Nostalgia & History > Key System meets the SP

Hi Everybody--  Here's a great photo from many years ago.  We are taking a ride on the Key System transbay "E"-Line in Bridge Unit # 153.
San Francisco, CA.

Look how 'shiny' all those tracks on the 'Bridge Railway' loop were.  They must have gotten a LOT of frequent use.  And for Safety, they need to be watched over by their "Guardian Angel"---------  in this case, those TWO BIG LETTERS up in the Sky !!

Cheers.

Ken Shattock

---

What an interesting shot.  I've never seen a picture with the "SP" building before.   Wondering if anyone has a better shot of that building?

Dave

Dig the x-over on the curve.

And a Borden's Milk truck down on Howard Street.

Stephanie Ann

The freeway ramp behind the train looks empty and brand new. It looks like a paving machine and tarps are still on the ramp.  Based on a review of Google Earth images, I think this was the freeway on on-ramp from Beale Street.  Perhaps the photographer was able to take this picture from the freeway ramp while it was under construction.

Which way did the Key System operate on this loop? If the trains circulated counter-clockwise through the Transbay Terminal like the buses did later, this would be a rear of an E Line train arriving train in San Francisco.

It is unusual to see the big SP sign above the SP's corporate HQ at the foot of Market Street behind a Key System train. This sign is frequently visible in vintage views of the California Street Cable Car Line taken from the top of Nob Hill.

j.k.
 

The SP sign at night would show SP in white neon followed by blue neon and then in orange neon read:  YOUR FRIENDLY RAILROAD.  Once in awhile the R in friendly was not functioning thus reading:  YOUR FIENDLY RAILROAD.

You're looking at the rear end of an E train. As for the Embarcadero Fwy it was under construction then in the late 50s. Many photos were shot from the Ramos of Key and you can buy them in EBay.

Keyrailpix.org has some (my site).


jkkeck Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The freeway ramp behind the train looks empty and
> brand new. It looks like a paving machine and
> tarps are still on the ramp.  Based on a review
> of Google Earth images, I think this was the
> freeway on on-ramp from Beale Street.  Perhaps
> the photographer was able to take this picture
> from the freeway ramp while it was under
> construction.
>
> Which way did the Key System operate on this loop?
> If the trains circulated counter-clockwise through
> the Transbay Terminal like the buses did later,
> this would be a rear of an E Line train arriving
> train in San Francisco.
>
> It is unusual to see the big SP sign above the
> SP's corporate HQ at the foot of Market Street
> behind a Key System train. This sign is frequently
> visible in vintage views of the California Street
> Cable Car Line taken from the top of Nob Hill.
>
> j.k.
>  

Posted from Android