Nostalgia & History > Oldies: Howard Terminal and the SF Muni

Located near what is now called King Street (CP-NI006) on the UP Niles Sub, there once was a Howard Terminal railway. This industrial line worked a tiny part of the Oakland (Calif.) waterfront long before container cranes, deep draft ships and the antiseptic Port of Oakland of today. Herewith, a photo taken 46 years ago.

---

Laying over at Playland at the Beach, home of Laughing Sal, is this Muni Type L car on the B-Geary line. Built in 1927 the car survived until 1958 according to "The People's Railway," a comprehensive book covering the Muni. The B-Geary car route was replaced by buses in 1956. Playland lasted until 1972 according to a Google search.

For more on Laughing Sal, visit: http://www.sonic.net/~playland/laughingsal.html

---

Muni 820 sits on the streetcar ramp at the Bay Bridge Terminal (now called Transbay Terminal) a couple of years after the city-owned railway acquired the car from the Market Street Railway in the "merger of 1944." The 5-McAllister was formerly a Market St. Rly. line and operated to Playland at the Beach via Market, McAllister and Fulton Streets. A trolley bus route makes the same trip today.

Obviously it's a two-man car, as passengers are boarding at the rear. The car still sports its Market Street colors, except for the ends which most likely were repainted. MS Ry. cars had a patented "white front" for safety. As the San Francisco city charter prohibited paying royalties, the Muni quickly repainted the car ends to something other than white.

These were known as California Comfort Cars and were built at the Market Street Railway's Elkton Shops; over 250 of them in all. The streetcar is flying Old Glory; maybe the photo was snapped on a holiday.

---

Just like everything else that you have put out here for us to see, these are all just great. I especially like the photo of Howard Terminal 6, the former Sierra Ry. 30. She was sold shortly thereafter to the Pacific Locomotive Assn., was steamed at least once in Castro Valley, then inaugurated steam operations at Castro Point in May of 1969. Powerful engine for her size, but miserable to fire!
Tom

Thanks Stash. Love all those shots. I never got around to Howard Terminal while it was still in steam. My loss, but I did ride the "B-Geary" line to Playland. At the time the rides were 9 cents each (except for the Big Dipper roller coaster). My parents would give me a dollar so our gang of kids on our block would buy 11 tickets and save the last one for entrance to the Fun House. - Tony J.

stash Wrote:

> Located near what is now called King Street
> (CP-NI006) on the UP Niles Sub, there once was a
> Howard Terminal railway. This industrial line
> worked a tiny part of the Oakland (Calif.)
> waterfront long before container cranes, deep
> draft ships and the antiseptic Port of Oakland of
> today. Herewith, a photo taken 46 years ago.

Trying to get my bearings here...is that the Adeliene St. bridge in the distance? When did the railroad finally call it quits?

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Trying to get my bearings here...is that the
> Adeliene St. bridge in the distance?

Yes. The old Adeline Street bridge. The current one is in the same location.

The now unused industrial spur on the extreme south end of the wye that crosses 1st Street about half way between Market Street and Schnitzer's main gate is basically where the track in the photo is.

> When did the railroad finally call it quits?

Oh, gee. 1980-ish? Someone else can probably give a better date.

Another Howard Terminal photo taken near Adeline St. The SP main is to the left. HT operations ceased on June 1, 1978.

---

stash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> .......... The streetcar is
> flying Old Glory; maybe the photo was snapped on a
> holiday.


I suspect the flagpole is with the buildings beyond the car.