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| Car No. 162 plies Muni's M-line wearing the beloved green and cream Wings livery that it will wear when it enters F-line service in 2006. |
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Like preserved Car No. 130, No. 162 was built by the Jewett Car Company in 1914 to boost Muni capacity to handle the crowds headed for the 1915 World’s Fair in what’s now the Marina District. It spent most of its life working streetcar lines assigned to Potrero Division at Bryant and Mariposa Streets. That included the old H-Potrero line, which ran along Potrero and Van Ness Avenues, then through Fort Mason to a terminal at Laguna Street and Marina Boulevard, the same spot now being proposed by MSR and others for an extension of historic trolley service from Fisherman’s Wharf to Fort Mason.
On the H-line, Car No. 162 began its career by serving the 1915 World’s Fair, probably also making numerous special service trips to the Chestnut Street gate of the fair on the old F-Stockton line as well. During World War II, Car No. 162 joined its H-line compatriots in carrying thousands of soldiers to Fort Mason to embark on troop ships bound for the battles of the Pacific Theater. More happily, it provided them transport to the town’s attractions during leaves, and after they had returned to the US to stay. This same car also helped carry Fort Mason’s thousands of civilian workers to and from their essential jobs every day.
But the H-line was hardly Car No. 162’s sole stomping grounds. Serving out of Potrero, it also operated the other lines assigned to the division, including the J, K, L, N, and after it was reestablished in 1944, the M as well. Of course, all five of these lines survive today, operating as Muni Metro lines using the Market Street subway. MSR historian Phil Hoffman says Car No. 162 apparently also spent at least a short portion of its operating life, from 1947 to 1949, at Muni’s original streetcar division, at Geary and Presidio Avenue. There, it would likely have worked the B-Geary and D-Geary-Van Ness routes. Car No. 162 finished its first Muni career at Geneva Division, again on the J, K, L, M, and N lines.
Originally painted in Muni’s battleship gray (the livery still seen on Car No. 1), No. 162 switched with the fleet to a cheerier blue and gold to commemorate the 1939 Treasure Island World’s Fair (as seen today on Car No. 130). Finally, in the early 1950s, it was painted in Muni’s popular green and white "Wings" scheme, with an apple green interior. Additionally, like other Muni cars numbered 150 and above, it received folding doors from a scrapped Market Street Railway Co. car to replace its original open rear platform arrangement. The intention is to preserve this final configuration of Car No. 162 when it is restored, so that Muni’s historic fleet will have a representative car from each period.
Car No. 162 is perfectly typical of the original Muni cars—"just one of the herd" in the words of streetcar historian Philip Hoffman. Phil does recall hearing from shopmen and motormen in the 1940s that Car No. 162 was "a real hot rod, the fastest car in its class." But that "herd" rapidly shrank as the B, C, D, E-Union, (original) F, and H lines were converted to bus operation between 1948 and 1956. Finally, with the purchase of 70 second-hand PCC streetcars from St. Louis in 1957, the remaining original Muni streetcars were put out to pasture—almost all of them simply cut up for scrap.
Now, thanks to generous support from the members and friends of Market Street Railway, No. 162 is home again. You can help us to retore her by making a tax-deductible donation here.
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