Trolleybuses (Trackless Trolleys) in San Francisco, USA 2022

Автокөліктер мен көлік құралдары

The San Francisco trolleybus system forms part of the public transportation network serving San Francisco, in the state of California, United States. Opened on October 6, 1935, it presently comprises 15 lines, and is operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway, commonly known as Muni (or the Muni), with around 300 trolleybuses. In San Francisco, these vehicles are also known as "trolley coaches", a term that was the most common name for trolleybuses in the United States in the middle decades of the 20th century.
The Muni trolley bus system is complementary to the city-owned Muni bus services, Muni Metro and cable car system and the rail-bound regional Caltrain and Bay Area Rapid Transit systems. In addition, it shares some of its overhead wires with the F Market & Wharves streetcar line.
One of only five such systems currently operating in the U.S., the Muni trolley bus system is the second-largest such system in the Western Hemisphere, after that of Mexico City. The system includes the single steepest known grade on any existing trolley bus line in the world (22.8% in the block of Noe Street between Cesar Chavez Street and 26th Street on route 24-Divisadero), and several other sections of Muni trolley bus routes are among the world's steepest. ~Wikipedia
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Пікірлер: 98

  • @timosha21
    @timosha212 жыл бұрын

    Hi all! In responding to a few comments here: I for the most part do not edit the sound of any of my clips - its what my camera or Iphone captures :) (Occasionally I may reduce the volume if the wind is very loud for an example...)

  • @harald-bosh
    @harald-bosh9 ай бұрын

    I have never thought, that city SAN FRANCISCO (worldwide famous for the cable car system - cable trains) has also TROLLEYBUSES, and so many, even 278 vehicles in the city are driving even today in 2023! Definitely I should visit SAN FRANCISCO to drive some TROLLEYBUSES!

  • @MrEricSir
    @MrEricSir2 жыл бұрын

    The best part of San Francisco's electric-powered Muni vehicles is they're powered by the Hetch Hetchy hydroelectric dam. So there's very minimal air pollution anywhere. Even the big motors that move the cables for the cable cars are powered by this dam.

  • @superrunnerx1

    @superrunnerx1

    2 жыл бұрын

    The best part about them is all the homeless and drug addicts that get on them.

  • @chromebomb

    @chromebomb

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@superrunnerx1 i dont think that is the best part

  • @superrunnerx1

    @superrunnerx1

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@chromebomb I have been living in Sf for the last 16 years im 35 now, and nowadays there is nothing good anymore. Nothing but homeless and shit and garbage everywhere. The once beautiful city has completely decayed into a shithole like no other. Not just SF but the whole state of California. You can't even leave a piece of paper in your car or else someone will break the window and take it you can't even get on the bus without some crazy motherfucker getting on the bus also or some homeless people who stink like dead animal. You have to watch where you walk, or else you will step on piss and shit. Too many empty lots and overpriced housing. Stores and restaurants leaving for good. Nothing good to see here. Don't come here, spend your money and time elsewhere, maybe that other place will be better

  • @WildWildWeasel

    @WildWildWeasel

    2 жыл бұрын

    And they’re full with all the hobos and mugrats of Crapifornia 🤣

  • @gumbyshrimp2606

    @gumbyshrimp2606

    2 жыл бұрын

    The dam is an abomination environmentally

  • @andrewpalm2103
    @andrewpalm21032 жыл бұрын

    I always enjoy watching honorary streetcars. Two poles means twice the fun! Cheers from Wisconsin.

  • @strassenbahnfilmguy9306
    @strassenbahnfilmguy93062 жыл бұрын

    These should be added to about 50 US cities .

  • @richardmarshall5960
    @richardmarshall59602 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for your trolley bus footage. I moved to San Francisco in 1981. At that time there were two diesel bus lines that had trouble climbing the hills when full of riders. Sometimes passengers would be asked to get off bus and walk up the hill so the bus could make it up the hill. The bus would then wait for the passengers at the top of the hill. Those two lines were the 55 Sacramento and 24 Divisadero. Each was converted to trolley bus lines. The 55 Sacramento was joined with an existing trolley bus line and is now called 1 California. In each case the buses now have no problem making up the hills with full passenger loads. In addition the 31 Balboa diesel bus line was also converted to trolley coach operation in the 80s.

