| San Francisco streetcar No. 578 may be the world’s oldest streetcar still on the active roster of an urban transit agency. Built in San Francisco in 1896 by Hammond Car Co., the same firm that later built the California Street cable cars, this historic treasure is a bouncy single-trucker that was part of San Francisco’s first generation of electric streetcars. It was built for one of the city’s first streetcar lines, which ran from Golden Gate Park via Oak, Page, Devisadero (as it was then spelled), O’Farrell and Ellis Streets to reach Market Street. No. 578 was built when the line was extended across Market and down Fourth Street to reach the Southern Pacific train depot (trackage taken over by Muni’s original F-Stockton line after World War II). No. 578’s first owner was the original Market Street Railway Company, which was taken over by United Railroads in 1902. This streetcar survived the 1906 earthquake and fire, and soon afterward, when most of the other cars in its class were scrapped as obsolete, dodged destruction by being converted into a work car. Renumbered 0601 and based at Geneva Division (also home to today’s vintage streetcar fleet), it was mostly used early in the morning to apply sand to streetcar rails on grades, to improve traction for passenger streetcars. It served half a century in this capacity, passing into the ownership of a different Market Street Railway Company in 1921, then to Muni in 1944. In 1956, Muni crafts workers beautifully restored it to its original appearance as part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of the earthquake and fire. It was later put on "permanent loan" to a railway museum in the belief that Muni would not use it again. But the Historic Trolley Festivals led to its recall to active Muni service. It ran along Market Street during early festivals, and then, during the final Trolley Festival season of 1987, was used in demonstration service along The Embarcadero from the Ferry Building to Pier 39, using the abandoned State Belt freight tracks and towing a generator to provide the electric power. This demonstration project helped lead to the F-line extension along The Embarcadero. Though operational, No. 578 is only used in revenue service on special occasions. The outside seats were slightly shortened in 2004 to allow wheelchair accessibility. Plans have been discussed to fit it with a track brake used on many cars of this class. Here, No. 578 cruises down Market Street during MUNI Heritage Weekend 2013. |