Market Street Railway Blogtag:streetcar.org,2008-07-18://102010-03-09T23:51:58ZMovable Type Pro 4.2-enMarketStreetRailwayhttp://feedburner.google.comSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with Live.comSunday Streets Returns to the Waterfront this Sundaytag:streetcar.org,2010://10.6162010-03-09T22:00:00Z2010-03-09T23:51:58ZSan Francisco’s popular street closure program returns for it’s third year this coming Sunday, March 14, on the Embarcadero between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. A large group of pedestrians and cyclists gathered during Sunday Streets when it expanded into...
<p>San Francisco’s popular street closure program returns for it’s third year this coming Sunday, March 14, on the Embarcadero between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. </p>
<div class="photo-left" style="width:280px"><img alt="sunday-streets-mission.png" src="http://streetcar.org/uploads/sunday-streets-mission.png" width="280" height="190" /><p>A large group of pedestrians and cyclists gathered during Sunday Streets when it expanded into the Mission District last year. Jamison Wieser photo.</p></div>
<p><a href="http://sundaystreetssf.com/">Sunday Streets</a> is a smaller version of Bogata, Columbia’s wildly popular Ciclovía program which closes over 70 miles of roadway every Sunday and holiday to allow the public to walk, run, bike, dance, or just mill about and enjoy the outdoors car-free. </p>
<p>In 2008 the program kicked off here in San Francisco with two sunday closures along The Embarcadero, in 2009 it expanded to 6 Sundays with several routes. At it’s conclusion last fall, Mayor Gavin Newsom announced Sunday Streets would return in 2010 with even more dates and locations. It also becomes a permanent program run by the SFMTA. </p>
<p>This will mark the first Sunday Streets along the waterfront without E-Embarcadero historic streetcar service south of the Ferry Building to AT&T Park. Fans will be disappointed by their absence, but it’s an understandable decision given the SFMTA’s $12 million deficit. </p>
<p>The F-Market & Wharves line will be running though and this will be a good chance for those looking to <a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/calling-for-2011-calendar-submissions.html">submit photos for our 2011 calendar</a> to catch exciting shots of historic streetcars on The Embarcadero while it’s car-free. </p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/03/sunday-streets-returns-to-the-waterfront.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/swhPKLwLtWc" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/03/sunday-streets-returns-to-the-waterfront.htmlThat's One Long Streetcar Ride!tag:streetcar.org,2010://10.6142010-03-06T00:23:36Z2010-03-06T07:27:24Z MSR Board member Todd Lappin got a shock this morning near Park City, Utah on a ski trip, when he came across this sight on Interstate 80. It’s Muni PCC No. 1080, painted in Los Angeles Transit Lines livery,...http://www.messagesmith.com
<div class="photo-wide" style="width:512px"><img alt="1080_I80_Park City UT_030410_Todd Lappin.jpg" src="http://streetcar.org/assets_c/2010/03/1080_I80_Park%20City%20UT_030410_Todd%20Lappin-thumb-512x356.jpg" class="mt-image-none" style="" height="356" width="512" /></div>
<p>MSR Board member Todd Lappin got a shock this morning near Park City, Utah on a ski trip, when he came across this sight on Interstate 80. It’s Muni PCC No. 1080, painted in Los Angeles Transit Lines livery, bound for Brookville, Pennsylvania, and a complete rewiring under Muni’s <a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2009/08/pcc-streetcar-restoration-moves-forward.html">contract with Brookville Equipment</a>. It’s the fourth of 16 PCCs to head for Brookville under the contract.</p>
<p>By the way, No. 1080 is signed “E-Embarcadero/Pier 39.” Uh, you shoulda taken the 4th Street exit from 80, driver…</p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/03/thats-one-long-streetcar-ride.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/nC-UU2iYUJ8" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/03/thats-one-long-streetcar-ride.htmlPhoto of the Month: Ten Years of Wharf Servicetag:streetcar.org,2010://10.6132010-03-02T22:00:00Z2010-03-03T03:58:03Z The F-Market line extension from lower Market Street to Fisherman’s Wharf opened in March 2000. In the 10 years since, the vintage streetcars have been a boon to Wharf businesses, including Pier 39, the entertainment complex at the eastern...Kevin Sheridan
<div class="photo-wide" style="width:512px"><img alt="kevin-sheridan-pier39-march.jpg" src="http://streetcar.org/uploads/kevin-sheridan-pier39-march.jpg" width="512" height="340" /></div>
<p>The F-Market line extension from lower Market Street to Fisherman’s Wharf opened in March 2000. In the 10 years since, the vintage streetcars have been a boon to Wharf businesses, including Pier 39, the entertainment complex at the eastern edge of the Wharf area popular with tourists.</p>
<p>Almost every hour is ‘rush hour’ on the F-line. After the sun goes down, when most other Muni routes draw sparse ridership, F-line streetcars are usually still packed, even late into the evening.</p>
<p>» <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bythabay/sets/72157604363697373/">More streetcar photography from Kevin Sheridan</a> (flickr)<br />
» <a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2009/06/reunifying-the-wharf.html">Reunifying the Wharf, Extending the F-line to Fort Mason</a><br />
» <a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/calling-for-2011-calendar-submissions.html">Call for 2011 Calendar Submissions</a></p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/03/photo-of-the-month-march-2010.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/ojFrSnx_SWo" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/03/photo-of-the-month-march-2010.htmlSFMTA Board Votes for 10% Muni Service Cut, Increased Farestag:streetcar.org,2010://10.6092010-02-28T04:50:00Z2010-02-28T05:03:23ZYesterday, the SFMTA Board of Directors voted on a range of measures to begin close the year end deficit currently figured to be $12.1 million. The meeting ran over and will be continued until Tuesday, but some decisions were made...