  • @skullgeezer7174
    @skullgeezer71748 ай бұрын

    Hello from Lithuania 🇱🇹! It’s really cool to see that San Francisco has trolleybuses. Vilnius has one of the largest networks in Europe, with 17 routes. I also remember that San Francisco used to have Škoda 14Tr trolleybuses. Such a shame to see that they have been retired. I saw them in my last visit to San Francisco.

  • @crazyoncoffee

    @crazyoncoffee

    Ай бұрын

    Thank you...we're proud of the trolleybuses, and have the largest system in the US with 15 routes. I too am nostalgic about the 14Tr (especially the sound, that skipping "br-br-br" motor noise when coasting and the whine when leaving stops is an important memory from my childhood) but now I realize that they had to go. They were high floor busses when all busses in the US are now low floor. The trolley buses operate on some of the most popular routes so low floor is better for wheelchair access and the elderly. The new buses are also quieter, are built with automatic announcements in mind, and have a great backup battery--they can go for miles off course without being under wire. The new busses have Vossloh Kiepe motors and pantographs from Germany, and sound pretty good in my opinion.

  • @914WOL
    @914WOL3 ай бұрын

    Amazing News, Hetch Hetchy powered!! I came to San Francisco with a car in 1996. I used it for a year, paying for garage space, gas, insurance, servicing and occasional parking tickets, oh, and parking lot charges at many destinations. After 1 year I sold the car. I live 1/2 block from Divisadero and McAllister where Bus 24 Divisadero and Bus 5 Fulton cross. Great! I, also walk a lot and feel it has kept me healthy and limber and with extra money in my purse. I am SO GRATEFUL TO SAN FRANCISCO and MUNI!

  • @amfm889
    @amfm8892 жыл бұрын

    I like the dusk-nighttime shots. Also seeing the battery/off-wire operation.

  • @glenatkinson1230
    @glenatkinson12302 жыл бұрын

    I was upset when we mothballed our trolleybus system in Toronto in 1993. The city tried to turn off the juice in 1991 and nearby Hamilton shut their system in 1992. We had leased newer buses from Edmonton and the didn't want them back yet. Therefore we got a reprieve until 1993. I miss them.

  • @JoeyLovesTrains
    @JoeyLovesTrains2 күн бұрын

    1:02 I find it interesting how the acceleration sounds exactly like all the other xcelsior buses

  • @DeStrangerMan
    @DeStrangerMan2 жыл бұрын

    I see Škoda trolleybuses now gone to history...

  • @m3lgar582

    @m3lgar582

    2 жыл бұрын

    Have been gone for a while

  • @Random_user274

    @Random_user274

    9 ай бұрын

    One’s still left, 5538

  • @scottyerkes1867
    @scottyerkes18672 жыл бұрын

    Fascinating video! Electricity is a better choice of power over diesel buses. Thanks Tim😀💚💚

  • @gr_igor_ev
    @gr_igor_ev2 ай бұрын

    Прикольно смотрится крепления для велосипедов на троллейбусе. А звук электродвигателя как и у наших Адмиралов.

  • @vpolite1
    @vpolite12 жыл бұрын

    Little known fact. The trolleys are the little wheels that connect the poles to the overhead wires.

  • @felipe.hylian
    @felipe.hylian2 жыл бұрын

    Nice video. Viewing your SF videos i have the idea that San Francisco has more use of public transport than other cities in United States. Nice trolleybuses and Greetings from Valparaiso, Chile.

  • @AlexCab_49

    @AlexCab_49

    2 жыл бұрын

    They do, In fact more than 30% of commutes take place on public transport and half of the residents don't have cars. The only city that beats SF in mass transit use is New York.

  • @Ror55555

    @Ror55555

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, especially for such a small city its fantastic.

  • @AlexCab_49

    @AlexCab_49

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Ror55555 In size or population? I wouldn't call a city with over 800,000 ppl living there 'small'.

  • @archstanton5973

    @archstanton5973

    2 жыл бұрын

    I regularly ride a 18 meter articulated bus in San Francisco and it was always standing room if not outright crush load. Then came the pandemic and all the San Francisco bus and streetcars and metro trains became empty. As of 2022, the line I still ride regularly has KIND OF returned to standing room but there aren't too many crush loads YET.

