Transit Times Volume 6, Number 4

8/9/2019 Transit Times Volume 6, Number 4

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For the Good of Your CommunityVol. 6 No. 4 OAKLAND, AUGUST 1963

New fBucket'Seats to Improve RidingComfort" on 30 More Transit LinersAs result of a study into latest improvements in equipment, AC Transit will beable to offer its passengers more comfortable seats and an easier operatingrear door exit in 30 new buses orderedthis month for .delivery before the endof 1963.

The buses, costing $818,000, will accommodate passenger growth and replace obsolete equipment. Fifteen of thecoaches will be assigned for use onneighborhood lines, while the rest willsupplement other East Bay service.

With the new coaches, the district willretire between 10 and 15 obsolete gasoline-powered models. The contract awardto General Motors Corp. also incorporates an option for the purchase of another 30 buses before May 1, 1964, \giving the district the advantage of holding

the line against possible price increasesin anticipated equipment needs.The new rear door exit will retain thesafety features of the push-type doorpresently in use, but will open at finger

touch control, with an assist from airpressure. The buses also will feature European-type bucket seats, enthusiasticallyapproved during a public preview in Alameda last month.Interior ceiling paneling presently inuse on the district's newer equipmentwill be extended down past the windowson the latest coaches to present a moreattractive appearance and to simplifymaintenance.

The contract calls for both 53 passenger and 45-passenger buses, putting costsunder the $855,000 earlier estimated forimmediate equipment needs.

Towers Named to Head AC MaintenanceEverett A. Towers, East Bay transportation veteran, was appointed general superintendent of maintenancefor AC Transit this month.Towers, 63, was named to the top

maintenance post to replace J. BrooksRice who resigned to return to Western Greyhound Lines.

The new maintenance executive hasbeen employed in the East Bay tran-

sit industry for more than 40 years.Towers went to work with Key System in 1920 as a machinist apprentice,working his way up as machine shopforeman, equipment construction superintendent and maintenance superintendent at the Emeryville division.He was named Rice's assistant whenthe district took over Key System in1960. (Continued on Page 4)


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East Bay to Mark Centennial of FirstTrain-Ferry Service During SeptemberOne hundred years ago, the eventdidn't attract any too much attention.Next month, however, the East Bay expects to do better by perhaps the mostimportant date in its momentous transportation history-the start of the firsttrain-ferry service.I t was on Septmber 2, 1863, that the"Liberty," an ornate little locomotivewith a good-luck figure riding the pilotdeck, steamed down Seventh Street from

Broadway to Gibbons Point to load passengers aboard the spruced-up ferry,Contra Costa.I t was the beginning of the first trans

bay commute, inauguration of the firststeam train service, hub of a local andtranscontinental transportation systemthat was to speed the progress of theentire Bay area.Pioneer residents later recalled the inauguration of the "Local" as one of "great

pomp and ceremony," bu t in San Francisco, it was completely ignored. All eyesseemed focused on the transcontinentaltrain and a fight for its terminal.Spearheaded by Bay area transit historical groups, the Oakland Chamber ofCommerce and AC Transit, the East Bayexpects to do better on this centennial.A month-long exhibit of transportationmaterial, covering the past 100 years, hasbeen planned for public view in thedowntown area.Governor Edmund G. Brown is scheduled to address a civic luncheon Sept. 30which will feature transportation veterans, from our own ranks and from othercompanies that over the years were involved in boosting the eastern side ofSan Francisco Bay into the terminal fortranscontinental railroads, the port ofships from around the world, the hubof the finest street transportation system

END OF LINE-The Oakland wharf in 1870's is pictured still under construction, butwell enough equipped for the title "where rails and water meet." This was terminalfor the. first East Bay train-ferry service, ferry boats, first transcontinental train, andsailing ships.

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HUB OF TRANSIT Station at Seventh andBroadway served firstEast Bay steam local,also first transcontinental train. Gas light oncorner, first in Oakland,spread its gleam in1866. The "Liberty,"right, pulled train onfirst transbay "commute" in September,1863.

in the nation, the center of a local andtransbay bus network which now provides, a century later, an undreamed ofanswer to the question which botheredthe first residents-how to "cross theb ?"y.Other events will be held during theobservance, planned to last for themonth of Septmber to give school children and residents, along wit h visitors, achance to learn-or be reminded of-theamazing journey from tracks to tires.

