This streetcar represents the last days of Muni’s original streetcar fleet. Streetcar 162 joined Muni’s fleet when automobiles were still a novelty, and was retired — the first time — in the days when automobiles ruled the country, tail fins and all.
Car 162 is currently painted in its last Muni livery, the Postwar green and cream ‘Wings’ introduced at the end of the 1940s and kept until the retirement of the car in 1958. Like its twin, preserved car Car 130 (in 1939 blue and gold livery), this car ran on virtually all of Muni’s streetcar lines, spending much time on the H-line along Van Ness and Potrero Avenues and through Fort Mason.
After its initial retirement,Car 162 spent 45 years at the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Riverside County before being reacquired in 2003 by Market Street Railway and Muni.
Market Street Railway volunteers replaced the roof canvas and made a number of body repairs to the car. It then went to Muni’s shops in 2004, Muni crafts workers completed the restoration, including required safety and operational modifications, returning the car to regular service in 2008.
At the beginning of its centennial year, 2014, one end of Car 162 was badly damaged when a semi-truck ran a red light in front of it. The trucker’s insurance financed body repairs, which took an extended period because Muni management of the time chose (against our nonprofit’s counsel) to put the work out to bid instead of using their capable in-house body team.
Then, when the car returned from the contractor’s body repairs in 2018, Muni maintenance staff determined its 104-year old trucks (wheel sets or “bogies”) required total rebuilding. Muni’s excellent heavy overhaul team at Curtis E. Green Division fabricated exact replacement trucks in between assignments on light rail vehicles and PCC streetcars. The maintenance team across the street at Cameron Beach Yard put on the finishing touches and performed testing, leading to the car’s reentry to service in September 2026.
1914
Built for Muni in Ohio by Jewett Car Company, part of same 125-car orderorder as Car 130.
1914-1958
Used in regular service on virtually every Muni streetcar line. Painted in all three Muni liveries used during its service life: gray and red until about 1940, blue and yellow in the 1940s, and green and cream “Wings” in the 1950s.
1958
The large size and long-term reliability of Car 162 make it a stalwart of today’s historic fleet, and very popular with San Franciscans of the Boomer Generation who remember it from childhood.
» Streetcar No. 162: Tested Tough!
» Back In Business!
Retired from Muni service. Sold to Orange Empire Railway Museum in Southern California.
2003
Repurchased by Market Street Railway and returned to San Francisco, where Market Street Railway volunteers began cosmetic restoration of the car, then turned it over to Muni for its crafts workers to perform electrical and mechanical restoration.
2008
Car 162 re-enters passenger service in San Francisco, almost exactly 50 years after its initial retirement.
2014
Car 162 damaged in accident on The Embarcadero; car sits for more than three years before repairs begin.
2018
Repairs are completed by vendor, who damages the car’s trucks on return to San Francisco; reentry to service is delayed by COVID impacts in 2020-21. Trucks are rebuilt by Muni’s Heavy Overhaul shops as time allows between other jobs.
2026
Car 162 reenters service.
Built ForSan Francisco Municipal Railway, San Francisco CA, 1914
Builder
Jewett Car Co., Ohio
Seats
50
Weight
48,000 lb. (21,800 kg)
Length
47′ 1″ (14.4m)
Width
9′ 2″ (2.8m)
Height
12′ 3″ (3.7m)
Motors
4 Westinghouse 532A
Control
Westinghouse HL
Trucks
Baldwin L-plate
Brakes
Westinghouse SME Air
