The Russian Version

SF green with envy

Taking yesterday’s trolleybus lead, the second San Francisco transportation option straight out of the Soviet Union is the Soviet tramvai.

You might call it a trolley, but those of us who travel too much know its really a tramvai, and no matter what it answers to, we all get out of its way.

Big, slow, and riding roughly on rails, it takes over streets worldwide. The San Francisco version is a direct cousin to the Soviet ones. Not sleek like Amsterdam’s or Istanbul’s, but old, rickety, and with that tooth-rattling ride that’s great for all involved.

Many cities, including DC, tore out their tramvai’s in the 1950’s to make way for more cars. As much as the ride is jarring, I do wish we’d kept ours. They add a classic touch to the city, and if modernized, are a very cool way to travel.

Me, I’ll stick with the trolleybus till you get the Euro-tramvai upgrade.