The extra service with PCC cars on the F-Line, which started Wednesday
evening, August 26, continued on Thursday, August 27, and will continue
indefinitely, by edict from top Muni management.
Five extra cars were sent out for the morning rush hour, bringing a total
of 12 for AM peak service. Most of these stayed out at least until 1030.
They returned for the PM peak period, beginning about 200pm and continuing
to 630pm, with one or two staying out as late as 730pm. This gives a total
of 14 PCCs for PM peak, up from 9. Beginning Friday, regular schedules for
these extra cars will be assigned.
The extra cars were cheered by riders today. Muni Inspector Robert Isely,
who is usually assigned to the Van Ness & Market corner post in the
morning, was reassigned to 17th & Castro to coordinate schedules and
headway cars. He, along with most operators, urged the public to call the
Mayor's office if they were pleased with the extra service, urging the
Mayor to make this a permanent addition to the commute.
A hearty round of thanks and praise go to Inspector Isely, especially, and
all the Muni F-Line operators, who have been pleading and screaming to top
brass for months to get extra weekday cars on the F-Line. The streetcar
booster group, Market Street Railway, also deserves mention to get more
cars for the F-Line.
Finding a permanent funding for this additional service may be a problem.
Perhaps The City could bill Alcatel for this. If this is to be a permanent
service, it will be necessary to fund three shop positions to keep the cars
maintained, as well as the operator positions. Maybe this is a way we can
also get a regularly-scheduled, crowd-pleasing 2-man car running during the
evening rush.
Here are two comments from riders, forwarded by RM member Joan Downey:
#1:
>I live at one end of the F Line and work near the other, so that has
>been my transit mode of choice for some time now, although even the F
>Line has been a challenge to my nerves (as when there is a serious
>problem with the subway and the old trolley gets jammed with desperate
>riders from Castro Station).
>There have been times, however, when I wonder why there aren't more F
>Line trolleys during rush hours. Even though they are, by design,
>slower then the underground, that is not always the case when there is a
>subway problem as there often is. The F Line is much, much more
>RELIABLE!!!
>But this morning, there were several more F Line trolleys added, and it
>was a pleasure! More underground sufferers had relief of the current
>fiasco taking place in our subways, and we didn't have to endure jammed
>trolleys (which only hold everyone up). I hope the additional F
>Trolleys are here to stay!
>Frank Gordon
#2:
>I would like to applaud MUNI for doubling the # of F trains from Castro to
>Downtown. It made my commute a lot easier and I think that this action should
>be permanent.
>Thanks
>Juliette Katz
Even with the extra cars, standees were the rule. Nearly all of the extra
operators assigned to these additional cars were glad to be away from the
subway.
As Inspector Isely mentioned, we need to inform the Mayor of the need to
keep this service going. Your letters and phone calls to Mayor Brown
urging continuation will be much appreciated.
Finding a permanent funding for this additional service may be a problem.
Perhaps The City could bill Alcatel for this. If this is to be a permanent
service, it will be necessary to fund three shop positions to keep the cars
maintained, as well as the operator positions. Maybe this is a way we can
also get a regularly-scheduled, crowd-pleasing 2-man car running during the
evening rush. As an F-Line operator qualified on vintage cars (I
frequently operate the one-man "Milan Car"), I have been trying for years
and have been occasionally been successful.
My motto during these trying times on Muni rail lines is: "Any Day Above
Ground Is A Great Day!"
Peter Ehrlich
F-Line Operator--ID #1535
Green Light Rail Division