaz.

[@janettemcclelland2959]

Lots of memories of riding both the PCC'S and Boeings on the N Judah when we visited our relatives in SF. And the 6 Parnassus and 22 Fillmore trolley buses. A lot of folks were glad to see the Boeings retired. Including me. They broke down a lot.

[@tassiebaz]

Hi Janette, Coincidentally, on a recent visit to San Francisco, I rode the N out to Ocean Beach, then back to 9th where I caught the 6 (it was a diesel; I was told they were doing major overhead work so no trolleybuses) up to the Haight-Ashbury district, then back on a 33 trolleybus to the Castro, and finally back to downtown of an F PCC car. A good little excursion. I've still got San Francisco trolleybus pictures taken in the same era to process. I'll get to that in the near future. Regards, tassiebaz.

[@janettemcclelland2959]

tassiebaz They've had the diesel buses on the 6 for a while. They had the diesels running on my last visit in 2015. The 33 is fun,especially when it navigates that turn at Market and Clayton. Everyone remembers the temporary setup at Market & Castro when the subway was being built and the K,L and M had to go down 17th,Church and Duboce behind the Safeway to get downtown. I'm going to SF in March to visit my family,and will ride the N between downtown and Judah & 19th Ave. Lots of memories.

[@johnwoa]

+tassiebaz Interesting video and great pictures. I can't really comment because I have never been to California and know nothing about San Francisco. I read your note in the beginning of your video regarding the Boeing USSLRV's. I've never heard of them. I read up on it and it sounds like they were a disaster. I sure hope that we have better luck with our "newfangled articulated" Bombardier streetcars here in Toronto, but the TTC is already having MAJOR problems with Bombardier itself. When it comes to Toronto's CLRV's, the ALRV's and even the PCC's, I ascribe to the old saying---- "Old Is Gold"! Best Wishes from T.O., John

[@janettemcclelland2959]

johnwoa The Boeings were a disaster right out of the gate for Muni. The first 2 years the subway was open,the J still used the PCC'S and had to use the surface stops along Market. And all the lines were PCC surface along Market on weekends. At one point,the Boeings were breaking down so much that Muni shut down the tunnel and went back to the PCC'S. The last day of PCC service was September 13(?),1982. The F Market started in October 1995. The New Siemens cars start rolling out next month.

[@johnwoa]

+Janette McClelland Thanks for your reply! We had PCC's on the routes here in Toronto up until 1995. There was a great rebuilding program of the old PCC's but that program was stopped in 1991 because the former Metro Toronto government passed an edict requiring all future transit vehicles to be handicapped accessible. I loved riding the PCC's, as well as the current CLRV's and the ALRV's. The jury is still out on the new Bombardier "Flexity Outlook" streetcar. Time will tell if they are a success or not. ---John

[@imannonymous7707]

Wow very close to the old toronto cars actually. Those old cars had more charm n mojo. I miss them

[@tassiebaz]

Hi im annonymous, Yes, San Francisco is a real mecca for PCC cars that are still used in regular operation. See my other more recent KZbin San Francisco videos. What they now run are some of their cars, and also many that used to run in Philadelphia and in Newark. Have a look at www.streetcar.org/streetcars/ for some detailed and interesting information about what equipment they have. Cheers, tassiebaz.

[@lollypopomololayahoo]

uoah/woah

[@tassiebaz]

Thanks for watching. tassiebaz.