<p>Yesterday, the SFMTA Board of Directors voted on a range of measures to begin close the year end deficit currently figured to be $12.1 million. The meeting ran over and will be continued until Tuesday, but <a href="http://www.sfmta.com/cms/apress/SFMTABoardofDirectorsMakesDifficultDecisionstoAddressCurrentYearBudgetDeficit.htm">some decisions were made on Friday</a> including a 10% cut in Muni service. Unlike the changes made in December, no routes or segments of routes will be eliminated as happened with Decembers cuts and there will be no new or increased service to offset the cuts.</p>
<div class="float-right" style="width:150px"><img alt="Muni Circular Logo" src="http://streetcar.org/uploads/muni-circle-simple.png" width="150" height="150" /></div>
<p>Reduced service will comes through less frequent service, including a reduction in overnight “Owl” service which will now run only once and hour.</p>
<p>Also approved was an increase in fare for cable car and express bus riders by excluding them from the $60/month Muni-only “M” Fast Pass and requiring the riders use a premium $70 “A” pass or pay an additional $5 even with the “M” Fast Pass. </p>
<p>The Board voted against raising the Senior/Disabled and Youth passes by another $10, though an already-approved increase will still take effect raising the discount Fast Passes to $20 starting May 1.</p>
<p>The Board declined to eliminate free Sunday parking and extend parking meters hours in favor of a pilot project contingent on finding neighborhoods willing to participate in the pilot. SFMTA staff projected last year the extended hours and elimination of free parking would bring in an additional $17.4 million along with increasing turnover in parking spaces.</p>
<p>The Board will meet again on Tuesday, March 2 at noon to continue the budget discussion. Public comment can be made at the board meeting, or email <a href="mailto:sfmtabudget@sfmta.com">sfmtabudget@sfmta.com</a>.</p>
<p>A protest <a href="http://www.marchagainstmuni.org/protest">march against Muni</a> is planned for Monday, March 1 at 5:00 pm at the corner of Powell & Market. </p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/sfmta-board-votes-for-muni-service-cuts.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/MCq4POcYTUY" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/sfmta-board-votes-for-muni-service-cuts.htmlStreetsblog SF Liveblogging SFMTA Board Meetingtag:streetcar.org,2010://10.6082010-02-26T19:21:00Z2010-03-06T07:28:24ZAs the SFMTA Board of Directors hears public comment on proposed actions to address a $16.9 million deficit, Streetsblog San Francisco’s Bryan Goebel is there liveblogging coverage....
<p>As the SFMTA Board of Directors hears public comment on proposed actions to address a $16.9 million deficit, <a href="http://sf.streetsblog.org/">Streetsblog San Francisco</a>’s Bryan Goebel</span> is there <a href="http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/02/26/were-living-blogging-the-mta-board-meeting-join-us-below/">liveblogging coverage</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/streetsblog-sf-liveblogging-sfmta-board.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/eoHyrvGfsWk" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/streetsblog-sf-liveblogging-sfmta-board.htmlSFMTA Board to Vote on Muni Service Cuts and Fare Hikes this Fridaytag:streetcar.org,2010://10.6072010-02-24T19:35:00Z2010-02-24T19:54:33ZAt a meeting this Friday, February 26, the SFMTA Board of Directors will vote on a number of measures to cut Muni service and increase fares in order to fill a $16.9 million year-end deficit. Under the proposal posted online,...
