What Newspapers Are Saying About Transit Century of transit

HORSE POWER- Oakland Railroad Com­ pany employees show "p.ower source" for Meany cites mass transit as necessity first horse car's power source, "Hard Luck." ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (UPI) - day," the union leader said. AC Transit could celebrate two an­ The Oakland Railroad Company laid AFL-CIO President George Meany "The danger to driver's health in this niversaries of transportation achievement its rails from the foot of Broadway up wants development of "accessible, safe nerve-grinding ordeal is seldom talked this month- with from nine to 100 can­ town to Telegraph and out Telegraph and high-speed mass transit systems" about, but its cost must add millions of dIes on its birthday cake. to 36th St. Later the line was extended to as a means to solve the nation's urban dollars to the nation's health bill each It's been nine years since the District 40th St., then to Temescal Creek. When commuting jams, which he said length­ year. went into operation, taking over from the College of California moved to ens the workday and reduce worker "The resulting loss of on-the-job ef­ Key System Transit Lines. Berkeley in 1873, the horse car went productivity. ficiency, reduced productivity and lost It's been a century since the first horse along. "In the urban areas of the nation worktime has never been properly cal­ car swept Oakland off its feet, starting But the trip was too long and slow for horses and in 1875, a steam engine where 80 percent of the people live, culated," Meany added. an East Bay boom and inaugurating the was substituted, pulling a horse car over driving to work or for pleasure is a He also called for completion of the street transit system that serves as an­ the tracks. fatiguing, slow-crawl war of nerves Interstate Highway system, more fed­ cestor of today's bus network. Oakland, meanwhile, had trotted into which adds from two . to four hours to eral highway aid to state and local gov­ The horse car rolled "up town" from the foot of Broadway on Oct. 30, 1869- a new era. One horse car line after an­ the average commuter's workday," ernments, tougher automobile safety introducing a noiseless system that was other appeared-many of them to get Meany said in a report to the AFL­ standards and expansion and moderni­ easy to feed, steer and operate. real estate on the market. CIO's biennial convention. zation of airports. His president's report It also had turn-in value. Franchises were dealt out like hot "Unions struggle to cut the hours of to the convention also urged action to Automatic turn-in cakes and at one time, Broadway had work on the job, but the hours spent solve the nation's air and water pollution When cars were operated to Berkeley six sets of tracks running down part of commuting actually lengthen the work problems. for special events, the horse was turned the street. loose at the end of the line to find his The lines that were built spread out own way back to the barn. The car to all sections of the East Bay and be­ rolled home by gravity.- came the nucleus of a transportation Transportation had its problems then, system that later was electrified. Many as now. It took five years to get the line of those same lines, laid out to get peo­ started. ple where they wanted, are traveled to­ In his history of East Bay transit, the day by District buses. late W. E. Gardiner, Key System histo­ One activity is missing. rian, said E. B. Walsworth had proposed Once a year all the street car horses a street car powered by horses as early got clipped and while the artist was on as 1864. He wanted some way to get stu­ the job, it was a great event for young­ dents to the Pacific Female College he sters, who gathered to watch old Dobbin had erected on a 30-acre campus of get a haircut. Academy Hill west of Broadway above There might be nostalgic regret, also, ~9th St.