The last of almost 5,000 PCC-type streetcars to be built in North America is on its way to rebirth. Streetcar No. 1040, delivered to Muni new in 1952 as the final production streetcar of its kind built in the U.S., left Muni’s Metro East facility December 4 en route by truck to Pennsylvania, where it will be completely rehabilitated by Brookville Equipment Company.
The extensive deterioration of the streetcar, evident in these photos, is testimony to what happens when streetcars are not protected from the elements during their periods out of service. This is why Market Street Railway has advocated so persistently to provide covered storage for the most vulnerable streetcars at their Geneva Division home, a project that is finally getting underway, with completion scheduled for next year.
Meanwhile, No. 1040 is slated for a careful restoration befitting its historic status as the last built of its kind. Market Street Railway has asked that the “Golden Glow” bulb and reflector headlight be preserved (with a more powerful halogen bulb to meet current standards) and that its unusual seating with the conductor’s seat opposite the rear door also be preserved. (This class of cars originally required a two-person crew by city ordinance, a requirement lifted within two years of Car No.
1040’s arrival.)
No. 1040 was pushed onto the transport trailer by vintage 1916 Muni work car No. C1, itself restored in part by Market Street Railway volunteers. No. 1040 is due to be returned to San Francisco in ready-to-run restored condition by mid-October 2010. It is the second of 16 PCCs being renovated or upgraded under the contract with Brookville.
This is good news, both the part of #1040 going off for a long-overdue restoration and the part about getting some covered storage back at Geneva.
Good Luck #1040. It’s about time this fine car finally goes for total restoration. I rode it many, many times going back and forth to City College almost daily from 1960 to 62. In my opinion, it was the best car MUNI had!! It was quite, smooth and ran well. It has to come back in it’s “as delivered” MUNI wings.
Great news, it would be a shame to see such an important vehicle left to rot.
As an aside I live in New Zealand and was wondering what the addresses for the Muni Depots (Streetcar, Trolleycoach and Bus) are as I would like to be able to look them up using Google Earth.
Thanks in advance
You can find the whole Geneva/Metro complex at:
755 Ocean Ave., San Francisco, CA 94112
Lee
Its nice to see that they have state of the art technology to restore PCC cars If they dont end up in museums first and I thnk a museum is the much lesser of being in the junkyard even if we have to gooverseas for them its better than inhaling smelly old diesel fumes