Postcards from San Francisco

Former Milan 'Peter Witt' car of the 1920s in splendid condition one of several in operation on San Francisco's tourist streetcar operation Line F to Fisherman's Wharf. Milan retains a still sizeable number of these classic trams in regular service today - another reason to visit that city.

Equally classic PCC - formerly from the SEPTA (Philadelphia) trolley system and now repainted into the colours of Cincinnati which operated PCC cars up to closure of that US system.

Mrs Woodman has been spending the past three weeks in California where she is visiting her brothers who both live in the Bay Area. Needless to say she has had instructions to cover the heritage 'trolley' scene as part of her stay and already visited the streetcar museum. These are some of her images taken this week.

Whilst many readers will be well aware of the enormous success of San Francisco's considerable investment in the heritage streetcar operations which run alongside both the regular services (five lines I believe), the famous cable car system and an

equally popular trolleybus operation - it is worth reminding you of the colour and diversity offered to visitors by the Market Street Railway and MUNI system.

Number 1006 double ended heritage car in the classic green and cream colours of San Francisco's streetcar system.

Note the bicycle emblem on the roadway and coloured priority path for streetcars in Market Street. Impressive overhead wiring infrastructure as trolleybuses are also an important public transport mode in San Francisco. The PCC car is painted in the colours of Los Angeles 'fruit salad' livery in the later years of that city's streetcar operation. A former Milan car passes in the all orange livery of that city's streetcars - although many have been repainted in earlier Milan fleet colours which are definitely more attractive (at l the author). All images : Gail Woodman