<p>At a meeting this Friday, February 26, the SFMTA Board of Directors will vote on a number of measures to cut Muni service and increase fares in order to fill a $16.9 million year-end deficit. Under the <a href="http://www.sfmta.com/cms/cmta/SFMTABoardFeb.262010agenda.htm">proposal posted online</a>, Muni riders will be the hardest hit with a second round of service cuts and fare increases in less than a year. </p>
<div class="float-right" style="width:150px"><img alt="Muni Circular Logo" src="http://streetcar.org/uploads/muni-circle-simple.png" width="150" height="150" /></div>
<p>Monthly Senior/Disabled and Youth Fast Passes will increase by $10. This will be in addition to the 5 increase scheduled on May 1, doubling the current $15 price to $30. </p>
<p>Also, like the $10 premium added in January for a separate Muni + BART Fast Pass, cable cars and express busses would no longer be included in the standard Muni Fass Pass and require a $10 premium as well. </p>
<p>Muni service will be cut 10% through longer headways on most routes and overnight “Owl” service reduced to once-per-hour. Unlike the service changes in December, no lines or line-segments will be eliminated, but there will also be no new or increased service to offset the cuts.</p>
<p>Customers will also be charged additional transaction fees when using the Customer Service Center at Van Ness & Market ($3.00 per transaction) and online ($2.50 per transaction to cover processing and postage) while the less law-abiding among us get break with only a $2 fee added to citations. Residential Parking Permits will also be increased $20 annually from $76 to $96 per year, the maximum allowed under a state law which caps the price of parking permits to no more than the cost of administrating the program.</p>
<p>While Muni riders will be paying more for less, the SFMTA did not consider extending parking meters or revisiting the policy of free parking on Sundays and holidays despite the fact it would <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/26591514/SFMTA-Presentation-on-Extending-Parking-Meter-Hours">generate $8.8 million in profit</a> (even after covering the additional expenses related to enforcement) which could be used to offset the cuts planned for Muni service. </p>
<p>An earlier proposal to raise the F-line fare 250% from $2 to $5 (which especially worried members, readers, and merchant we heard from) has been dropped.</p>
<p>The SFMTA Board meeting will be held in Room 400 of City Hall on Friday Morning, <a href="http://www.sfmta.com/cms/cmta/SFMTABoardFeb.262010agenda.htm">see agenda for details</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/sfmta-to-vote-on-muni-service-cuts.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/GN9uG256niI" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/sfmta-to-vote-on-muni-service-cuts.html"Human Error" Most Likely Reason LRV Rear-Ended Milan Tramtag:streetcar.org,2010://10.6062010-02-19T05:50:15Z2010-02-19T07:38:41Zhttp://www.messagesmith.com
<p>The Chronicle reports on <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/18/BA6C1C3LJP.DTL&type=newsbayarea">sfgate.com</a> that Muni spokesman Judson True has stated, “Human error is the most likely cause of the accident” that badly damaged a Milan tram this morning. The report states that while tests are still under way, Muni has found no
problem with the J-Church train or the tracks.</p>
<p><div class="photo-left"><img alt="1814 006.jpg" src="http://streetcar.org/assets_c/2010/02/1814%20006-thumb-280x373.jpg" height="373" width="280" /></div>At 6:20 this morning, a Breda LRV on the J-Church line rear-ended a Milan tram stopped on the track ahead. F-line streetcars use J-line tracks to go to and from their storage and maintenance facility. As indicated in this photo, the rear end of the Milan tram (No. 1814) was shoved in a considerable distance.</p></p>
<p><p>It is not yet known whether the main frame under the car has been seriously compromised, but at a minimum the damage will take a long time to repair. The injury toll is now reported as five people, including the operator of the Milan tram. None of the injuries is said to be life threatening.</p>
<p>The Chronicle quotes Muni chief Nat Ford as saying, “This accident is completely unacceptable. We must and we will continue our efforts to ensure the safety of our customers.” </p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/human-error-most-likely-reason-lrv-rear-.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/craxpa8sTII" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/human-error-most-likely-reason-lrv-rear-.htmlLRV Rear-Ends Milan Tram, 3 Hurttag:streetcar.org,2010://10.6052010-02-18T17:02:47Z2010-02-19T07:37:07ZAt 6:20 this morning, an LRV, rolling along the exclusive streetcar right-of-way on the J-line in the median of San Jose Avenue, somehow managed, at a significant rate of speed, to rear end vintage Milan tram No. 1814 hospitalizing three...http://www.messagesmith.com
<p>At 6:20 this morning, an LRV, rolling along the exclusive streetcar right-of-way on the J-line in the median of San Jose Avenue, somehow managed, at a significant rate of speed, to rear end vintage Milan tram No. 1814 hospitalizing three people and causing serious damage to both vehicles. The Chronicle has posted a <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/c/a/2010/02/18/BA6C1C3LJP.DTL">breaking news story</a> on sfgate.com.</p>
<p><div class="photo-left"><img alt="1814Geneva1101.jpg" src="http://streetcar.org/assets_c/2010/02/1814Geneva1101-thumb-280x210.jpg" height="210" width="280" /><p>Tram no. 1814 at Geneva Yard. Stock photo.</p></div>The front page photo on sfgate.com that leads to the story caused great consternation because it showed a stock photo of 1914 Muni streetcar No. 162, just recently returned to service after a 50 year absence from the streets of San Francisco. But No. 162 was NOT involved in the incident.</p>
