Key System Album

by Jim Walker

First edition of this well-done pictorial of the Key System, the streetcar and railroad line that linked San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose and enabled rapid suburban growth through its transbay ferry and electric railway service. Long before BART, the Bay area was linked by streetcars and ferries through the prescient vision of Francis Marion "Borax" Smith. The photos, all with informative captions, show all eras, from the earliest street cars to the invasion of the buses. 120 pages.

Genres: History

120 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do wish Pentrex would reissue the Interurban Specials series (acquired when the company ceased publishing in the 1980s.) While this is a relatively minor volume as the series went, it's still quite vital and worth keeping around. This volume is a pictorial focused on the Key System of the Bay Area, covering not only their streetcar and Interurban operations, but the ferries and buses as well. In doing so, it also provides glimpses of the other traction systems in the area, and an intriguing historical look at San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkley.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book! Needs reprint and perhaps an update?