In 2001, Muni’s then-Executive Director, Michael Burns, personally ordered the restoration of this car with platform extensions to meet ADA requirements, and approved funding for the project. He directed that the work proceed urgently to help meet the F-line car shortage. However, lengthy delays ensued. The first involved design of the platform extensions, finally resolved after a trip to Memphis TN, where identical cars had successfully undergone this modification ten years before. The second, still unresolved, involves the most effective way to remove lead paint from the roof and other portions of the car body to be saved. Meantime, the cable car carpentry shop has built a new chassis for the car, while motors and controllers have been completely overhauled. The car now sits, disassembled, in storage, awaiting resolution of the lead paint issue and restarting of the program.

1929
Built in Porto, Portugal, following the design of J.G. Brill kits shipped to Porto around 1912. Operated successfully in that hilly port city for half a century.

1979
Retired from service in Porto, sold to private interests for possible use in Portland OR.

1983
Leased by Muni for the first San Francisco Historic Trolley Festival. Car No. 189 was purchased late that year.

1984-87
No. 189 operated very successfully in Trolley Festivals. Pioneered E-line demonstration service on Embarcadero freight tracks in 1987.

1995
Held out of regular F-line service at startup pending ADA modifications.

2001
Muni Executive Director ordered accelerated restoration to meet the F-line car shortage.

2007
After repeated inability to move the project forward to completion, car No. 189 remains unfinished.

Market Street Railway’s goal
Break the stalemate on No. 189 to fulfill former Executive Director’s pledge to complete the paint stripping and rebuilding of the car for single-operator running, then return to revenue service as part of the core vintage collection plan.