New Looks For Vintage San Francisco Streetcars

image by Market Street Railway

The nonprofit Market Street Railway recently released a preview of the paint-jobs that will adorn four vintage streetcars when they re-appear on San Francisco’s streets a few years from now. Originally built in 1948, the four double-end PCC streetcars are set to leave town soon for a full restoration.

When they return, two of the cars will carry the spiffy SF Municipal Railway “wings” livery, one will represent the red-and-white colors of the Dallas Railway & Terminal Railway Company, and one will wear the proposed “zip stripe” design of the (original, private) Market Street Railway Company. The (new, nonprofit) MSR says:

The four double-ended PCCs have not yet left Muni for their rehabilitation, but the contract with Brookville Equipment Company of Pennsylvania calls for all four of these streetcars, plus 12 others included in the contract, to be completed and returned to Muni before year-end 2011.

If all goes according to plan, these double-enders — which can be operated via controls at either end of the car — are slated to play a big part in making the new, E-Embarcadero line a reality, since there’s no turnaround loop for the cars at the King Street end of the line.