Key System

The Key System Railway (or Key System Interurban) was a light-rail system that served the eastern San Francisco Bay Area from the 1900s until its removal in the late 1950s. It was the eastern counterpart to the San Francisco Municipal Railway or ?Muni? streetcar system. The Key System's original service area is now predominantly covered by BART and AC Transit diesel buses. Today, the vast majority of East Bay residents do not realize an extensive light rail system once existed in their communities.

System Details

The initial connection across the Bay to San Francisco was through a causeway that extended from Emeryville westward 16,000 feet (4,900 meters) to a ferry terminal near Treasure Island. The Key System operated a system of ferries that made the final short connection to San Francisco. After its completion in 1936, San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge had a dual track on its lower deck that directly connected the Key System to the Transbay Terminal in San Francisco's downtown.

Related Topics:
Emeryville - Treasure Island - San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge - Transbay Terminal

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The later rolling stock consisted of self propelled articulated cars in pairs sharing a common central truck and with central passenger entries in each car. Several of these pairs were connected to make up a train. Power pickup was via pantograph from overhead catenary wires. The cars had an enclosed operator's cab in the right front, with passenger seats extending to the very front of the vehicle, a favorite seat for many children, with dramatic views of the tracks ahead. The exterior color of the cars was mostly orange with pale green at the window level and a white upper body and roof. Interior upholstery was woven reed seat covers and the flooring was linoleum.

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