Ground Advantage
This CD contains a searchable PDF of the only history book chronicling United Railroads, San Francisco’s dominant transit company from 1902-1921. Not available in print form, this superb mix of photos, equipment rosters, and compelling text will awe you for hours, viewed on your computer. Searchable. 938 pages. Authors: Emiliano Echeverria and Michael Dolgushkin, with Paul Trimble. Read More……
An inside view of SF Muni’s Cable Car Division, an irreverent account of life as it’s really lived behind the controls of San Francisco’s iconic cable cars, and the culture embedded therein. Read “stories gripmen never tell . . . until now; outrageous, absolutely true stories from San Francisco gripmen.” Published in 2002 by CaddoGap Press. Black & white photo, 120 pages.
Lucky 130 by Mae K. Silver documents the many lives of San Francisco Municipal Railway’s Streetcar #130, one of the oldest and best preserved streetcars in the historic fleet. Built in 1914 for service to and from the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition (PPIE Fair) in 1915, the car transported millions of passengers till the end of 1956. Carbarn Foreman Charlie Smallwood was the persuasive voice that convinced management to convert #130 to tow-car #0131 for towing disabled streetcars and continued in that service until 1982. Muni maintainers began restoration of Lucky 130 to passenger status in 1984, in time for the second Summer Trolley Festival.
In this keepsake booklet, author Mae Silver gives a brief overview of our nation’s state of preservation, transportation and politics in her introduction and follows with Smallwood’s successful effort to save Lucky 130. We’re glad he did! Softbound with black & white photos, 48 pages, M.K. Silver pub.1999.
Maybelle the Cable Car by Virginia Lee Burton is a classic children’s story about the successful effort by the citizens of San Francisco to save their beloved cable cars from extinction. Lavishly illustrated with color drawings by the author, Ms Burton does not disguise her love for this unique form of urban transportation. Originally published in 1952. Softbound, 42 pages, Houghton Mifflin publisher 1980. Dimensions 9″ x 9.5″. Read More……
The Bus Ride That Changed History: The Story of Rosa Parks by Pamela Duncan Edwards is “an excellent tribute to Parks and to her role in history, told in a child-friendly style.” Refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger took courage and determination, and led to changes in civil rights laws that have brought all Americans closer to a more just and equal society.
Full color illustrations by Danny Shanahan, 32 pages, Softbound, Sandpiper Books 2005. Dimensions 10.5″ x 8.5″.
The Cable Car and the Dragon by Herb Caen is a delightful children’s story about the Charlie the cable car who strays from his job to enjoy the excitement of Chinese New Year in San Francisco with a Dragon from the parade. Longtime San Francisco Chronicle columnist brings this happy story to life along with lovely illustrations by Barbara Ninde Byfield. Fun and exciting for kids of all ages. Originally published in 1972. Softbound, 40 pages, Chronicle Books 1995. Dimensions 7.5″ x 9″. Read More……
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton, a wonderful companion book to Maybelle the Cable Car tells the story of a darling little house in the country that is swallowed up by the city growing around it. Ms Burton’s illustrations of the expanding city and its growing pollution are delightfully contrasted with marvelous illustrations of streetcars, buses, subways, elevated trains and clogged streets full of cars and trucks. As the city looms bigger and bigger, the little house becomes sadder and sadder, until rescue comes and the house is moved to a sunny plot of land in the country. Originally published in 1942. Softbound, 40 pages, Houghton Mifflin publisher 1969. Dimensions 9″ x 9.5″. Read More……
The Wheels on the Bus adapted & illustrated by Paul Zelinsky is a wonderful re-issue of the children’s song with tabs on every page to animate the illustrations. Pop-up fun on every page! Lavishly illustrated with color drawings along with the words to sing along. Hardbound, 15 pages, Dalmation Press publisher. Dimensions 11.25″ x 7.75″.
Subway, light rail, and streetcar maps the world over are covered in detail on multiple pages, and are supplemented with other illustrations and information. Full color, 176 pages. Softbound, Penguin 2015. Dimensions 11″ x 9.5″.
Life as a Muni Trolley Coach driver told by a veteran of over 20 years of moving San Franciscans and visitors around the city. “Doug Meriwether has developed the precious commodity of driving a bus under stressful conditions and making it appear easy and fun! Choose your style on where to stand and how to pay at the fare box. Step up and step in to find your Zen while riding Muni!” Balboa Press 2016, Softbound, 190 pages including a glossary of transit terms. Read More……
The Dao of Doug 2: The Art of Driving a Bus by Douglas Meriwether,
Keeping Zen in San Francisco Transit: A Line Trainer’s Guide
More wisdom from Doug Meriwether, a veteran of over 20 years of moving San Franciscans and visitors around the city. How to stay calm, cool and collected while driving a bus under stressful conditions and making it appear easy and fun! Life behind the wheel of the ultimate ride-share. “Step up and step in to find your Zen while riding Muni!” Balboa Press 2015, Softbound, 185 pages including a glossary of transit terms. Read More……
One of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series, African Americans of San Francisco documents the history of the African American community in San Francisco from the 1840s to present day. The book introduces the reader to public figures and leaders who gradually built a society that reflected the slow progress of the nation toward integration through social and political struggles. Among the many individuals recognized for their courage and determination was entrepreneur Mary Ellen Pleasant who broke the color barrier preventing her from riding on a omnibus in 1866. Authored by Jan Batiste Adkins, the book is illustrated with over 200 black & white photos and related documents. Published in 2012, 128 pages.
San Francisco’s Powell Street Cable Cars details the history and operation of this beloved line that began in 1888, and survives today as a National Historic Landmark and the most popular icon of the City by the Bay.
