[PRCo] OT:-__-SF___Experience

[Jim Holland]

Took one day vacation today to do business in downtown SF.

Waited about 12 minutes before   *-Train--*   arrived at Judah / 28th;  
took us 39 minutes to get to Embarcadero  --  Very Slow!!       PCC from 
the Beach  (50th)  to EBT was 35-minutes!       Took almost 25 minutes 
just to Church and Duboce where we enter the Pigeon Controlled 
subway.       I say that because the automatic operations doesn't apply 
one level of power or braking constantly but applies, backs off and 
reapplies power - same for braking.       Watching other trains and 
psgrs look like pigeons with their heads bobbing forward and back  ---  
entertaining to a degree!

After finished downtown, I took the  F  PCC  1062  along the Embarcadero 
to Fish Wharf.       Pick up large crowd at Ferry Terminal and we sit 
here considerably but once we left here it was pedal to the metal.       
One or two stops along the way and then we were there.       Operation 
at the Wharf is curbside and I do Not like this  --  operator constantly 
ringing the bell as peds would step into the street in path of PCC to 
avoid other peds and locals don't care to clear immediately so they 
sometimes continued to walk on the TrolleyCar tracks  --  after all, it 
is Only Muni.       I think a buffer zone between peds and moving 
vehicles is needed, at least in U.S.A.       Way  TOO  risky having 
moving vehicles right up against the curb.       Understand that in the 
Netherlands, and possibly other Euro locations, that Transit has the row 
over peds.       That Would  NEVER  work in U.S.A.!!!

Got a walk away crab salad  --  VERY  crowded with turistas!       Last 
time I was at the Wharf - possibly a decade ago - it was very Honky Tonk 
and run over by teenie boppers  --  not at all appealing.       But it 
was definitely turistas today.       (If you Really Want To See One 
Super Fish Wharf  --  Go To Seattle  --  Period.)

Thought I would like to ride a Milan car back but it seemed it was at 
least 15 minutes before another car arrived and my 1062 took layover 
this whole time.       Then  the  MBTA  PCC  arrived  (VERY  Handsome 
paint scheme)  immediately followed by  BTC  then  Red  Arrow and then 
SEPTIC  1055  --  4 cars in a row.       Rode the Red Arrow double ender 
back to Civic Center  --  very slow along the Embarcadero as we kept 
catching BTC, but we had a full load and Not A Few Standees.       
Almost empty by the time we reached the Civic Center but she moved right 
out on Market  --  didn't dally here.

Entered the subway and waited 22 minutes for a single N-Judah car - 
usually they run 2 cars together At All Times.       Many of the other 
lines went past several times, with multiples or single cars!       Not 
long before the Judah arrived an out of service 2-car train passed but 
destination sign on back end said Judah so assume it was very late and 
was dead heading to Duboce.       Would have been Much More Effective to 
start picking up at Civic Center as there was easily a carload of people 
here  (unless it was truly out of service and possibly taking a bad car 
back to the yard.)       MANY   let the single N-car pass.       It was 
almost another 15 minutes before a 2-car N-train arrived - it had 
standees in both cars and we filled it up completely at Civic Center.

Have said it here before  --  when I go downtown I drive to a bus line 
north of Golden Gate park  --  That  I-S  what I shall do for my trip 
tomorrow  --  have to do it again!!       Don't recommend the rail lines 
in San Francisco unless you are riding them for fun  --  and ain't much 
fun in the ride.


Jim___Holland