I missed the first Sunday Streets waterfront street closure over Labor Day weekend, so attending yesterday’s carfree festivities was a top priority. It seemed to be a grand success, as everyone enjoyed the fresh air and the great weather. There is a great sense of freedom that comes from being able to cross the street at any point, without having to run for your life to avoid automobiles. Here are a couple shots of carfree streets from outside the Ferry Building:
My main priority for Sunday Streets was the E-Embarcadero; I spent most of the afternoon riding and taking pictures of historic streetcars running demonstration service on waterfront tracks between Fisherman’s Wharf and the Caltrain Station. It was a great day for railfans:
The highlight of the day was the winged No. 162, which was an absolute pleasure to ride. This is quite simply a beautiful car, restored to immaculate form:
Finally, a couple more shots of cars, including No. 162, resting up at Geneva Yard:
For still more Sunday Streets streetcar pictures, and for full-sized versions of these pictures, check out the Historic Streetcars set on my Flickr account. The Market Street Railway group also has a large compilation of pictures.
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Hey Eric… it was great to meet you down there on the E-line. It looks like that was the official service debut of No. 162, so you’ll get another chance now to ride her a little farther than two blocks!
Posted by David Dugan | 15 September 2008, 2:52 pmHey David, great to meet you there. It’s going to be awesome to have 162 in service!
Posted by Eric | 15 September 2008, 3:25 pmAny words on when the E will be up and running regularly?
Posted by Dan W | 15 September 2008, 9:36 pmDan: last word I heard on that was 2010; within the five year scope of the Transit Effectiveness Project, which classifies both the E and the F as core ‘rapid’ routes.
Posted by Eric | 16 September 2008, 10:03 amWith all the work it will take to put the TEP into effect over the next 5 years, 2010 seems overly optimistic, though maybe it would be easier to add the E-Line at the same time they are rescheduling the other rail lines instead of adding it later.
One of the big dependancies will be having enough double-ended cars to run on the E-Line. Single-ended cars don’t have a loop where they can turn around at 4th & King. Right now there are not enough double-ended, which is why Muni is having 4 more double-ended PCCs rebuilt, hopefully to be completed by 2010.
Posted by Jamison Wieser | 16 September 2008, 1:48 pmAlmost any so-called “deadline” for the E would probably be optimistic at this rate, but it would be great to get the darn thing started. With a good outreach and education campaign, E service even with longer headways on a few double ended cars could do something to ease crowding on segments of the F, and offer the opportunity to test operations along the Embarcadero.
Posted by Eric | 16 September 2008, 11:09 pm