<p>Inquiries we made to front-line Muni people indicate that the Milan tram, pulling out of the car barn to go into service on the F-line, was stopped because of a line delay ahead of it, when the operator of the following J-line LRV (reportedly No. 1438) rear-ended him, despite a rule requiring 250 feet of separation between streetcars on the same line. No current information on the condition of the injured parties, who included the operator of the Milan tram. <br /><br />The Milan tram was apparently a “bystander” in the accident. Its rear end was reportedly telescoped approximately 18 inches, indicating a severe impact.<br /> </p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/lrv-rear-ends-milan-tram-3-hurt.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/Jt-XvhCXGXU" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/lrv-rear-ends-milan-tram-3-hurt.htmlFirst "Torpedo" Off to Rehabtag:streetcar.org,2010://10.6002010-02-10T04:46:54Z2010-02-15T06:00:29ZThe first of the four double-ended Muni PCC streetcars has left San Francisco for a complete rehabilitation in Pennsylvania, at Brookville Equipment Company. No. 1008, which operated in passenger service until 1982 and was then converted into a “repair car”...http://www.messagesmith.com
<p>The first of the four double-ended Muni PCC streetcars has left San Francisco for a complete rehabilitation in Pennsylvania, at Brookville Equipment Company. No. 1008, which operated in passenger service until 1982 and was then converted into a “repair car” to tow broken-down streetcars back to the barn and perform other services, left Metro East February 9. When it returns, it will be painted in the <a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2009/12/muni-selects-paint-schemes-for-new-pccs.html">green and cream “Wings” livery</a> in which it was originally delivered to San Francisco in 1948.</p>
<p><div class="photo-right"><img alt="1008 loading for rehab 020910.jpg" src="http://streetcar.org/assets_c/2010/02/CIMG6970-thumb-280x186.jpg" class="mt-image-right" height="186" width="280" /></div>No. 1008 is the third of 16 PCCs covered under Muni’s contract with Brookville to leave the property. Ex-Newark single-end PCC No. <a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2009/11/first-pcc-streetcar-leaves-for-rehab.html">1071 went first</a> on November 18, followed by 1952 Muni single-end PCC No. <a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2009/12/historic-pcc-no-1040-leaves-for-restorat.html">1040</a> on December 4.</p>
<p>The four double-end cars are especially important, both for their large capacity, and because their ability to operate from either end makes them essential for initial operation of the long-planned E-Embarcadero line between Mission Bay and Fisherman’s Wharf, which lacks a turning facility for single-end cars at its south end.</p>
<p>All 16 of the streetcars in this order are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011. We’ll continue posting updates on these streetcars as they rehabilitated and enter service.</p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/first-torpedo-off-to-rehab.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/U8WgUWF6w6A" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/02/first-torpedo-off-to-rehab.htmlCalling for 2011 Calendar Submissionstag:streetcar.org,2010://10.5892010-01-29T15:40:00Z2010-02-22T20:49:20ZMarket Street Railway produces a calendar each year featuring San Francisco’s historic streetcars and cable cars. The Museums in Motion calendar is an important project to us as both a thank you to members (included with membership of $100 or...
<p>Market Street Railway produces a calendar each year featuring San Francisco’s historic streetcars and cable cars. The Museums in Motion calendar is an important project to us as both a thank you to members (included with <a href="http://streetcar.org/join/">membership of $100 or more</a>) to raise funds for our non-profit work preserving historic transit. </p>
<div class="photo-right"><img alt="17th Street Plaza" src="http://streetcar.org/assets_c/2009/07/plaza-georg-thumb-280x167.jpg" width="280" height="167" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></div>
<p>We need your help to make the 2011 Museums in Motion calendar showcase both the streetcars and cable cars as part of the vibrant fabric of life in the City. With the threat of a $5 F-line fare, now more than we feel it’s important to show historic transit is not just a theme park ride for tourists, but is part of everyday life in San Francisco used by residents trying to get to work or to play. See our <a href="/store/calendar/">2010 calendar</a> for examples from last year we hope to top. </p>
<p>Well-composed scenes are preferred over tight shots of the cars. </p>
<p>Our goal is to show the cars at their best, so please only submit photos of San Francisco’s historic streetcar and cable car fleet. Do not submit photos feature Muni busses, modern Muni Metro light-rail trains, rail yards, stations and shelters, as well as unrestored, non-operational and run down vehicles. </p>
<h4>How to submit a photo</h4>
<p>If you’re already a member of Yahoo!’s free photo sharing service Flickr, all you need to do is tag your photos <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/msrcalendarsubmission">msrcalendarsubmission</a>. If you’re not familiar with tagging on flicker, <a href="http://flickr.com/help/tags/">here’s some tips</a>.</p>
<p>Photos should be landscape (horizontally) oriented, in color, and at least 3,000 x 2,000 pixels. </p>
<div class="photo-left"><img alt="916 on Market Street" src="http://streetcar.org/assets_c/2009/10/916-in-motion-thumb-280x175.png" width="280" height="175" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></div>
<p>We know many of you don’t post high-resolution versions to Flickr, but any photos submitted for publication should be available as camera original JPEG or RAW files without watermarks if selected.</p>
<p>There’s no limit to how many photos you may submit by tagging them with <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/msrcalendarsubmission">msrcalendarsubmission</a>, but please help us out by selecting what you think are your best and not simply tagging every photo.</p>
