41 Union is a trolleybus line operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni). It connects South of Market, the Financial District, Chinatown, North Beach, Russian Hill, and Cow Hollow.

41 Union
Overview
SystemMuni trolleybus network
OperatorSan Francisco Municipal Railway
Statusservice suspended
Began service1970
Route
LocaleSan Francisco, California
StartMain and Howard
EndLyon and Greenwich
Length3.5 miles (5.6 km)
Other routes45 Union/Stockton
Daily ridership3,500 (2019)[1]
Map41 Union Map
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Route description

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From the outbound terminus at Lyon and Greenwich, buses run east on Union Street until Columbus Avenue where the route turns south. A short segment of the outbound route runs on Stockton Street turning between Columbus and Union. At the foot of Columbus, the route follows a complicated route on one-way streets to the inbound terminal at Main and Howard before returning to Columbus again on one-way streets.

History

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The city purchased the Presidio & Ferries Railway's Union Street Line in 1913,[2] as the route was one of four planned in anticipation of the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition.[3][4] The E Union opened as a streetcar route ten days before the fair,[2] running from the Ferry Building to the Presidio via The Embarcadero, Washington/Jackson, Columbus, Union, Larkin, Vallejo, Franklin, Union, Baker and Greenwich into the Presidio.[5][6]

Streetcar service was discontinued and the E Union was merged into the R Howard trolleybus line on July 20, 1947, becoming the E Union–Howard.[7][8] It was re-designated the 41 Union/Howard in February 1949.[8]

When Howard became a one-way street in 1970, the route was split in two, with the northern alignment retaining the 41 Union designation while the southern end became the 12 Folsom/Pacific.[7] The 41 was reduced to rush-hour service on October 1, 1988. Services were discontinued in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[9][10]

References

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  1. ^ "Short Range Transit Plan" (PDF). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. December 3, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Menzies, Jeremy (July 30, 2015). "The E Line: Then and Now". San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  3. ^ "The First Days of the Municipal Railway". San Francisco Municipal Railway. December 11, 2002. Archived from the original on July 13, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
  4. ^ "Historic Streetcar FAQ". Museums in Motion. Streetcar.org. 2007. Archived from the original on June 4, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
  5. ^ Perles, Anthony; McKane, John (1982). Inside Muni: The Properties and Operations of the Municipal Railway of San Francisco. Interurban Press. p. 225. ISBN 0-916374-49-1.
  6. ^ Pershan, Caleb (June 17, 2015). "A Streetcar Named The E-Embarcadero To Begin Service From Wharf To Caltrain Next Month". SFist. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Menzies, Jeremy (September 23, 2021). "Muni's R-Howard 80 Years On" (Press release). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Callwell 1999, p. 45
  9. ^ Cabanatuan, Michael (April 6, 2020). "Coronavirus: Muni announces which 17 bus lines will remain active in San Francisco". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  10. ^ von Krogh, Bonnie Jean (April 6, 2020). "Muni Prepares to Deliver Essential Trips Only". San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency. Retrieved April 6, 2020.

Bibliography

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