Telling a Great Story of 108 Years Ago

April 13, 2014October 11, 2014 Rick Laubscher History Spotlight, Video

On or about April 14, 1906, 108 years ago this week, pioneering professional filmmakers the Miles Brothers bolted a hand-cranked camera onto the front of a cable car and rode down Market Street from Eighth Street to the Ferry Building. The film they shot has gained new interest in the past few years, since film historian David Kiehn demonstrated that it was made just a few days before the great earthquake and fire destroyed almost everything you see. (Previously, the film was thought to have been made in the summer of 1905.)

Special History Sale and Book Signing Today

April 12, 2014August 9, 2014 Rick Laubscher SFMSR

Today (Saturday, April 12) is a special day at our San Francisco Railway Museum. From 11 a.m. through mid-afternoon, we’ll be holding a sidewalk sale of transit and railroad books, photos, memorabilia, and ephemera right outside the museum just across from the Ferry Building (F-line Steuart Street stop).

New Streetcar Book Signing at Museum April 12

April 5, 2014October 11, 2014 Rick Laubscher SFMSR

New Field Guide to SF’s Historic Streetcars & Cable Cars

March 18, 2014August 15, 2014 Rick Laubscher Features, History Spotlight F-line guidebook, On Track, streetcar guidebook

Very Special Cable Car Rail Gifts

March 3, 2014October 11, 2014 Rick Laubscher Homepage Rotating Posts, Posts with Photos

The cable cars are world famous historic artifacts, of course, but they couldn’t climb even a quarter-way to the stars without good rail underneath their wheels. Since the first cable car ran on Clay Street in 1873, different rail profiles have been used on different lines around the city. Now, we’re offering a pair of unique gifts at our San Francisco Railway Museum that show off the variety of historic cable car rail in the city.

No Streetcars on the F Saturday, February 22

February 21, 2014August 9, 2014 Rick Laubscher SFMSR

The F-line will be operated solely with buses on Saturday, February 22, so that a number of projects can be carried out on Market Street. This includes completion of the removal of the old switches that led to and from the now-vanished Transbay Terminal (specifically, the switch at Fremont and Market), plus utility work at Spear and Market and crosswalk repair at Third and Market. F-line buses will operate on Market, except between First and Fremont inbound, where they will detour via Mission. Trolley coaches will be replaced by motor coaches along Market, as the overhead wires will be deenergized between Tenth and Steuart.