-the Pill Hill of today. at the disappearance of a form of trans­ But the town charter dealt only with portation you could pat on the nose, call 'ranchises for steam railroads and the by name and feed a carrot and which way had to be cleared for inauguration operated on oats, instead of diesel. STRE~MLlNED-T.he info:mation-ticket .office at the Transbay Transit Terminal, San )f street railway service. In 1866, the leeded franchise was granted by the THE COVER-A rare photo from the col­ FranClSC?, ha~ a. brlg~t, shmy 1!w~e~n look this month, as. result of skillful "facelifting." lection of Louis L. Stein, East Bay his­ The proJect, m lme w1th the Dtstrwt s overall program of 1mproving working conditions ;tate Legislature-which also set the fare torian, shows Oakland's Jirst horse car in ~nd efficfency, inclu,des flu?rescent sig":,, which make it easier to obtain tickets, change or it 10 cents or 16 rides for a dollar. The 1869, in front of McClure's Military Acad­ tnfo:mat~on. New twket wmdows, ~htCh offer better customer communications and pro­ ;peed limit was to be no more than emy on Telegraph Ave. The school was the tectwn, 1S another feature-along w1th soundproofing and new paint. Photo murals, on a Jirst military academy in state. cork-covered backwall, add to appearance and public interest. ~ight miles an hour. 2 3 REMEMBER?-Last car built in Key System's own shops in 1927 intrigues viewers at AC Transit family excursion to California Railway Museum. THE "old and the new" in transpor- in 1904; Car No. 987, last car built in tation's checkered past got together . the Key's own shops in 1927; articulated this month at "old Key System Days" at bridge train No. 182, built in 1937 and the California Railway Museum, at Rio familiar to most of those present. The Vista Junction in Solano County. other bridge unit, No. 186, was used There was no lack of conversation or as an "art gallery" and was posted with activity at the family excursion. Every- historical photographs put up by railway body talked to each other; everybody historians Vernon Sappers and Charles THE HUM-Railfans Richard Hiscox, left, and Ray Moran talk beside old Richmond Shipyard train. seemed to have a story that began: "I Smallwood. Above, some look at cars, some wait for rides. Top, remember when ... " Also paraded past the lawn picnic right, Dorothy Torrenga and C. L. Modjeski show It was a time for warm meetings be- areas were No. 1001, electric freight 10- how it was done. Below Ernest Jaynes, 70, a 55- tween old friends, some of whom hadn't comotive built in the Emeryville shops year veteran, explains steam locomotive to kids. seen each other since retirement. in 1910. It pulled the last wooden reefer For newer employees-and many were car in existance and a caboose from Cen­ among the hundreds present-it was a tral California Traction Company. chance to ride old street cars and trains In the parade was No. 1201 overhead and sample an era that ended before AC line and tower car, built at Newark in Transit went into operations Oct. 1, 1960. 1895 and used at one time to serve the It was a great tum-out. Leona Heights hotel above Mills College Members of the Bay Area Electric before it burned in 1908. Railroad Association, who invited the No. 1011 wrecker car, built by Oak­ District to the museum to commemorate land Traction in 1906 at Emeryville, con­ its ninth anniversary, were out in full tained a complete shop. It was intro­ force. Some sported mustaches and old- duced as unique in having side rods at­ time motorman caps and operated re- tached to give better traction to each stored historic equipment with a Hourish. wheel, much like a steam locomotive. Some of the volunteers kept the tracks The railroad association, formed in greased, but street cars and trains still 1946, is operated by volunteer railfans squealed as they rounded curves-a who restore historic equipment and plan sound that added to background music. "fun" outings like the one chalked up by Youngsters joined with adults, taking AC Transit employees as "top rate." MEMORIES-Younf?,sters scramble for flattened pennies after street car passes by, top free cars on cars and trains. The kids A set of train horns, retrieved from