San Francisco Then & Now – The N-Judah light-rail line: 11 February 2017

The N-Judah Muni Metro light-rail line runs along Judah Street in the Sunset District for much of its length; it is named after railroad engineer Theodore Judah. The N-Judah line connects downtown San Francisco to the Cole Valley and Sunset neighborhoods. The line ends at the Pacific Ocean. It is the busiest light-rail line in the Muni Metro system; it served an average of 41,439-weekday passengers in 2013. The N-Judah line is also the only Muni Metro light-rail line that passes through the Sunset Tunnel. The N-Judah line began operation as a streetcar line in 1928 and was converted to a light-rail transportation system with the opening of the Muni Metro system in 1980.

The below photos were taken in the Inner Sunset neighborhood

The N-Judah Line NOW: 11 February 2017. This two car N-Judah light-rail vehicle is about to leave Irving Street and travel south on 9th Avenue for just one block. After which, the N-Judah light-rail turns west, onto Judah Street, and travels to the end of the line at Ocean Beach, and the Pacific Ocean.

The N-Judah Line THEN: 1978. This streetcar is heading west on Irving Street. It is about to turn south onto 9th Avenue. 

The N-Judah Line THEN: 1978. This streetcar is heading south on 9th Avenue. Golden Gate Park is visible in the background. 

The N-Judah Line NOW: 11 February 2017. This two-car light-rail vehicle is heading south on 9th Avenue. 

The N-Judah Line THEN: 1975. This streetcar headed south on 9th Avenue for one block before it is about to turn west onto Judah Street. 

The N-Judah Line NOW: 11 February 2017. This two-car light-rail vehicle is heading south on 9th Avenue just before it is about to turn west onto Judah Street and continue to Ocean Beach, the end of the line. 

The distance traveled was approximately 5.8 miles (9.3 kilometers). Mile markers are displayed on the GPS-generated track. The cumulative elevation gain was about 374 feet (114 meters), the cumulative elevation descent was 581 feet (177 meters). Click on the image to see the full-size map.

"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

The first volume of the San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains galleries of photographs that were posted on the Internet between 2002 and 2011. Click Here to view these photo galleries.

A Panasonic GX7 camera body mounted with a Panasonic 14-42mm lens was used to take these photographs.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com