The district's historical booklet, issuedin October, 1960, when the area crossedinto a new era by inaugurating its first.publicly -o wned transporta tion system,the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, will be up-dated and re-issued.

The first steam-train-ferry commutewas provided by the San Francisco andOakland Railway Company, running toa wharf built at Gibbons Point, later tobe known as Oakland Point and stilllater, after the wharf was extended, asOakland Mole.The "Local," as it was called, playedan integral part in local and interurbanservice, while the same tracks were usedby the first transcontinental train. TheSeventh and Broadway station also wasa hub for much of Oakland's street transit service-from horse car days to thetrolley era-until the Key Route enteredthe field in 1903 with faster electrictrains, a new and longer pier and a timesaving water route to San Francisco.

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(Jet't ' S ~ ' 1 ( ) u t e " , IAC Transit is proud to reprint below a few of the many letters of commendationreceived during the month - letters unsolicited from residents of the East Bay who

are owners of t he transit system. Letters were selected at random to represent thequality of courtesy, service and safety demonstrated by AC personnel in their mostimportant relationship with our customers.I think it is about time I wrote andexpressed my appreciation for your wonderful service-the Information Depart

ment .. . I could never say enough forthose girls . . . in moments I receivedirections, which bus, where to get off,to any number on any street. And neveronce have I heard an impatient rejoinder ... Mrs. Hanna WarnerOakland

* * *I would like to voice my appreciationfor the courtesy extended to me by oneof your bus drivers (K. E. BILLINGSLEY)who saw me some distance from Webster and Santa Clara trying to hasten myspeed to get on the bus and waited forme to get on. I am 74 years old and haveslowed down considerably. If I hadfailed to get that bus, it would mean along wait . . . thank you . . .Mrs. J osephine MorriseyAlameda* * *Ha d the pleasure of ridi ng a bus driven

by a mannerly, competent man the otherday (K . E. RONNING) . he answersquestions politely, gave clear and definiteinstructions, didn't bring the bus to ajolting stop . . . and gave . . . ample timeto disembark without being nervous . . .Alice B. HoffmanSan Leandro

* * *I would like to call your attention . . .to (MRS. MAVIS BECKEn ) . she greets

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her passengers with a smile . . . she goesout of her way to be courteous and togive helpful information . . . before leaving the terminal, she explains clearly that"this bus is an express" . . . She also pointsout that the "No Smoking" sign shouldbe observed. Finally, she has a smile anda cordial word for passengers leaving.

Edward C. HartmanOakland* * *. . This man (R . H. CARPENTER) got

out of the bus to aid a blind rider intraversing a busy street. I think that unselfish actions such as this are the bestpublic relations that an organization suchas yours can receive.William T. HunterOakland

* * *. . . Three elderly ladies were biddingone of them goodbye as the other twowere taking the bus. Many drivers wouldhave been impatient to be off-not thisone (v. G. WALKER) . . he had a gentlewave and goodbye to the little lady leftbehind. Mrs. M. L. CayotOakland

* * *I would like to take this opportunityto thank the Transit District for supplying such excellent service to its patronsby the extended service, improved busesand choice of drivers . . .Mrs. R. A. HutzlerHayward

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~ 4 I e d ( J ' " deVeteran Recalls Days of Trains and Rails

By Virginia DennisonThere may be a bi t of "Casey Jones"in most of us, but there's more than awee drop of railroad blood in M. P."Sammy" Samuelson, a 40-year transitveteran who's held the throttle on rails

and tires.In Sammy's case, it was the whistle!There's nothing yet to compare withthe feeling of riding up in front, alonein your cab, the tracks clear ahead, thetrain rolling smoothly behind and acrossing ahead, where you can really

bear down on the horn.Like all young men, Sammy felt thesurge in a locomotive's call, perhapslouder because it sounded over the dustand dullness of farming near San LuisObispo. Unlike many, he followed thecall and even now, 64 years old thismonth, it's undimmed.One of the few veteran trainmen remaining on AC Transit rolls, Sammymade his last transbay run on the F trainin April, 1958, before it rolled into oblivion. Then, like other railmen, heswitched to buses.A driver out of Seminary division,mostly on Line 64-23rd Ave., Samuelsonhas been around long enough for thetalk to be circling back again to highspeed trains. As far as he's concerned,they never should have taken the railsoff the Bay Bridge."All we needed was good equipment.Bridge operation was simple and it couldhave been fast. But the equipment wastoo poor. No excuse for those train units-only four motors in two cars! And besides, they were awkward to load."Sammy, who lives at 2501 67th Ave.,started as a street car conductor in May,1923, after a dismal experience trying todrive a motor bus in Los Angeles. Hemade it up front as a motorman; thentransferred to the trains at the pier.

