We at Market Street Railway are delighted to partner again with SFMTA/Muni to give transit lovers the chance to ride vintage streetcars, cable cars, and buses, while learning how public transit spurred the growth of San Francisco from a village to the world-class City we enjoy today.
All rides on the vintage streetcars and buses will be free, as a ‘thank you’ from SFMTA. September is usually the City’s best weather month, making this a great family event.
Streetcar and bus rides will depart every few minutes from 10 AM- 4 PM both days from our San Francisco Railway Museum at the Steuart Street F-line stop between Market and Mission Streets, across from the Ferry Building. Special cable car rides, charging the regular $9 fare, will depart from the foot of California Street at Market, two blocks from the museum.
Streetcars will run a 30-minute round trip to Fisherman’s Wharf and back. Riders may get off at the Wharf. Among the streetcars expected to operate this year:
— The most popular vehicle at past events: the 1934 open-top “Boat Tram” from Blackpool, England
— America’s oldest passenger streetcar still operated by a transit agency, the 1896 “Dinky” that survived the 1906 earthquake and fire
— The very first big city streetcar owned by the people themselves: Municipal Railway Car 1 from 1912
— A “wonder from Down Under”: a classic Melbourne tram from 1928
— An ever-popular 98-year old Milan tram, with its Italian flare
— Several other historic streetcars, ideally including a surprise.
Buses will operate on a special route to be determined. We will update this post with that information when we have it. Buses expected to operate include Muni motor coaches from 1938, 1947, 1956, 1970, and beyond, along with trolley coaches from 1950 and 1975. Here again, there may be surprise “special guests”
Special cable cars expected to operate in regular service on the California Street line that weekend include:
— The largest and oldest operating cable car in the world, “Big 19”, built in 1883 and operated on Market Street until the 1906 earthquake and fire, then modified for continued service on Sacramento & Clay Streets until its retirement in 1942, followed by its resurrection by Muni in the last few years
— The only surviving cable car from the disappeared O’Farrell, Jones & Hyde line restored to its 1907 condition; a joint project of Muni and Market Street Railway.
The weekend will also feature a special sale of transit artifacts and books, informational displays and booths, kids’ games, and more.
And for our President’s Club members (those who support us with $250 or more annually, we will have our special reception and streetcar charter honoring you on Friday evening, September 18. We’ll reach out to you with details soon.
Check back with this page for periodic updates. Hope to see you there.
