This may be a website primarily dedicated to trams and light rail in the British Isles but we also keep a keen eye on some of the bigger developments across the world. And at the moment, there probably isn’t a more significant development than an apparent threat to San Francisco’s historic F-line streetcar service.
Often seen as one of the “poster children” of heritage tram/trolley operations across the world, the F-line first ran using historic trolleys in 1983 during the first San Francisco Historic Trolley Festival and became a year round operation in 1995. It now runs between Embarcadero and Fisherman’s Wharf using a fleet of historic trolley from across the world including a large fleet of PCCs from around the USA as well as others including, of most interest to many visitors of this website, three Blackpool Boat Cars.
Seemingly an integral part of the public transport network in San Francisco, the F-line is now under threat with budget constraints on the horizon. In a recent newsletter from Market Street Railway it was revealed that operator of the complete public transport network in the city, Muni have been informed by SFMTA (the parent company of Muni) that hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue is required by 2026 to avoid massive cuts to services (and that wouldn’t just impact the heritage line).
Listing possible scenarios to achieve this, the report included the suggestion that all vintage rail services would be suspended. That would be both the F-line as well as the iconic Cable Car line. The positive for the Cable Cars is that they are protected under the San Francisco City Charter which means it would need a public vote to discontinue them. The Mayor-elect, Daniel Lurie, has also pledged his support for the Cable Cars.
There is, however, no such clause for the F-line and so it could be considered as an easy win when looking at cutting costs for Muni.
Market Street Railway are now formulating a plan to defend the future of the F-line and are urging all enthusiasts across the world to help support them in what they describe as the “biggest-ever threat to City’s vintage streetcars”.
The news perfectly illustrates the challenge the sector faces when it is expected to operate on commercial basis against backdrop of rising operational costs & restoration costs. The use of “charters” an interesting guardrail against tourist assets been used as political footballs or the whims of individual manager. What a shame F Line didnt enjoy that protection (and indeed Blackpool itself)
I can’t imagine the F line not being profitable. And certainly not the cable cars. Have you ever tried to actually get on one? They’re rammed almost all the time.
Like Blackpool, I think, for some inexplicable reason, they are targeting what must in reality be the most profitable part of the system.
My personal thought is it’s those in power trying to get more money. If Muni sad it was reducing it’s bus services because it can’t afford to run them, nobody would care. But say they are taking off the historic trolleys and they know there will, quite rightly, be uproar.
Come on Muni and Blackpool… Lets see some properly broken down accounts. I have a sneaking feeling that won’t happen though.
Blackpool Heritage does not make money (profit) and anyone who thinks it does is deluded. It has, pre covid, made a small profit.
Likewise the F probably doesn’t make that much compared to restoring and operating vintage equipment.
It runs from Castro to Fishermans Wharf
It doesn’t run Historic cars from across the world regularly, it runs PCCs, an occasional Milan Witt, an occasional boat and an occasional Brussels PCC.
I hate to think that it would be the case, but I suspect those in authority may have felt emboldened by Blackpool’s approach. It wouldn’t surprise me if money matters were behind it all. Of course when no better income levels are achieved without the Boat Cars, PCCs and other historic trams, it may well be too late to learn from the situation. The same could also apply to Blackpool in due course.
Like ant heritage operation mixed with new, heritage drains the coffers. SF and Blackpool will do just fine without financially.
From my experience the F line PCCs are used as much by locals going about their everyday business as by tourists and parts of it on Market Street are very busy for much of the day. One of the main problems for it as I see it is that it is duplicated in part by trolleybuses. Nevertheless, its removal would seem to me to be a major blunder. I would be put off from making future visits if that happened.
If heritage tram operation is abandoned, then moves should be made to repatriate the boat trams to Britain to avoid their destruction.
By whom? Who will pay for it? Where would they be housed? Where would they be used? Dreaming is one thing, planning another!
Any repatriation of the Boat cars from SF would include 6 figure sums per car. Both 228 & 233 have had over $300,000 of refurbishment by Muni, and the purchase cost of 226 last year was almost $50,000 and that was before any work has started. Trans- Atlantic shipping costs for one Boat tram are in the region of £25,000 and then there is the question of the importation duties and taxes on arrival in the UK. Best case costs to bring back 3 Boat trams would be around £1million. That doesn’t seem good value for the UK tram preservation movement.