  • @Ror55555

    @Ror55555

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@AlexCab_49 SF is only 7 miles wide by 7 miles long, it's comparatively small for a city of it's population in the US

  • @jacobsockness571
    @jacobsockness5712 жыл бұрын

    It looks like you had fun riding around town.

  • @zeven_laz
    @zeven_laz2 жыл бұрын

    Cool video, cool to look at the San Francisco system!

  • @СербияБеларусь-социалисты
    @СербияБеларусь-социалисты2 ай бұрын

    😮троллейбус-гармошка

  • @chicago-l9125
    @chicago-l91252 жыл бұрын

    These buses definitely have flexibility of operation as they can operate in revenue service "under the wire" or without it.

  • @timosha21

    @timosha21

    2 жыл бұрын

    What is their range off wire in miles?

  • @brokkrep
    @brokkrep2 жыл бұрын

    Does anybody know how the cables know which cable they have to follow?

  • @munitm

    @munitm

    2 жыл бұрын

    It’s controlled by the operator. The lines have an inductive switch the operator steps on the turn signal to whatever direction they need to go and at designated stop the poles will go where the operator wants them to.

  • @carlsjoberg3906
    @carlsjoberg39062 жыл бұрын

    Always great to watch those trolley buses when in SF. Obviously operating on battery power where overhead lines are not available?

  • @liamm32

    @liamm32

    2 жыл бұрын

    No. If the trolley poles fall off the wire, they must manually be re-attached with a long pole. They don't go through places without overhead wires. Edit: This is the case in Vancouver, but it might be different in San Francisco.

  • @bballerryday

    @bballerryday

    2 жыл бұрын

    There are lines where the wires are lowered for battery power use for the final few miles of their route such as the 45 Union/Stockton and the 30 Stockton where you’ll see the wires lowered around the Stockton Tunnel either right before or immediately after exiting the tunnel towards Caltrain

  • @archstanton5973

    @archstanton5973

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@liamm32 : They New Flyers trolleybuses have batteries that allow them to travel a pretty decent length with the poles down. When Stockton Street was reopened from Geary to Market, the 30-Stockton and 45-Union used to pull their poles down from Sutter to past Market for months after the reopening as the wires had not been re-installed along that section of Stockton and wouldn't be for months. The previous ETIs trolleybuses that ran from 2001 to about 2018 also could operate with their poles down but in a much more limited basis; perhaps a couple blocks or so; mainly to get around obstructions along their route. Before the ETIs, the old Flyer trolleybuses of the 1980s and 90s had NO batteries at all and if there were obstructions there was nothing that could be done as the Flyer trolleybuses weren't going anywhere if they had to pull their poles down.

  • @keahnig164
    @keahnig16411 ай бұрын

    Oh gosh, they seem so loud...

  • @cristobalcaro3392
    @cristobalcaro33922 жыл бұрын

    Are the cables that noisy? or is it just the video

  • @timosha21

    @timosha21

    2 жыл бұрын

    I don't make edits to the audio - I use whatever audio was in the clip recorded by the camera - could be that it is noisy to begin with or the angle and location I filmed these trolleybuses from....

  • @SirenHead00
    @SirenHead0011 ай бұрын

    lol thats pretty loud

  • @stickynorth
    @stickynorth2 жыл бұрын

    Edmonton had similarly large network as recently as 2006... However the city foolishly killed it to "save costs"... With oil being what it is... Good luck with that! The only downside was the violent shudder the bus took when it came off the wires... I went flying once and smashed my skull pretty hard while aboard one... Thankfully buses with battery backups have solved that one...

  • @jamesturner2126
    @jamesturner21262 жыл бұрын

    That's a poor name for them. They're electric buses powered by the overhead lines. The operator still has to maneuver. Also, if there's a power outage on the route, buses have several miles of range on internal batteries. The main electric bus garage is on 17th/Bryant, they park all the buses with the yellow poles there overnight, they're just out in the open.

  • @vpolite1

    @vpolite1

    2 жыл бұрын

    They have 3 more barns. I can't remember what they park at Kirkland.