a left. Below, families picnic by restored bridge train. Above Fred Blatt, left, and Everett soon discovered a new activity, placing a bridge unit by Fred Blatt, one-time su­ Towers, two transit notables, enjoy ride on familiar train. Right, Alan L. Bingham, gen­ penny on rails to let the car or train go perintendent of rails, was presented to eral manager, shows controls to one of his sons, Richard, 11. Below, locomotive 1001 by. The result-a beautiful Hattened the association during the festivities by pulls last wooden reefer car and caboose. penny, to be showed and shared with Alan L. Bingham, general manager. Wil­ other kids who have never known that liam Kluver, president of the associa- experience. tion, handled welcoming ceremonies. Key System equipment, spruced up Visitors who rode by chartered bus for the occasion, included car No. 271, were entertained by Tony Keyes, guitar acquired by Oakland Traction Company player from Emeryville maintenance. 4 f NEW I S. J. MENTZEL R. L. MILLIGAN A. L. MOREIRA M. H.NETTLES N.J. NORTON Transportation Transportation Maintenance Transportation Transportation The District welcomed these new DIVISION 4 DIVISION 3 DIVISION 4 DIVISION 3 DIVISION 3 Workers during August and September EMPLOYEES

R. J. BLACKBURN D. W.BROWN WILLIAM R. D. COBB E. E. DAVIS D.I. OWEN J. R. QUARANTE D.A. REED C. M. REYBURN L. C. SCOTT Transportation Transportation CALLAHAN Transportation Transportation Transportation Maintenance Transportation Transportation Transportation DIVISION 2 DI VISION 2 Transportation DIVISION 4 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 4 DIVISION 3 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 4

D.A. DIKES R. S. DONAIS E. L. GERTRIDGE T. R. HARTWICK W.E. HILL THEODORE T.E. SLOCUM L. G. SMITH R. S. SUNSERI ALI VAKILI Maintenance Transportation Transportation Transportation Transportation SIMMONS Transportation Transportation Transportation Transportation DIVISION 2 DI VISI ON 4 DIVISION 4 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 2 Transportation DIVISION 4 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 2

G. S. JACINTH WILLIAM T.C.JUSTER R. E. KARR MEHDI KHASHABI R. L VIERRA PRIMITIVO R. D. WARREN R. W. WEST C. W.WIGREN Tra nsportation JONES JR. Transportation Transportation Transportation Transportation VILLARREAL, JR. Transportation Treasury Maintenance DIVISION 4 Transportation DIVISION 3 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 3 DIVISION 4 Maintenance DIVISION 2 GENERAL OFFICE DIVISION 2 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 3 6 7 r

Transit veteran appointed claims supervisor ,4teama~ Frank W. Gardin, newly-appointed the trains. I couldn't be a conductor," Driving couple turn in brass supervisor of claims, can count his ex­ Gardin explained. "I was so short I had perience in the transit field on two to jump for the rod to tally up the fares." A long "love affair" with bus driving hands-one for 27 years in the claims de­ Always interested in claims, Gardin ended this month as Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Energetic bus rider partment and the other for time spent moved into that department in 1942. He Jensen turned in their brass and became Keeps crochet needle at the controls of one-man street cars worked for Key System as an investiga­ j the first husband and wife team to retire Busy while commuting and bridge trains. tor and remained on the job in various from AC Transit. Gardin, 60, of 543 capacities when employees were Crochet work, which is hitting fashion Together they had worked almost half headlines in everything from pants costumes M on ticello Ave., switched to Transit Casualty Co., the a century. to evening wear, already is a well-traveled Oakland, went to claims representative of National City Mrs. Jensen, one of the District's habit for Mrs. Dora E. Carter of 5871 Sierra work on the cars in Lines, in July, 1952. He was welcomed Ave., Richmond. dwindling group of women operators, A regular commuter on District buses to January, 1937, after back into the fold