<p>We expect to make selections in april and will announce a date once set. If we select your photo, you will receive a complimentary advance copy of the calendar. Photographers are always fully credited with email address or website published in the calendar. Please help us spread the word so 2011 will be our best calendar yet.</p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/calling-for-2011-calendar-submissions.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/3H6jonKAsV0" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/calling-for-2011-calendar-submissions.htmlNO Fare Increase for F-linetag:streetcar.org,2010://10.5882010-01-29T05:20:26Z2010-03-06T07:30:08ZFacing opposition from several members of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board, the SFMTA staff has withdrawn its proposal to raise the F-line streetcar fare from $2 to $5, a 150% increase. A detailed story, including the deep deficit...Rick Laubscher, Market Street Railwayhttp://www.messagesmith.com
<p>Facing opposition from several members of the San Francisco Municipal
Transportation Agency Board, the SFMTA staff has withdrawn its proposal
to raise the F-line streetcar fare from $2 to $5, a 150% increase. A
detailed story, including the deep deficit Muni still faces, can be
found at <a href="http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/01/28/mta-details-proposed-historic-cuts-to-muni-2011-2012-deficit-even-worse/">SF Streetsblog</a>.</p>
<p><div class="photo-left"><img alt="Thumbnail image for DSC00205.JPG" src="http://streetcar.org/assets_c/2010/01/DSC00205-thumb-280x210-thumb-280x210.jpg" height="210" width="280" /></div>Last week, in a meeting on another subject, a member of the mayor’s staff told this writer that they had received far more complaints about the proposed F-line fare increase than any other part of the multi-faceted Muni budget package.</p>
<p>To be sure, Muni finds itself in dire financial straits, affecting all parts of the system. For example, the detailed service reduction proposals released today call for F-line service to end by midnight instead of 1 a.m. as now. They also call for slightly reducing evening and late night frequency on all streetcar lines, including the F, one of Muni’s most heavily ridden nighttime routes. But while we believe this will overload the F-line even more at night, we understand that it must share the burden with other Muni lines.</p>
<p>What we did <i>not</i> understand is why one popular line should be singled out for
punitive measures apparently <i>because</i> of its success. It’s now clear than many community and business people saw it the same way.</p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/no-fare-increase-for-f-line.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/-2qXJ6QlYqI" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/no-fare-increase-for-f-line.htmlBettering San Francisco's Market Streettag:streetcar.org,2010://10.5812010-01-25T18:35:00Z2010-02-13T20:47:21ZLast fall, San Francisco kicked off a year long improvement program for Market Street including art, music, greenery and running trial programs to improve traffic flow. While Muni busses and streetcars carry the most passengers, bikes account for well over...Jamison Wieser
<p>Last fall, San Francisco kicked off a year long <a href="http://marketstreet.sfplanning.org/index.htm">improvement program for Market Street</a> including art, music, greenery and running trial programs to improve traffic flow.</p>
<p><div class="photo-left"><img alt="market-street-bikes.png" src="http://streetcar.org/uploads/market-street-bikes.png" width="280" height="180" /><p>While Muni busses and streetcars carry the most passengers, bikes account for well over half the total number of vehicles on Market Street.</p></div>In 2013, Market Street is scheduled to be repaved and more than just laying asphalt, it’s an opportunity to make structural improvements such as widening or narrowing the sidewalks, relocate boarding islands and create taxi drop off pockets. </p>
<p>To learn as much as possible before starting that design process, a trial program has underway since the end of September to test whether diverting private cars off of Market Street can reduce congestion for other users. Cars heading east on Market have been diverted at Eighth and again at Sixth Streets to see if what the effect would be of nudging drivers onto the parallel streets in SOMA where there is less bike and transit ridership.</p>
<p>So far the results have been encouraging: cars diverted off Market aren’t bunching up any of the parallel streets and Muni lines sped up by 1% from just those two changes. If you’re on a bike the difference is night and day, traveling downtown is no longer a matter of life or death.</p>
<p>One lessen already learned from the trial is Eighth Street just has too much going on at the corner with pedestrians exiting Civic Center Station, shuttle busses and a boarding island to be good location for cars and bikes to negotiate around each other. </p>
<p><div class="photo-wide"><img alt="market-street-trial-2.png" src="http://streetcar.org/uploads/market-street-trial-2.png" width="512" height="340" class="mt-image-none" style="" /><p>Starting Tuesday, January 26, private car traffic Market eastbound must turn right at Tenth and Sixth Streets.</p></div></p>
<p>Starting tomorrow, January 26, that mandatory turn will move two blocks up to Tenth Street where the pedestrian volume crossing the street is lower and there are no boarding islands for cyclists to negotiate along with the car traffic. The new arrangement will be evaluated over the next six weeks.</p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/bettering-san-franciscos-market-street.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/qWYa73kid-M" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/bettering-san-franciscos-market-street.htmlWoody LaBounty and San Francisco's Carville-by-the-Seatag:streetcar.org,2010://10.5862010-01-22T19:50:00Z2010-01-22T22:08:52ZA quick reminder: historianand author Woody LaBounty will be speaking at the San Francisco Railway Museum this Saturday, tomorrow, at 2:00 PM. His new book Carville-by-the-Sea: San Francisco's Streetcar Suburb "vividly recalls one of the quirkiest communities in San Francisco's...
