Stupid ideas


#1: The Market Street Railway Association is supporting and has convinced Muni officials to run the historic trolleys all the way from Fisherman's Wharf to SBC Park and maybe even part way down the new Third Street line when it opens thus mixing these older, slower, and lighter weight trolleys with the new, faster, and heavy weight Breda LRVs. Although it was operator error that caused the crash a few months ago on the outer part of the J-line, we all saw what would happen to a PCC trolley when rammed by a Breda LRV. To mix the two between Folsom Street and SBC Park is crazy. Also, I have heard from a correspondent in Melbourne that they tried something like that in that city and it did not work there due to too many accidents. Well I guess it is time to write to the MSR with copies of the letter going to the Muni General Manager and to Mayor Newsom.

#2: The plans for an organ pavilion on a plaza created by the Embarcadero Roadway and trolley line projects are still in the works. This very noisy location is bordered by Steuart Street on the west, Justin Herman Plaza on the north, the Embarcadero Roadway and trolley line on the east, and Donn Chee Way, a private right-of-way on the south for the F-line access to Fisherman's Wharf. The pipe organ which used to be housed in the Civic Auditorium is planned for the outdoor pavalion and would probably resemble the Spreckle's Pavilion in Balboa Park in San Diego. That site has one huge advantage over the SF location in that the park is a much quieter environment. The other problem, which cannot be overcome, is that a pipe organ needs to be inside a building in order for all of its many voices to be heard properly. Outdoors the quieter pipes would be drowned out by ambient noises forcing the organist to play loud and louder. All subtlety of intonation would be completely lost which it is in the quieter Balboa Park in San Diego. The real kicker in this is that the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists is behind this project and they, of all people, should know better than to do something like this. I think it is great that the historic organ was saved and refurbished but let's find a decent home for it. Actually, the city missed a golden opportunity by not putting it on the upper level of the nave of the restored Ferry Building. There are now offices on both ends of the building but what a glorious place for weekend concerts there in that very vibrant atmosphere. Although this organ is not terribly big, the Wannamaker Department store installation comes to mind when I think of public spaces and organs. Once again the city that prides itself as the "City that knows how", doesn't, and it doesn't even have a clue as to what is going on.