  • @kishascape
    @kishascape Жыл бұрын

    Interesting how it says "Battery" at 1:12 on the sign.

  • @m0istl0la97

    @m0istl0la97

    Жыл бұрын

    because thats a street name in SF

  • @louiszhang3050
    @louiszhang30502 жыл бұрын

    Trolleybusses >>> electric busses

  • @laurierobak4137
    @laurierobak4137 Жыл бұрын

    Sadly we tore down our wiring bout twenty years ago in Edmonton ab

  • @marclikespigeons8240
    @marclikespigeons82402 жыл бұрын

    My goodness they're rattly inside! Is that a problem with the buses? or the roads? They look lovely though!

  • @danielcarroll3358

    @danielcarroll3358

    2 жыл бұрын

    That one scene certainly sounded like the volume was set to stun! They aren't *THAT* rattly.

  • @marclikespigeons8240

    @marclikespigeons8240

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@danielcarroll3358 Thats good to know! Still a bit rattly, but thats normal. Still wish all buses could be quieter inside!

  • @timosha21

    @timosha21

    2 жыл бұрын

    99.9% of the time I do not do any audio editing so what you see is what the camera recorded - sometimes a clips sound will be reduced (maybe there was too much loud wind etc.)

  • @archstanton5973

    @archstanton5973

    2 жыл бұрын

    I presume you've never ridden a public transit bus as all that ratting IS VERY NORMAL. Diesel transit buses are far worse as you have the rattling AND the very loud diesel engine. That's why in "the old days" people would put their faces in books or newspapers as your brain then "blocks out" the rattling noise. Of course today everyone uses ear buds. The rattling is due to the simple fact that have very stiff shock absorber systems for the simple reason that the shock absorber system REQUIRES STIFFNESS to take the dead load of the bus and then it also has to be able to take the crush load of passengers.

  • @marclikespigeons8240

    @marclikespigeons8240

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@archstanton5973 I take buses very regularly! (Low floor, diesel) Rattling is of course normal, although probably more noticeable in a silent engined electric bus. But this bus sounds even louder than what I’m familiar with I guess. Didn’t know about the cause though! Makes sense.

  • @amadeosendiulo2137
    @amadeosendiulo2137 Жыл бұрын

    😍

  • @9386AliG
    @9386AliG2 жыл бұрын

    I used the MUNI to get to Japantown

  • @Ahuntsicspotter
    @Ahuntsicspotter2 жыл бұрын

    I don't know if these trolleybuses are Air conditioned.

  • @archstanton5973

    @archstanton5973

    2 жыл бұрын

    They are.

  • @Ahuntsicspotter

    @Ahuntsicspotter

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@archstanton5973 Thats good.

  • @Mr-pn2eh
    @Mr-pn2eh Жыл бұрын

    I think the trolley buses should have diesel engines in them as back up for when the power goes out.

  • @m0istl0la97

    @m0istl0la97

    Жыл бұрын

    They have a battery …

  • @Jeff-uj8xi

    @Jeff-uj8xi

    11 ай бұрын

    @@m0istl0la97 Philadelphia's trackless trolleys have a small diesel generator. They have semi-automatic trolley poles in Philly. They were too cheap to get fully automatic poles.

  • @ivanleterror9158
    @ivanleterror91582 жыл бұрын

    And old picture videos on here show this in pics from 1900.

  • @timosha21

    @timosha21

    2 жыл бұрын

    I don't get the comment...

  • @alleksandr.
    @alleksandr. Жыл бұрын

    Я не понимаю за счёт чего они живут. Людей вообще нет

  • @sjokomelk
    @sjokomelk2 жыл бұрын

    I wonder why so many buses seems to travel to this strange place called "Mask required" 😜🤣

  • @TheLIVESOUND
    @TheLIVESOUND3 ай бұрын

    Господи, Как же я хочу туда 😢😢😢

  • @TamasKiss-bv9hz
    @TamasKiss-bv9hz Жыл бұрын

    💖💛💚💙💜🤎

  • @pwp8737
    @pwp87372 жыл бұрын

    these are not trolleys, they are electric-powered buses. Trolleys, or trams are found on Market st/Embarcadero

  • @Varinki

    @Varinki

    2 жыл бұрын

    They are called Trolleybuses because they draw their power through trolley poles.

