May 10, 2023May 10, 2023 Rick Laubscher

Why yes. Muni DOES have two boat trams

May 10, 2023May 10, 2023 Rick Laubscher Fleet Updates, Muni News, SFMSR, Streetcars and Cable Cars, Wheels of the World, WOW Blackpool, boat tram, red boat tram

In 2013, Market Street Railway brought 1934 Blackpool, England “boat tram” to San Francisco, underwritten by a generous donation from the Thoresen Foundation, with shipping help from FedEx. We did it because the boat tram we brought over for Muni in 1984, thanks to Bechtel, had proven to be the most popular single vintage streetcar in Muni’s fleet.

With only one, though, it was impractical to schedule regular operation of the popular car. And even after the second boat tram (#233) arrived, most folks thought Muni still only had the one (#228). When the time came to do some work on 228, we suggested to Director of Transit Julie Kirschbaum that they do what Blackpool itself had done more than a dozen years before: paint the trim on one boat a bright red, to contrast with the traditional green and make it obvious that there are two of them. She thought it was a great idea.

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October 11, 2021October 12, 2021 Rick Laubscher

THIS is why we brought the Boat Trams to San Francisco

October 11, 2021October 12, 2021 Rick Laubscher Features, Video Blackpool boat tram, boat tram, Embarcadero, Fleet Week 2021, Pier 39

Giddy riders. Laughing kids. Happy crew members. Public transit that takes people where they want to go with flair and fun. THIS is why Market Street Railway worked hard to bring two Blackpool, England open-top “Boat Trams” to San Francisco and gift them to the City’s transit agency, Muni, 30 years apart.

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June 7, 2021June 7, 2021 Rick Laubscher

Boat Tram, Dinky both ‘fan favorites’

June 7, 2021June 7, 2021 Rick Laubscher Features, SFMSR Blackpool boat tram, boat tram, dinky 578, Fan favorite streetcar, favorite muni streetcar, favorite san francisco streetcar

Our dual vintage streetcar popularity contests have yielded two ‘winners’, though in fact every one of the 32 streetcars in the polls put together by our board member, Chris Arvin, drew love from fans of historic transit from around the world.

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June 2, 2021June 2, 2021 Rick Laubscher

Boat or Dinky: which will win?

June 2, 2021June 2, 2021 Rick Laubscher SFMSR Blackpool boat tram, boat tram, Car 578, dinky, Fan favorite streetcar, streetcar poll

So we’ve been running a fun little contest on our Twitter account and our Facebook group. It’s an idea from our board member Chris Arvin to let people pick their “fan favorite streetcar” – however each person wants to define “favorite”. It was set up as an NCAA-style bracket, where you start with 32 teams, er, streetcars, and pit them against each other in pairs, where the one receiving the most votes in each matchup moves on to the next round, until you’re down to the Final Four, and then, the last two.

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May 6, 2021May 6, 2021 Rick Laubscher

Streetcars bring smiles to the streets

May 6, 2021May 6, 2021 Rick Laubscher Antique Streetcars, News, PCC - All, SF - Antiques, SFMSR Blackpool boat tram, boat tram, F-line, F-line restart

Smiles are breaking out along the city’s waterfront and along Market Street, as Muni’s vintage streetcars are out in force for the first time in more than a year. The F-line is running a full test schedule, including pull-outs and pull-ins along the J-Church line, in advance of the official reopening of the line for passenger service on May 15. Initial service will run seven days a week, but just eight hours a day (11 am-7 pm) initially, running the whole route from Castro to Fisherman’s Wharf.

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June 28, 2020June 28, 2020 Rick Laubscher

Pride 1983

June 28, 2020June 28, 2020 Rick Laubscher History Spotlight boat tram, Car 1, Pride Parade

Like everyone in San Francisco, we miss the LGBTQ Pride Parade up Market Street this year. At least we can share a look back, framed with pleasure.

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January 30, 2020February 3, 2020 Rick Laubscher

Boat Tram Marks Market Street’s New Era

January 30, 2020February 3, 2020 Rick Laubscher Muni News, SFMSR Blackpool, boat tram, Jeffrey Tumlin, Market Street, Mayor London Breed

Can a tram be entrancing? Sure seemed that way yesterday at the ceremony at the foot of Market Street celebrating the elimination of private automobiles on San Francisco’s main thoroughfare.

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January 27, 2020January 27, 2020 Rick Laubscher

Boat Tram to Help Celebrate Car-free Market, Jan. 29

January 27, 2020January 27, 2020 Rick Laubscher Muni News Better Market Street, Blackpool, boat tram, car-free market street, Market Street

At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 29, Market Street will wave good bye to private automobiles from 10th Street to the Ferry. The boat tram will help.

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October 12, 2019October 12, 2019 Rick Laubscher

A Stealth Boat

October 12, 2019October 12, 2019 Rick Laubscher Muni News, Video boat tram, Stealth destroyer, USS Zumwalt

Take a quick ride on Blackpool Boat Tram 233 during San Francisco’s Fleet Week, where you’ll see a slightly newer boat, the US Navy’s first stealth destroyer, USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000), and get the sights and sounds of this authentic 1934 streetcar from England on a perfect fall day. You can ride the boat until Sunday afternoon, October 13, at 6 p.m., as part of Muni’s tribute to Fleet Week. And it’s FREE!

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October 10, 2019October 11, 2019 Rick Laubscher