Nostalgia & History > Traction Action: Market Street Railway, SF

Trainorders member espee99 asked for some old electric photos including the Market Street Railway. Here's a trio of the patented White Front cars at the Ferry terminal on the Mission Street side in 1939. From left, we see an 11 Mission & 24th Street car; a 12 Mission, Ingleside-Sloat car; and a 36 Folsom car. The 36 hasn't changed poles yet for an outbound trip. Dash signs describe the basic routes. The 12 was a long line operating all the way to the Zoo. 789's White Front patent plaque is clearly visible.

Market Street Railway was the dominant streetcar operator in the City with service all over town. Muni was their competitor. But the Market Street Railway was fading fast and there was no way to stay in business competing with the City & County of San Francisco. Muni assumed control in 1944.

Fast forward to the 21st century and F-line streetcars are carrying lots of riders. The [new] Market Street Railway works with the SFMTA to "keep San Francisco's vintage streetcars on track." A new E-Embarcadero line is supposed to begin operation in late July. http://www.streetcar.org/

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Market St. Ry. (the operating company) never had the funding to buy PCCs, although their engineering dept. made some drawings back around 1939.  When the time came to select a paint job for Muni 1011 after its "return from the dead" restoration at Brookville, Muni and today's Market St. Ry. (the support group) made the dream finally become reality.  (one presumes the "White Front" patent has expired.)  Although my experience with Muni only goes back to 1967, and my "home road" is Pacific Electric, I was still almost overcome with emotion at seeing this tribute to a bygone streetcar company.  As our friends up in Canada might say, "Beauty, eh?"

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Love the Ferry Building image.  Thanks for posting.

Where are the open sections with wire screens?