by AC Transit when said she never tired of her job. and from Oakland, Mrs. Carter keeps a years in the circula­ they established a claims department in "I loved every trip across the bay busy needle, crocheting everything from the dresses she wears to lap robes for patients tion department of January, 1962. bridge. I felt like "King of the Road." in convalescent hospitals. the old Oakland Frank and his wife, Cleone, swung a I liked my passengers and I liked driving After fellow passengers noticed the af­ Post Inquirer as a merry life out of the office for a number and I just hate to give it up." ghan-type robes she was making, they be­ gan saving ends of yarn. Her work now is district manager. He of years as folk-dancers and teachers of Both the Jensens worked out of Em­ a community bus project and varies from had transit experi- Frank Gardin folk dancing. He still has .~ library of eryville Div~sion. They now have a home doll clothes to pot holders. ence as a dispatcher and receiver before, records, but has substituted golf for Mrs. Carter, an office worker at H. C. in Paradise, Calif., and plan to do more Capwell in Oakland, can date her travels in 1939, he "worked the front end on lively polkas. driving-this time in a travel trailer. back 37 years, when she and her husband, Mrs. Jensen started working with Key Bart, played music for a traveling magic show. They're still entertaining, concent­ System in 1944. She was a conductor on rating on senior citizen centers. the trains and spent several years at the Men awarded citations for military duty Transbay Transit Terminal in San Fran­ Two men have returned to work with 1968 was sent to cisco before becoming a bus driver. the District after military service which Korea as a radio Her husband started on the street cars Operation moon rock took both of them to Korea-and to repairman, with in 1945 and switched to bus driving in AC Transit buses may not have made promotion as sergeants. the rating of an 1948 after he drove the next to the last it to the moon, but they took thousands Both have been given handsome Dis­ E-5 platoon ser­ street car into Central carhouse. of people to see "the rock" at Lawrence trict plaques which feature an American geant. TOGETHER-Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Jensen Hall of Science, on the tip-top of the Hag in color, a After returning have become first husband and wife team University of California Campus. military symbol in July, Sunseri to retire as AC Transit bus drivers. The chunk of moon rock drew over and a citation of took operator 58,000 visitors during its seven-day dis­ appreciation for training and now play. service performed is a driver, work­ Glenn Ashmore, main­ Providing charter bus service to the for their country. ing out of Em­ tenance superintendent, steep site was considered a challenge Ronald S. Sun­ eryville Division. Seminary Division, pre­ appropriate to the subject, but all coaches seri, 25, of 3408 He received five sents plaque to Gradie made the trip without launching pad­ Davis Street, medals during his Harris, after return or trouble. from military service. Ronald Sunseri re- Oakland, worked tour of duty. Viewers were urged by U.c. to use ceives citation from three months in Gradie V. Harris, 41, 1027 84th Ave., regular buses to the campus, then ride W. T. Gauer, assist- the maintenance Oakland, former driver and mainte­ by charter coaches from Student Union ant superintendent, department be­ nance worker, has returned to the main­ ! or Dana St. and Durant Ave. to the ex­ ant sU1?erint~rI;~ent, fore leaving for tenance department at Seminary Di­ hibit. Extra buses were rolled in to lift Emeryvzlle DWfSwn. basic training at vision after service in Korea and Japan. the crowds-biggest turnout yet to at­ Fort Polk in July, 1966. Later he at­ A member of the Air Force Reserve, tend a campus display. tended Micro Wave Radio School at he went overseas in January, 1968, and The rock weighs 2)~ ounces and was Fort Mammoth, New Jersey, and in served 11 months. described as "walnut sized."