<p>A quick reminder: historianand author Woody LaBounty will be speaking at the San Francisco Railway Museum this Saturday, tomorrow, at 2:00 PM. His new book <a href="http://www.carville-book.com/#msr">Carville-by-the-Sea: San Francisco's Streetcar Suburb</a> "vividly recalls one of the quirkiest communities in San Francisco's rich history" made of retired streetcars and cable cars recycled into homes, shops, bars, and everything else that makes up a neighborhood.</p>
<p><a href="/museum/">San Francisco Railway Museum</a><br />
77 Steuart Street (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=%22san+francisco+railway+museum%22&sll=37.792829,-122.394476&sspn=0.013175,0.021586&ie=UTF8&ll=37.793711,-122.395849&spn=0.0527,0.086346&z=14">map</a>)<br />
San Francisco, CA 94105</p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/woody-labounty-and-carville-by-the-sea.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/IVrp_oE4QKI" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/woody-labounty-and-carville-by-the-sea.html$5 for an F-line Ride? Open Letter to Nat Fordtag:streetcar.org,2010://10.5852010-01-19T08:11:21Z2010-01-19T17:03:10ZOn behalf of Market Street Railway, I have sent the email excerpted below to SFMTA Executive Director/CEO Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr. All are welcome to borrow and elaborate on any of these arguments in your own communications with decision-makers on...Rick Laubscher, Market Street Railwayhttp://www.messagesmith.com
<p>On behalf of Market Street Railway, I have sent the email excerpted below to SFMTA Executive Director/CEO Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr. All are welcome to borrow and elaborate on any of these arguments in your own communications with decision-makers on this matter.</p>
<p>Remember, the SFMTA Board gives initial considerations to its staff's 2010 budget recommendations, including the proposal to raise F-line fares from $2 to $5, Tuesday, January 19 at 2 p.m., Room 400, City Hall.</p>
<p>You can reach Mr. Ford at (415) 701-4720 or by email <a href="mailto:nathaniel.ford@sfmta.com">nathaniel.ford@sfmta.com</a>. You can register your opinion with the SFMTA Board members by emailing <a href="mailto:mtaboard@sfmta.com">mtaboard@sfmta.com</a>. You can also reach Mayor Newsom at (415) 554-6141 or by email <a href="mailto:gavin.newsom@sfgov.org">gavin.newsom@sfgov.or</a>. Your opinion counts.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>To: Nat Ford, SFMTA<br />From: Rick Laubscher, Market Street Railway</p>
<p>There are many constituencies in San Francisco for the F-line, of which Market Street Railway is hardly the most important. But in a constructive spirit, we want to clearly convey the reasons we respectfully but firmly oppose this proposal.
<p><b><i>The F-line is a core Muni service and should be treated as such.</i></b></p>
<p>Your staff's presentation recommends raising the F-line cash fare two-and-a-half times to $5, "similar to the cable cars." The clear implication of this is that your staff considers the F-line a tourist attraction more than a transit line. <br /><br />Yet your staff included the F-line in the Transit Effectiveness Program's "Rapid Network," described as "Popular lines [that]...make up the backbone of the system." And your staff's assumption that only 20% of fares paid on F-line streetcars are cash fares further reinforces the case that this is a line primarily ridden by residents.</p>
<p>The F-line is not a new line. It is the merging of two other Muni lines that go back more than 70 years each: the 8-Market and the 32-Embarcadero. As a prime advocate of that switch from two bus lines to one streetcar line, I know the goal of Muni staff at the time was to create a more attractive service than the buses provided, without driving up per-passenger costs. The F-line is far more popular with riders than those two bus lines were, and has clearly contributed to the economic vitality of Upper Market and the renaissance of The Embarcadero. Is this popularity a reason to multiply the fare 2.5 times? </p>
<p>The F-line is now the only Muni line now serving riders along most of the northern Embarcadero, home to thousands of San Franciscans. It is the neighborhood line of the Upper Market and mid-Market neighborhoods, providing accessible stops every block, which is important to both disabled and ambulatory residents along the route. Are wheelchair users and seniors who cannot afford the rapidly increasing prices of their Fast Passes now expected to pay $5 for each F-line ride, when, along much of the route, there is no alternative Muni service?</p>
<p>Would you currently be advocating raising the fares on the 8-Market and 32-Embarcadero buses if this more attractive service hadn't replaced those lines? If not, what is the rationale for raising the F-line fare?</p>
<p><b><i>Collect the fares you're already charging.</i></b></p>
<p>Because of current Muni practices, the F-line does not come close to collecting all the fares it currently should. The cars are so crowded that operators routinely tell people to board by the back door, forfeiting the fares from those who were prepared to pay cash. At other times, particularly weekends, fareboxes on some F-line streetcars simply get full and cannot accept more fares. Rather than take the streetcar off the street and leave a gap in service, passengers are simply allowed to ride free.<p>
<p>Many Muni operators (on all lines, not just the F) effectively give riders a free return trip by tearing transfers to allow several additional hours of riding time. These are all revenue-reducing situations that we have pointed out to your staff more than once over the years. We believe that if these situations were remedied, it would significantly increase F-line (and, if more broadly applied, Muni) revenues.</p>
