Muni Goes Topless! (Video)

By Joe Eskenazi Tue., Sep. 7 2010 at 12:15 PM

Categories: Public Transit

The Christmas lights are a nice touch, too...

Muni' car No. 228 is certainly the most eye-catching in the fleet -- which is a tactful way of stating it's not the most conventionally attractive. The open-topped, English-built "Blackpool" car is a green-and-cream blunderbuss resembling a pair of Volkswagen buses that drove under a low overhang and were then welded together, rear-to-rear.

While its admirers have described its "nautical air," it resembles nothing so much as a gravy boat. Needless to say, it's a gem and a delight. And, today, it's patrolling Market Street on a rare foggy/drizzly day run. Normally the boat only comes out when it's sunny -- but, then, other Muni F-Line trolleys -- namely glorious No. 130 -- are banged up.

A number of commuters bemusedly stepped onto the open-topped train as it rolled down Upper Market, amazed that this ridiculous conveyance was serving as their ride to work on a groggy Tuesday. One tourist, apparently disbelieving that this was a regular train -- and griping that he wasn't told quickly enough how much a ticket cost -- stepped off at Market and Dolores and refused to get back on.

His loss, his loss.

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