  • @ArtStoneUS

    @ArtStoneUS

    2 жыл бұрын

    In cities like Cincinnati, these were the transition away from railed vehicles. Cincinnati was peculiar in that their street cars had two poles, and did not use the rails as the ground return. Dayton Ohio was another special case, mostly because that's where there was a factory to make them

  • @archstanton5973

    @archstanton5973

    2 жыл бұрын

    The first trolleyBUSES in North America started to become prevalent in the 1920s. They were called trolleyBUSES because trolley/streetcars (called TRAMS in Europe) were very extensive across North America in the 1920s and as the newfangled "electric buses" WITH THEIR POLES were considered "trolleys with rubber tires instead of tracks" and as a result were also known as "trackless trolleys" but were UNIVERSALLY called "trolleybuses". The first trolleybuses were introduced in San Francisco in 1935 and TO THIS DAY they are officially termed "trolley coaches" by the local transit system *to differentiate them from the diesel buses that are officially termed "motor coaches".*

  • @user-hf9ek5qr2q

    @user-hf9ek5qr2q

    Жыл бұрын

    In general, the correct name is an electric bus with dynamic charging, this is a trolleybus

  • @daviddaviscrawford3669
    @daviddaviscrawford36692 жыл бұрын

    very sad! #BringBackCableCars

  • @vpolite1

    @vpolite1

    2 жыл бұрын

    The cable cars haven't gone away.

  • @chenjay2659
    @chenjay26592 жыл бұрын

    San Francisco transportation homeless transit

  • @oddkviteberg9652
    @oddkviteberg96522 жыл бұрын

    Disgusting sound I must say

  • @jpg3702

    @jpg3702

    2 жыл бұрын

    I like it. Better than a loud combustion engine bus or the twenty cars the trolleybus is replacing.

  • @davidpomeroy7594
    @davidpomeroy75942 жыл бұрын

    I live in San Francisco and the trolleys days are numbered. Mta is testing battery powered buses. The wires are visual pollution and they need to go.

  • @CityLifeinAmerica

    @CityLifeinAmerica

    2 жыл бұрын

    The trolley buses are still needed for the steep hill areas. Wires don’t need to go anywhere. They’ve been a part of SF long enough. Nevertheless battery buses will be more expensive in the long run. These require a lot less maintenance

  • @Fang28

    @Fang28

    2 жыл бұрын

    Battery buses cause significantly more pollution due to battery manufacturing and have range limitations that trolleybuses don't have, and the trolleybuses take advantage of energy here that is generated 100% by renewable sources. Batteries also significantly limit the lifespan of buses, while trolleybuses can operate for decades with little maintenance. Additionally, battery charging has only a 70-80% efficiency at best, meaning that battery buses will increase system energy demand, and means that a significant portion of the bus fleet will be inoperable for several hours a day due to charge times, forcing muni to buy more buses than it needs. Also, veering off a bit, personally I like the wires, just because they remind me that my city actually cares about the planet. Anyway. I think the electric buses may work as replacements for gas buses, but not trolleybuses.

  • @Jeff-uj8xi

    @Jeff-uj8xi

    2 жыл бұрын

    Off-hand I can think of fifty reasons why you are wrong, David. But no time or desire to debate it with you. Thankfully, you are not in a position of authority to make decisions, with your totally incorrect way of thinking. And thankfully, the new BRT on Van Ness is equipped with all new trolley wires.

  • @davidpomeroy7594

    @davidpomeroy7594

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Fang28 hey thanks for your opinion. I do appreciate other peoples take on matters whether or not I agree with it. Some responders just can’t deal with another opinion without resorting to getting personal or showing attitude like they’re better than you like the following response. I appreciate your input.

  • @Fang28

    @Fang28

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@davidpomeroy7594 I just want to explain my POV in a way that keeps myself open to learning. Maybe I’m wrong about something, and if so I’d rather be open to someone pointing out why. If a clear explanation of my opinion isn’t enough to convince someone, either I’m wrong or they’re immovable. If I were to turn to insults it would disgrace myself and the community. If people were respectful in politics and urban planning, more people would get involved and everyone participating would learn.

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