<p><i><b>The F-line is cost-effective at its current fares.</b></i></p>
<p>SFMTA's own data on per-passenger costs of each Muni line do not suggest that the F-line operates at a higher subsidy than many Muni lines. The F-line's operating and maintenance costs are in line with other Muni modes, and certainly in line with the vehicles used on other Rapid Network lines.<p>
<p>If the proposal for higher F-line cash fares is based on relative subsidy costs, why are no other lines, including those with far higher subsidies, being considered for such differentiation?</p>
<p><b><i>Staff's revenue assumptions from the fare increase are dubious.</i></b></p>
<p>Your staff report assumes that everyone currently paying the $2 cash fare on the F-line would also be willing to pay the $5 cash fare. This is palpably untrue.</p>
<p>Many residents in Upper Market dislike the Metro because of its unreliability and crowding and currently take the F-line instead. But to assume that all of them will accept a 2.5x fare increase on the F-line rather than gritting their teeth and walking down into the Metro is wrong.</p>
<p>Similarly, visitors will find other options. The F-line clearly gained riders when cable car cash fares went to $5 per person, with no discounts for kids. For a family of four, that means a cable car ride between downtown and the Wharf costs $20, while an F-line ride currently costs $5.50. But if you put the F-line up to cable car prices, many families will say no to Muni altogether and take cabs instead. Or simply not go. </p>
<p>Demand elasticity has always been a major consideration in considering transit fare increases all over the world. Especially given Muni's own very recent experience with the utter failure of the premium fare 74X "Culture Bus," it is mind-boggling to me that your staff could assume no demand elasticity at all here, at least as far as the public presentation shows.</p>
<p><i><b>Different fares at the same Muni stops will slow down operations.</b></i></p>
<p>The cable cars do not share stops with other Muni lines. The F-line does, along much of Market Street. Numerous bus lines, whose fares are not being proposed for increases, share the same boarding islands. No matter how well you try to inform riders through signage, there will be significant confusion among both residents and visitors concerning two different fare structures at the same stop. This cannot help but delay service as riders get on, then off F-line streetcars once they learn of the fare differential, causing the streetcar (and buses behind it) to miss traffic signal cycles. We are just a few months into a major experiment to <i>speed</i> Muni service along Market Street by restricting automobile traffic that holds up buses and streetcars. This change would undo the gains we've already made, and perhaps make Market Street surface transit service even slower.</p>
<p>This is not a theory. The reports we get back from our many members who regularly ride the F are quite clear about how easy it is to delay a bus or streetcar through confusion over fares.</p>
<p><b><i>"Let 'em buy a Fast Pass" is not an acceptable response.</i></b></p>
<p>The Muni staff response to the cable car fare increase several years ago was, "residents can keep their cable car fare where it was by buying a Fast Pass." Unless you are a regular commuter, the Fast Pass does not pencil out. Many San Franciscans need transit mobility on a less regular basis. Many others might ride Muni regularly, but not enjoy the cash flow to make an upfront payment of the size of a Fast Pass on the first of every month. The F-line fare increase is especially discriminatory towards them.</p>
<p><i><b>Exceptionally high fares on the F-line hurt the city's economic vitality.</b></i></p>
<p>The F-line carries perhaps the most diverse mix of passengers of any Muni line. The line is busy day and night, weekends as well as weekdays. There are few Muni lines carrying as many passengers after 8 pm as the F-line, or at Sunday noon. Many of these folks are on shopping, dining, and entertainment trips, residents and visitors alike. A five dollar cash fare discourages these trips, and is likely to cause many people to make different plans. This cannot help but impact sales tax revenues, from purchases of meals, products, and entertainment that no longer occur because of the cost of the ride.</p>
<p>Years ago, Muni ran what were called "Shopper's Shuttles" on Market and Mission Streets to help stimulate local business. The fare was a nickel, back when the regular Muni fare was 15 cents. While such a discount to the regular fare may not be affordable today, how can there be any doubt that an F-line fare 2.5 times higher than any other bus or streetcar line will have the opposite effect -- discouraging people from using the F-line and diminishing economic activity along the route. This isn't just about tourist destinations or retail malls. Many small businesses on Upper Market benefit from F-line riders rolling past their doors instead of passing beneath on Muni Metro. A five dollar cash fare will drive many of those neighborhood riders into the subway, putting many neighborhood businesses out of sight and out of mind to them.</p>
<p><b><i>Penalizing a line that "people want."</i></b></p>