M. P. IISammy" SamuelsonIn memory, the whistle still blows

Starting as a brakeman on January 31,1926; he again worked his way forwardto the cab. Of all the lines, he liked theNorthbrae line the best-because "yougot to blow the whistle all you wanted!"During the years he worked all thelines, moved brieRy over to buses beforeWorld Wa r II, then back again to instruct needed motormen in how to runtrains.

He misses the trains and the rails-andaside from blowing the whistle, the interesting problems involved - like theskill of handling a long train and in making smooth stops.He remembers all the things that happened, including having his train weldedby a short to the third rail on a Thanksgiving Day. He still has his uniform, withits "Rying key" buttons, and his greatestsource of pride-the six stars which mark,five years at a time, the more than 30years he spent on Key System trains. Astar-bright memory.

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ACTIONS OF THE BOARDAt an adjourned meeting July 24, 1963

the Board of Directors: Awarded contract for purchase of30 new buses to General Motors Corp.at a 'cost of $818,000, on motion of VicePresident Coburn,

Approved service changes on Lines51-College Ave. and 68-Garvin Ave ., onmotion of Director Warren. Approved Alameda County High-

way Advisory Committee program forimproving State highway system in1964-65 fiscal year, on motion of Director "Varren. Authorized representation at annual

meeting of American Transit Association,on motion of Vice President Coburn.* * *At the regular meeting August 14,1963, the Board of Directors: Approved inauguration of bus servicein southeast Hayward residential area

terminating at new campus of CaliforniaState College at Hayward, on motion ofVice President Coburn,

Authorized $1500 for feasibilitystudy on possible use of hydrofoil andhover craft by the District, on motionof Director Warren,

TRANSIT TIMESPublished monthly by theALAMEDACONTRA COSTA TRANSIT DISTRICTLatham Square Building 508 Sixteenth StreetOakland 12, California Telephone 654.7878

.......&......... C1 ....._....... : = ~ .-..... .- .., ...._ ... - , = ~ ..BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ROBERT M. COPELAND .. PresidentDirector at LargeWILLIAM H. COBURN, JR. Vice PresidentWard IRAY H. RINEHARTW ILLI AM E. BERK .JOHN McDONNELL .WM. J. BETIENCOURT E. GUY WARREN .Director at largeWard IIWard II IWard IVWard V

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERSKENNETH F. HENSEL . General ManagerROBERT E. NISBET. AttorneyJOHN F. LARSON. TreasurerControlierGEORGE M. TAYLOR . . . . . SecretaryALAN L. BINGHAM Public Information ManagerL-__________ ~ g - - ~ - - - - - - ~

Adopted resolution commending J.Brooks Rice for devoted service as maintenance manager, on occasion of his resignation, on motion of Vice PresidentCoburn.

Officially determined prevailing wagerates in construction industry for pur-poses of bid documents, on motion ofVice President Coburn.

District Records Low Accident CostsAC Transit's accident costs last fiscalyear were among the lowest in the industry, totaling 2.9 per cent of the district's gross income.The district spent $364,000 during the1962-63 fiscal year on accident claims

and injury insurance, according to RobertE. Nisbet, attorney for AC Transit. The

national average for transit companieswas 4 .5 per cent. Some larger operationswere as high as 11 per cent.Claims department efforts, plus thedistrict's concentra tion on safe operationsand the cooperation of drivers and maintenance workers, contributed to the lowrate, Nisbet said.

TRANSIT TIMESAlameda-Contra Costa Transit District

Latham Square BuildingOakland 12, CaliforniaC H JENKlNS A-5 BULK RATE

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Permit No. 2105Oakland, Calif.

Transit Times Volume 6, Number 4

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