p&sr
OBS Chief
San Francisco has an interesting place in the history of Rail Transportation. One of a handful of American cities to keep their original Streetcar system (letting it morph into modern light-rail), and with the only surviving cable car system (under-street cables) in the world.
One week this March, my wife and I took three pleasant day-trips around the San Francisco Bay Area. For the first one, we drove before dawn to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal and rode the Golden Gate Commuter Ferry to San Francisco. Departure by early dawn, arrival at Sunrise. Excellent views along the way, plus coffee and dough-nuts on board.
Then we walked through the new Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street (where Amtrak has their only full-service station with no trains or tracks) and crossed over to the Hyatt Regency Hotel (to ride the glass elevators up through the huge interior space of their lobby). Just outside, we caught the California Street Cable Car. For $11 each we bought an all-day pass from the Conductor (a good buy, since the Cable Car alone is $5 each way, and the pass covers all the light-rail and busses as well). We covered the entire Cable Car system... to Van Ness, back to Powell, out to Hyde Street, back to Market St, and out to Bay and Taylor. Lines can get long in tourist season, but on a weekday morning in March there was no problem. En route (transferring cars) we looked in on the Cable Car Barn Museum and saw the motors and huge wheels that drive all the under-street Cables.
At Fisherman's Wharf we enjoyed hot clam-chowder in a sourdough bowl from sidewalk vendors, sitting on a bench overlooking the inner harbour. Then we walked over to Pier 39 to watch the Sea Lions, and then boarded the F-Line Heritage Streetcar, to the end of the line at Jones, then back along the Embarcadero and all the way up Market Street to Castro.
There we entered the Subway, and caught the first outbound train, which happened to be the L-Taraval. Through the long Twin Peaks Tunnel, then various west-side neighborhoods, ending up right by the Beach and across the street from the Zoo. We walked on the Beach a little ways, then caught the next car back. Next outbound train was the K-line to Balboa Park, transferring there to the J-Church line back downtown. Then the new T-Third line to the South-East corner of the City (near the Bayshore CalTrain Station), and back to the CalTrain Depot at 4th and King. We had "Subway" sandwiches there for lunch.
Next the N-Judah line to the Ocean (for another beach walk), and back, then the M-line outbound past San Francisco State U. and back to Balboa Park. This completed the rail system of the Municipal RailRoad. We then rode the BART (heavy-rail rapid transit) to Daly City, then through Downtown and under the Bay, continuing North to Richmond (for Sunset Views of the City). We got back to San Francisco (Embarcadero Station) just in time to run for the penultimate Ferry that evening, with a pleasant cruise back to Larkspur where our car was waiting for us. Dinner in a restaurant on the way home.
Except for the CalTrain (which we rode later in the week), this trip covered all public rail transportation in the City of San Francisco. It took some planning to fit it all in, and it does take all day. Also omitted was the historic "Little Puffer" miniature Steam Train inside the Zoo, which was closed that day for maintenance. Probably not really a form of transportation either, since it lets you off again right where you get on board.
One week this March, my wife and I took three pleasant day-trips around the San Francisco Bay Area. For the first one, we drove before dawn to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal and rode the Golden Gate Commuter Ferry to San Francisco. Departure by early dawn, arrival at Sunrise. Excellent views along the way, plus coffee and dough-nuts on board.
Then we walked through the new Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street (where Amtrak has their only full-service station with no trains or tracks) and crossed over to the Hyatt Regency Hotel (to ride the glass elevators up through the huge interior space of their lobby). Just outside, we caught the California Street Cable Car. For $11 each we bought an all-day pass from the Conductor (a good buy, since the Cable Car alone is $5 each way, and the pass covers all the light-rail and busses as well). We covered the entire Cable Car system... to Van Ness, back to Powell, out to Hyde Street, back to Market St, and out to Bay and Taylor. Lines can get long in tourist season, but on a weekday morning in March there was no problem. En route (transferring cars) we looked in on the Cable Car Barn Museum and saw the motors and huge wheels that drive all the under-street Cables.
At Fisherman's Wharf we enjoyed hot clam-chowder in a sourdough bowl from sidewalk vendors, sitting on a bench overlooking the inner harbour. Then we walked over to Pier 39 to watch the Sea Lions, and then boarded the F-Line Heritage Streetcar, to the end of the line at Jones, then back along the Embarcadero and all the way up Market Street to Castro.
There we entered the Subway, and caught the first outbound train, which happened to be the L-Taraval. Through the long Twin Peaks Tunnel, then various west-side neighborhoods, ending up right by the Beach and across the street from the Zoo. We walked on the Beach a little ways, then caught the next car back. Next outbound train was the K-line to Balboa Park, transferring there to the J-Church line back downtown. Then the new T-Third line to the South-East corner of the City (near the Bayshore CalTrain Station), and back to the CalTrain Depot at 4th and King. We had "Subway" sandwiches there for lunch.
Next the N-Judah line to the Ocean (for another beach walk), and back, then the M-line outbound past San Francisco State U. and back to Balboa Park. This completed the rail system of the Municipal RailRoad. We then rode the BART (heavy-rail rapid transit) to Daly City, then through Downtown and under the Bay, continuing North to Richmond (for Sunset Views of the City). We got back to San Francisco (Embarcadero Station) just in time to run for the penultimate Ferry that evening, with a pleasant cruise back to Larkspur where our car was waiting for us. Dinner in a restaurant on the way home.
Except for the CalTrain (which we rode later in the week), this trip covered all public rail transportation in the City of San Francisco. It took some planning to fit it all in, and it does take all day. Also omitted was the historic "Little Puffer" miniature Steam Train inside the Zoo, which was closed that day for maintenance. Probably not really a form of transportation either, since it lets you off again right where you get on board.
