After a 30 year run, San Francisco Muni’s Breda-built light rail vehicles are nearing the end of the line.

My first encounter with one of these cars was in summer 1995, when I saw a brand new car being transported on a westward Southern Pacific freight near Utah’s Great Salt Lake.

In the mid-2000s, I became familiar with the Bredas during visits to San Francisco. While I’d been partial to the Boeing-Vertol cars, and I generally preferred the classic PCCs, I traveled upon and made hundreds of photos of Muni’s Bredas over the years.

It’s been quite some time since I last visited San Francisco, and with only days or hours left of their expected service it is improbable that I’ll ever see the Breda cars again in their home environment.

Maybe I’ll shave with one in a few months time.

Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!