8 9 VVorkers give to United Crusade Bus operators, who already know about being "good neighbors," responded -along with other workers-this month to the United Crusade campaign for gifts and pledges to support 180 agencies serving thousands of people in the five ( counties of the bay area. \ Pictures were taking the place of words at all divisions, with a new projec­ tor-recorder, loaned to each gilley room by the United Crusade, illustrating "there must be understanding and communica­ tion if we are to build." The production, similar to a color TV program, operated automatically and showed viewers there was much to pull people apart and make them different. It also illustrated the work of the Uni­ ted Crusade and how people are not really divided when they come face to face with somebody who has needs. The recorded message also showed where money goes after it is donated. Witness gets reward 'I In driver shooting Bus passenger David Brannam, San Francisco machinist, will receive the re­ ward posted in connection with the rob­ bery and shooting of driver Ralph P. I Livingston over a year ago. Oakland Municipal Judge D. W. I, Brobst ordered the $2000 reward paid to Brannam for his part in arrest and conviction of Lawrence Mosley, 23, of Berkeley, now confined in San Quentin. Brannam witnessed the crime. Livingston, who also filed a claim, withdrew from the case after hearing testimony. The reward was offered by the transit district and by Division 192, Amalgamated Transit Union. WHY TO HELP-A projector-recorder ex­ plains-better than written words-why some As result of the shooting, the Ready­ people, no longer able to help themselves, fare plan of riding was inaugurated July can be given a boost along the way by dona- 14, 1968. tions to United Crusade. .. 10 Actions 01 the Board At an adjourned regular meeting Sept. 24, the Board of Directors: • Authorized advertising for bids on Transit·limes new fuel contract, on motion of Director Pub I ished month Iy by the Coburn. ALAMEDA.CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT DISTRICT 508 16th St., Oakland, California 94612 • Approved new salary range for Assis­ Telephone (415) 654·7878 tant General Manager for Administra­ Virginia B. Dennison, Editor BOARD Of DIRECTORS tion and created new position of News WILLIAM E. BERK President Bureau Editor, on motion of Director Ward II E. GUY WARREN . • . . . . Vice President Copeland. W~. rd V~ ROBERT M. COPELAN ~ . . "". Direclor at Large RAY H. RINEHART /~ . . . Direclor at Large WILLIAM H. COBURN-;-J...... Ward I Death takes veterans JOHN McDONNELL ...... Ward III WM. J. B ~C()UR1 . ' . ' . ~,., .;. . . Ward IV A'J!MINI$TRA11VE" OfFICERS Of early transit days ALAN L. BINGHj6(M ., •• General Manager ROBERT E. NISBET . ~ . . . . . Attorney William E. Reid, 61, who clocked 21 ROBERT D. TOUGH . . ' . . Treasurer-Controller GEORGE M. TAYLOR...... S!,cretary years behind the wheel of a bus before DENNIS J. O'CONNOR . Public Informahon Mgr. ,______aE& 9 ______.... he turned in his brass Nov. 1, 1965, died Aug. 17 in Shelbyville, Tenn., becoming a bus driver in 1948, died where he made his home. July 2. He retired in March, 1958. John F. Green, 57, 1225 81st Ave., Hugh Griffith, 91, 570 Grand Ave., Oakland, died May 19, six months after Apt. 4, Oakland, rail worker pensioned he retired from the maintenance depart­ June 1, 1945, died July 9. He entered ment. He entered service Sept. 1, 1945. service in 1920. Mary E. Petkovich, 86, 582 Warwick William D. Owens, 66, 5632 Pointsett Ave., San Leandro, pensioned in 1948 Ave., EI Cerrito, maintenance depart­ as a secret service operator, died Sept. ment veteran, died July 29. He worked 24. She had worked for Key System from 1919 until 1957. 10 vears. l H. Bennett, 80, 3606 Bickerstaff St., Aware{ for credit union Lafayette, who retired in 1954 as a The AC Transit Employees Federal cashier in Treasury Department, died Credit Union has received a thrift award Sept. 11. He entered service in 1929. from the Federal Credit Union Bureau O. S. Beran, 83, 196 Farrelly Dr., San for its growth and the responsive help Leandro, pensioned in 1956 as a train­ of its members, according to Manuel man, died Sept. 9. He went to work in Garcez, secretary. The District group 1922. was among five percent of all credit Pleasant H. Wasson, 77, 1500 102nd unions to be honored, Garcez said. Em­ Ave., Oakland, who entered service in ployees can join and share in benefits 1935 and worked on street cars before through a payroll deduction plan.

AC Transit Latham Square Building Oakland, California 94612 M 0 HANCOCK A-S Return Requested 2 e 8 0 C II A TTl.. E T 0 tJ LAN:: ~. i :' SAN PA8LO, CA 94S0~'