The Milan 'Peter Witt' Trams
Early streetcars, or trolleys, were little more than electrified horsecars or cable cars. The motorman's only job was running the car; a conductor moved about, trying to remember who had paid their fare. As trolleys grew larger, different schemes were put in place to collect fares more consistently.
A Cleveland transit commissioner named Peter Witt designed a large front-loading car, with exits to the rear. The conductor stayed put ahead of the exit doors, guarding his farebox...you had to pay to get past him. The 'Peter Witt' cars swallowed large crowds quickly, and were used in many American cities, though never in San Francisco.
The longest-running Peter Witts in the world come from Milan, Italy, which had 502 cars built to the general US design in 1926-28. They dominated Milan's tram network through the mid-1990s (trolleys are called trams outside of North America). In 1984, the city of Milan made a gift of Peter Witt tram No. 1834 to San Francisco for the Historic Trolley Festival that served as a catalyst for the creation of the F-line. Riders here liked No. 1834 so much that Muni ordered ten more trams in 1998 as Milan was retiring them.
The Peter Witts entered F-line service wearing the solid orange livery used in Milan for the past quarter-century. In 2004, however, car No. 1811 was repainted into the original 1928 Milan livery of yellow and white with black trim. In 2007, No. 1818 received the two-tone green livery that the Milan trams wore from the 1930s to the 1970s -- this same livery will be worn by No. 1888 when it returns to service in 2009. Market Street Railway has suggested to Muni that as these cars are serviced and repainted, the fleet is balanced between the three historic Milan liveries (yellow, green, and orange).
Meticulously maintained, these simple, sturdy trams are just the latest Italian imports adding their flavor to San Francisco!
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