Photo by Thomas Hawk
Muni rider Kristen wrote recently to ask about those old “Nowhere in Particular” signs we used to see every so often on Muni trolleys and streetcars when the vehicles are heading to the garage. Kristen asked:
Kind of bizarre… Does this mean that Muni actually has a sense of humor? I mean, why be so obtuse? I think it probably just pisses most people off who don’t work for Muni…
We actually appreciate the sense of irony in the signs. But we wondered: Where did they go? So we asked MTA, and they told us:
Traditionally, curtain (analog) head signs on the streetcars (JKLMN) included an exposure reading “Nowhere in Particular.” Current staff is not aware of when this reading was supposed to be used.
Historic streetcars (Fs) still have the sign. There was a brief period when the digital signs had this option, but it was deleted from the database several years ago.
Has anyone (besides Thomas Hawk, above) spotted an F with the playful jab on its marquee lately? I think a little sarcasm and irony might actually encourage people to ride the bus. Instead of the staid, “Garage” or “Not in Service” signage. How about, “J-Church, BRB” or “F-Market, Worth The Wait”?
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Some of the unusual electronic signs on the buses say:
-Muni (in the snake logo)
-San Francisco (even the bus announcer says it when the front doors open)
-Call 911 (am I really supposed to call?)
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I don’t know if Muni still does this, but once upon a time you could “rent out” a Muni car. Muni provided the driver, of course, but you could go anywhere on the system. You couldn’t legally drink on board, but you could use it as the base for a pub crawl around the city. Obviously, the historic cars are a lot better for this, though they can’t go in the controlled areas like under Market .. not that you’d want to. This marquee setting would be perfect for these rentals.
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This sign dates back to 1962, when Muni crafts workers restored their very first streetcar, No. 1, for Muni’s 50th anniversary. When they made the destination signs for the ends of the car, someone (probably a sign painter) created that “reading” (as individual destinations are called), “Nowhere in Particular,” as something to display when the car was rolling around the Muni system during the anniversary period. It later became the reading of choice when the car was out on charters. This was not lost on Muni planners, who came to specify the reading on purchases of new transit vehicles. It is now something of a Muni tradition, though tinged today with more than a little irony. We have more information on Car No. 1 (now being renovated again for Muni’s 2012 Centennial) on our website, http://www.streetcar.org.
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I work on Market near Church, so I see several F cars almost every day. It’s not too common, but every once in a while I see one with the “Nowhere in Particular” marquee. Maybe once a month or so.
I kind of wish I saw it more, I’d like to think muni has a sense of humor (or did, at least). I also wish I saw the F car-boat more (the open-top F car that looks like a boat)… I see that one maybe once a year.
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jeff Reply:
March 10th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
I would argue that Muni does have a sense of humor. A wicked one. It just doesn’t think the same things are funny that we think are funny.
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I love when the signs say Nowhere In Particular. It’s just one of those lovely little touches that makes Muni and SF unique. And I am being serious, by the way. It always makes me happy.
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some more muni rollsign nerdage. some of the older buses and trolley coaches had signs that said “san francisco, the city that knows how,” as well as leigions of signs for routes that never existed, such as the 25 stanyan, which i believe were part of some proposed-but-never-enacted muni service restucturing.
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Saw it today on car 1010 on the F Market. The front read “CASTRO”, but the rear read “Nowhere in Particular”
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When you see a “Call 911″ bus, yes, that’s what you’re supposed to do. It’s part of a silent alarm system onboard, to be used in case of an emergency. If there’s some kind of situation, the operator can hit the silent alarm, which alerts Muni and also changes the sign to instruct anyone nearby to report it.
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