This is geeky, but for San Franciscans or visiting tourists, it's also way cool. There is a new, live data feed available via San Francisco's NextBus and Market Street Railway that offers a realtime visualization of which vintage streetcars are operating on the F Line, and where exactly they are along the route.
The map is even animated, so it's basically like having a dashboard for San Francisco's vintage streetcar fleet. In fact, here's a photo of the new map in actual use inside the Telstar Logistics Mission Control facility:
For normal civilians, the new map means if you want to go streetcar-spotting (it happens), you can efficiently collect the whole set. Even better, the map works like a charm on the iPhone. Bookmark!
Harried parents will love it when their precocious children say, "But, but... I want to ride on a GREEN ONE!!" (Been there.) Railfans will know if they can hop on one of the rare super-bonus streetcars, and where they'll want to be when to make that happen.
Check out the map! (NextBus)
Check out the current in-service fleet! (Market Street Railway)
PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics
I hope Nextbus expands placing coach numbers to LRV and bus lines. Either Coach numbers and/or run numbers. Would make reporting oft Muni mishaps to 311 a lot easier.
Posted by: Jim | 15 June 2011 at 10:52 PM
OMG, my first look at Telstar Logistics Mission Control! It's everything I expected and more!
Posted by: Kurt Brown | 15 June 2011 at 10:56 PM