<p>Since the proposal came out on Friday, I have received numerous emails from our members and friends who cannot comprehend the logic behind your staff's proposal. Some believe your staff is just so jealous of the F-line's success that they're trying to kill it with ridiculously high fares. I do not share that view, given the prominence that SFMTA has given the F-line since its inception, featuring the streetcars in advertising, presentations, and other public outreach well above what their percentage of overall operation would suggest. Your staff clearly knows the F-line is Muni's most positive "face" to its public. Yet, I understand the suspicions, because it is hard to find a more rational explanation for the staff proposal.</p>
<p>It is ironic that exactly at the time the Obama Administration reversed the Bush policy of discriminating against neighborhood-scale streetcar projects, this prohibitive fare increase should be proposed for the most popular existing community streetcar line in the nation. In fact, the New York Times chose to illustrate its story on this announcement with a photo of an F-line car at Market and Church. That story also gave prominent placement to a quote by Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood: "We'll finally be able to make the case for investing in popular streetcar projects and other transit systems that people <i>want</i>" (emphasis added). </p>
<p>There's no question, based on the fact that it has increased the ridership of its predecessor bus lines 2.5 times, that the F-line is a popular service that people want. The question I have is this: should the riders who made it 2.5 more popular than the buses it replaced be punished with a 2.5x fare increase?</p>
<p>In short, why is your staff proposing to punish success?</p>
<p>We certainly understand the current budget pressures on SFMTA. We do not expect, nor have we ever asked for, special treatment for the F-line. We only expected -- and still expect -- that it be treated the same as the other Muni lines that SFTMA itself has defined as core to its operation. That starts with retaining the same fare structure as those other lines.</p>
<p>After reviewing this information, Nat, I hope you will consider removing this recommendation in favor of trying to increase F-line revenue through more effective enforcement of the current fare. As we have done for many years, Market Street Railway also stands ready to work with you and your staff to help increase operating efficiencies on the F-line and identifying other ways to help Muni and the City and County of San Francisco reap even more value from what is, as you know, the most popular transit line of its kind in North America.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for your consideration.</p>
<p>Regards,</p>
<p>Rick Laubscher<br />
Board Chair and President<br />
Market Street Railway</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/5-for-an-f-line-ride-open-letter-to-nat.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/38vBaywJkKQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/5-for-an-f-line-ride-open-letter-to-nat.htmlRemembering Harold Geissenheimertag:streetcar.org,2010://10.5842010-01-18T20:48:28Z2010-02-17T21:54:44ZHarold Geissenheimer died earlier this month. He was a long-time transit executive and rabid streetcar fan who played a key role in creating the F-line. Geissenheimer was brought in to run Muni by then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein, just as a small...Rick Laubscher, Market Street Railwayhttp://www.messagesmith.com
<p>Harold Geissenheimer died earlier this month. He was a long-time transit executive and rabid streetcar fan who played a key role in creating the F-line.</p>
<p><div class="float-left"><a href="http://streetcar.org/uploads/3557%20Maury%20Harold-cropped.jpg"><img alt="3557 Maury Harold-cropped.jpg" src="http://streetcar.org/assets_c/2010/01/3557%20Maury%20Harold-cropped-thumb-280x495.jpg" height="495" width="280" /></a></div>Geissenheimer was brought in to run Muni by then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein, just as a small group of us were planning the first Trolley Festival, which began service on Market Street in June 1983.</p>
<p>Geissenheimer, pictured here (right) in 1984 with activist/motorman Maurice Klebolt and Klebolt’s 1954 Hamburg tram, took a huge interest in the Trolley Festival, and drove Muni staff to ensure that it performed well. Geissenheimer actually terrified many Muni employees, who were used to up-from-the-ranks general managers who generally followed a “go-along, get-along” attitude. Geissenheimer, on the other hand, would personally appear at any hour in any Muni facility to see who was doing their job and who was not. He demanded better performance and, for a time anyway, generally got it. </p>
<p>While the Trolley Festival would have happened anyway without Geissenheimer, I have no doubt it would not have been as successful. He left Muni suddenly in 1986 and spent most of his remaining years as a transit consultant, among the most knowledgeable in the business on how transit really works (and why it often doesn’t).</p>
<p>In the next issue of our member newsletter, <i>Inside Track</i>, we will have some recollections of Harold’s tenure at Muni, including stories of his special historic streetcar excursions. <a href="http://streetcar.org/membership/">Click here</a> to join Market Street Railway and receive our newsletter.</p>
<p><a href="http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/remembering-harold-geissenheimer.html#comments">Comments on this post »</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MarketStreetRailway/~4/CS6akZAi3JI" height="1" width="1"/>http://streetcar.org/blog/2010/01/remembering-harold-geissenheimer.html