Postcard from San Francisco

There is just something about this photo that is both artistic and nostalgic. Maybe I am just getting old and remembering those great days of growing up in San Francisco.

If you have read these blogs for a while, or even only recently, you know a little about the F Line Streetcars that roam up and down Market Street and the Embarcadero.

Just to refresh your memory (but hopefully not to bore you) these F Line Streetcars are mainly from other cities around the world. They are generally many years old and were retired in their cities of origin. Someone in SF had the bright idea to buy them up as surplus, restore them, then put them back to use…but, only on one line…the F Line (officially known at the “F-Market and Wharves Streetcar Line”).

Its enjoyable to sit on Market Street or at the Starbucks by the Ferry Building with a cup of coffee and watch them go by. They are clearly marked as their city of origin…and they are all from a bygone era.

But it is much more fun to hop aboard one and ride it the 6 mile length from the Castro District all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf. Along the way you will see some of the major highlights of this great city…including the Castro District; Upper Market Street; Civic Center and City Hall; the Powell Street Cable Car turn-around; The Financial District; the Embarcadero District, the Ferry Building; Pier 39; and Fisherman’s Wharf. What a ride! And it’s only 75 cents for us seniors. They come along every 5-12 minutes with stops all along the way.

I took this photo on a streetcar originally from Milan, Italy. Obviously, I was sitting right behind the driver. Although you can’t see much of the scenery outside the car, it is on Market Street at the Embarcadero. Straight ahead is the Ferry Building. If you know anything about streetcars, you can tell this is an old car just by looking at the controls and the windows.

The only thing modern about this car is the fare taking machine located in the lower right corner. On a different car, the machine was broken and the driver just waived me to the back as I offered him my coins. After the doors were closed and we were underway, the driver announced that “the ticket machine is broken so the fare today is how much?”

The riders in the car then sang out in unison…”it is free.” He did this at every stop and by the second stop, I joined in the chorus. Silly, but fun…all part of being in one of the greatest cities in the world.

PS. If you would like to see a gallery of all the old streetcars running on the F Line, just click on this link. I think you will be surprised.

PPS: Sorry about not writing last week. I went out of town and stayed much longer than I expected. Am I forgiven?

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com