Car No. 130 was the last ‘Iron Monster’ to leave passenger service, in 1958. Muni shop foreman Charlie Smallwood saved it from the scrap heap by hiding it in the back of the Geneva car barn while its mates met their fates. He then talked his bosses into making it a ‘wrecker’. Stripped bare and painted yellow, it spent the next 25 years towing its replacement PCCs back to the barn when they broke down. It was fully restored by Muni crafts workers in 1983 for the Historic Trolley Festival, including original seats, which Charlie had kept all those years in his basement...just in case! The saga of this car has inspired a children’s book, Lucky 130, by Mae Silver.

1914
Built for Muni in Ohio by Jewett Car Company.

1914-1958
Used in regular service on virtually every Muni streetcar line. Painted in all three Muni liveries used during its service life, including the green and cream ‘Wings’ in the 1950s.

1958
Retired from daily service. Seats removed, equipment installed to allow the car to serve as Geneva Division wrecker. (Only two of the 125 cars of this type survive. Market Street Railway acquired the other one, car No. 162, from Orange Empire Railway Museum in 2003 and gifted it to Muni.)

1983
Restored by Muni crafts workers to 1939 appearance, with blue and gold paint, to participate in the San Francisco Historic Trolley Festival.

1984-87
Operated summers in subsequent Trolley Festivals.

1995
Began service on the permanent F-Market line.

2000
Began service on F-line extension on The Embarcadero to Fisherman’s Wharf.

2007
Still in regular operation, perhaps the most durable streetcar in San Francisco history.

Market Street Railway’s goal
Continued use in regular service during 2007. Subsequent overhaul to meet CPUC requirements, and use in revenue operation as part of a core vintage collection operating plan to be developed by Muni with input from Market Street Railway and other stakeholders in neighborhoods, the transit user community, and the visitor support community.