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So, a week ago Friday, a new Boat was delivered to Muni. Thursday afternoon the shop got it put together and running on it's own power. Friday I went with the shop superintendant to get familiarized on the car so I could self-qualify as a trainer on it. That didn't leave time for training anyone else, so my duties this weekend were to bring it out for display for Heritage Weekend, move it as needed, and generally act as a docent as it hasn't been released for public service yet, and then drive it back in at the end of the day.
Friday afternoon, I was bringing it down for the reception, and as it does, my hairstick worked itself loose.
233 with Muni's first streetcar!
So which is it a boat, a car, or something in between?
No matter what it is, your hair looks great.
What a life, Trolleypup! Operating San Francisco's most awesome historic streetcar!
You do have a dream job, you know, riding the rails in San Francisco. Yeah, you know it.
They bring them out on a line that runs along the waterfront to Fisherman's Wharf and down San Francisco's main drag, Market Street. One of these cars looks like a boat rolling down the street. People see it and then they look again. And when it toots its horn, they really crack up, because it's a boat whistle.
Sometimes when Market Street is closed for a parade, someone will charter one of these cars, and they make a fabulous float.
Most of you have heard of our cable cars, which are older and smaller cars propelled by a cable moving underneath the street. But San Francisco has another much larger fleet of streetcars, which are powered by overhead electrical wires. They have collected the cars from all over the world. They are real workhorses, and unlike so many cities who've put historic transit in to attract tourists and mostly run empty, the San Francisco "F Line" has been packed since the day it opened. You'll hear every language on the planet spoken among its passengers.
It does, but it has stiff competition for greatness from that streetcar!
Bill
Thank you Bill for filling out my so-brief update!
Earlier in the week, I was training on some old buses...
That's a check!
Only this is the OTHER Boat...sister tram from Blackpoole's 1934 order for a dozen of them.
That's pretty much my feeling!
Old Jimmie (GMC) with variously younger buses
Ok so these are vehicles that can operate on both land and
water. (Like a duck boat?)
Judging from transit systems in other cities I wouldn't call
it a dream job. Around here we've had lots of riders
arrested for aaaaulting transit drivers, spitting on them,
etc.
One guy assaulted a bus driver several weeks ago and he lost
control of the bus and smashed into a bunch of parked cars.
Transit operators have a real bad job, they get heat when
the fares get raised, when the vehicles are crowded, none of
which they have control over. Those complaints really should
do to the legislature who cuts the budget for these
rapid transit systems.
I would add to this that many who drive cars bitch about their
taxes paying for rapid transit, but what they fail to realize
is you have to have 1/3 to 1/2 of commuters on rapid transit
or else you're going to have grid lock big time. You find that
out big time when there is a transit strike, Amtrak strike,
or when a major storm shuts down the system.
We have a few duck boats like you have in Boston, but they are owned by tour companies for giving rides to tourists. The boat streetcars are rail cars and they would sink as fast as the old streetcars that used to run on Comm Ave. out past Fenway Park.
I did not know you had duck boats back there until I saw the Red Sox riding on them in the parade a few days ago.
The boat cars here are part of the Municipal Railway, or "Muni", which is our equivalent to "The T". If a boat car comes along, you pay a regular fare, and you can even use a transfer on one. Or you can use a Clipper Card on one, which is the same here as your Charlie Card.
Any job working with the public involves dealing with the occasional jerks who come along, but from what I know of Trolleypup, he is well equipped to deal with that. I'll leave any further comment on that part of your post to him.
Bill
They're boats from World War 2. Jake Peavy liked it so much he bought one of the duck boats. (What he is going to do with it
or how he gets it down to Alabama where he lives is a good question.)
I've noticed in recent years the number of riders who are
jerks has grown dramitically. It doesn't help that in Boston
too many of the trolleys and buses are way over crowded, are often behind schedule. (Never mind that when they write the
schedule they don't allow the drivers time for things like
traffic.
They call the job "bus driver", but "people transporter" is actually what the job is. The bus doesn't give a rat's ass about what you do. It is a job for people who enjoy working with people.
Sure, the Muni and the T are crowded, but that's part of living in a city. If the line had few riders, there would be no line.
If someone does not like being around people, there are whole states where they can go, and actually, most of California, our most populous state, is practically empty.
When we drove across the country this summer, we found in Wyoming that "there was never anything coming" when we wanted to pull out on the highway. We also found that it didn't matter if a gas station were on the left or right side of the road, because turning left didn't really slow you down much. Seldom was anything oncoming that you had to wait for.
Bill
Except in Boston it's too crowded. On a number of the lines they
really need more trains that can run more frequently.
One of the nice things about the F line is the ridership...the commuters on the Castro end of the line have chosen to avoid the subway under Market Street for a less hectic, slower, more comfortable ride to work...so their attitude is much more relaxed than the usual commuter. On the Wharf end of the line, it is tourists...they aren't in a hurry, they don't care that they might be picked up by a 85 year old noisy rattletrap with hard wooden seats, or a Boat in the middle of winter (yes, I used to do that, and people rarely waited for the next car even if it was right behind)...heck, they don't even get mad when a packed car passes them up with a cheery wave...or they squeeze in...and the operator asks the car "Anyone from Iowa?" "Because we aren't in Iowa any more, so squeeze in even if you have to touch your neighbor...and move back, no dragons in the back of the car today!" and they just laugh.
Hair looks superb and we must all envy your job.
Surprised that the safety Taliban have not picked up the fact that it almost completely obscures your hi-vis.
I did back when I went to college until after riding the
streetcars for many years and seeing the crap these
drivers have to put up with. Between management,
city traffic, commuters who shouldn't be driving, time tables
that are unrealistic, equipment breakdowns, dealing with the
pubilc, etc. all make it one of the worst jobs on the planet.
Worst was that hack where students at the Institute would weld them to the rails with a thermite reaction, but that didn't happen very often.
Bill
Yes and no. It truly is what you make of it, and what you allow yourself to take personally. Over the years I had a lot of fun as a bus driver, as a rail operator, and as a motorman or conductor on the vintage cars. Over the years, I also had my share of bad times...which I will admit, much of which I brought on myself.
Where else is your job wandering around one of the most beautiful cities in the world, meeting interesting people (sometimes in the Chinese curse sense!) and having fun with/at them while having the satisfaction of your mastery of challenging equipment...and getting nicely compensated for it?
As a supervisor, the thing I missed most was driving! One of the things I like the most about being in the training dept is the I HAVE to drive, even In Service...and let me tell you, driving in service is a whole lot of fun when you DON'T have to do it every day.
Thanks! I envy my job...on the days when I am training on the modern LRVs or pushing paper around in the office.
So long as I stay on the car, I am not required to wear the safety vest...if I needed to do stuff off the car, I would take the 10 seconds to put my hair back up. Definitely don't need hair grabbing onto stuff 4 feet from my head.
Ah yes,another beautiful day in the city:)Yup I surely remember that when I was out your way back in late September.Your hair looks fabulous as that would be such a sight for the riders were you actually making a run:) However, your job must be amazing and I'm sure there are more good days than bad.Would be awesome if I ever got out west permanently but only time will tell.Great post Trolleypup!Cheers
Mârk
Over the weekend a few people did manage to sneak rides with me (although it was mostly employees). At some point 233 will need to go out in training...in service...I think I'll need to certify that I can do that!
These days, there are far more good days than bad!
Absolutely fantastic... can't imagine how cool it would be to do what you do - or have you as the driver/conductor of the bus I was on... Gotta hand it to you, Trolleypup.
I'll put it this way...I thought it was so cool I donated 20 hours of my time this weekend to make it happen.
Wonderful post here, Trolleypup! As you know, I regularly take MUNI all over SF -- especially after I sold my truck over 3 years ago. I also love being a "tourist" in my own city, riding San Francisco street cars and cable cars included!
And it goes without saying that your hair looks hands-down SPECTACULAR in this pic!!!!
Ever since I first moved to SF in '77, I remember seeing MUNI bus drivers with long ponytails, etc.; so in my mind, MUNI has helped set a nation-wide standard of being pro-longhair and against the old fashioned sexism of making men cut their hair short in order to "look professional"... What a bunch of BS that was -- and has ALWAYS been -- that males had to conform to this ridiculous unfair rule and the pressure of forced haircuts; but hey, I realize I'm "preaching to the choir", so I'll shut up now (LOL)!
Thanks again for the great post, and I hope to soon bump into you someday while riding one of these beautiful MUNI boats!!
Long Lox 4ever,
Ken
Playing tourist is awesome! Except you don't go into the bad restaurants and bars!
When I came in to Muni, we were told: Muni doesn't care about your hair or your tattoos or whatever...so long as you show up to work and don't tear shit up, you are good!
I don't get out on the old cars as much as I used to, but who knows, maybe I'll see you out on the street some time!
Hi Trolleypup,
Wow, what a spectacular photo of you and your hair! Very neat photos of the cars and you are lucky to have that job! Wish I was still living in Northern California so I could run into you driving one of the cars. That would be majorly cool man! Thanks again for the wonderful update my friend!
Ted
Thanks! Come on out some time...
Hi Trolleypup,
I do hope to make it out there again some day! My Mom still lives in Suisun City. I will definitely try to find you when I do! I thank you again for the inspiration! I'm going for at least waist length!
Ted
