Ladybug explosion on the N-Judah
@ sunaena saw the horrific scene. Her report:
A ladybug explosion on the N outbound. Poor ladybugs are going to die at the feet of anxious commuters
Hope everyone (including all the ladies) is okay.
Tag: N-Judah
Boob on Muni
We’re all familiar with 2 o’clock titty. Here, Rob shares Muni boob with you. Thanks, Rob!
‘Skreeeeetch’ go the N-Judah tracks
The following story was originally posted on the Ocean Beach Bulletin. It was written by Kristine Mendoza. Photo and videos are by Tom Prete.
Ocean Beach, at the westernmost edge of San Francisco, has been a well-known destination for those wanting to get away from the loud and bustling city. Residents appreciate its sleepiness and quiet beach-town vibe, while visitors bask in the fog on its sandy beaches, meditating to the repeating pattern of foghorns and seagull calls.
However, for a group of residents near one of the hubs of the neighborhood, the ocean sounds have been drowned out by the high-pitched wail of the N-Judah train. Muni representatives say the agency is aware of the problem at the western turnaround of the N-Judah route at La Playa and Lower Great Highway, and is working on a long-term solution. But residents and businesses have been seeking a fix to the shrieking streetcars for years.
Since the group’s formation two years ago, the issue of the noise at the end of the line has been at the forefront of its agenda. Zwolinski has teamed up with several neighbors as well as Supervisor Carmen Chu to get their voices heard at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees Muni.
Heavy metal noise
According to John Haley, director of transit operations at the SFMTA, the noise is caused by the metal-to-metal interface of streetcar wheel and rail. In addition, the light-rail vehicles in use today are much heavier than the cars that were originally used on these tracks. The cars now used on Market Street for the F-Market line were the standard car up until the mid-1970s. Those cars weighed up to 25,000 pounds less than the modern LRVs. Haley stated that the noise is exacerbated by the heavier cars and the tight turning radius at this particular turnaround.
Residents were told last winter that a resolution was in the works. Crews of “greasers” were sent to the site of the noise to lubricate the track in an attempt to silence the wailing. However, the efforts – and results – were short-lived.
“After a couple of turns the grease wears off,” said Zwolinski.
According to Zwolinski, Muni devised a plan to install automatic greasers that would lubricate the track in two spots along the turnaround, using biodegradable grease. That project was supposed to be in place in the spring of 2010.
Longtime residents aren’t the only ones taking issue with the noise level. Greg Seth, manager at the Oceanview Motel at the end of the N-Judah line, says the noise has been an issue for his guests.
“There are a lot of people that don’t want these rooms,” Seth said. “It hasn’t affected business a great deal, but people do complain.”
From the Great Muni Shelter: One bus, one book
Photo by Tenderblog
Here’s one:
“One rainy night I was on my way home on the N-Judah. The train was nearly empty and I was reading Fahreinheit 451. A young man came and sat next to me, which I thought was strange as there were plenty of open seats. He asked me what I was reading and said that he didn’t read a lot but remembered that he liked this book when he was a kid. He said he didn’t have much money for books. So I gave him my book and told him to enjoy it — and to give it to someone else when he was done. He agreed and then it was my stop so I got off and went home.” – Julie
Come to Julie’s closing night party tomorrow, Tuesday, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and find out who gets to take the bus shelter home. SOMArts is located at 934 Brannan Street. And don’t forget: voting ends at midnight tonight! Vote here, unless you already have.
‘We can do this’ on the N-Judah
P.S. We know you’re not really working this week, so adjust the volume, put on the headphones, and enjoy Derek’s hilarious and possibly uplifting tale.
Muni Mobile Spinach Deals
Editor’s Note: Thank you for supporting Muni Spinach, a new deal program managed by Mobile Spinach. The Mobile Spinach Muni deals have ended for the year. If you have trouble using Mobile Spinach, email John Vitti at john@mblspn.com. Meanwhile check out our current deals by Scoutmob. If you have other deals you’d like to see on Muni Diaries, please email us!
And all of that would seem a lot sweeter if these restaurants would give me half off the price…
My day dreaming about food aside, this is really to tell you that we’ve teamed up with Mobile Spinach to bring you a huge set of deals on a couple of Muni lines! We all already take the bus from point A to B to C and beyond, which is all the more reason to check out the businesses on your Muni line to see if there’s a coupon you can use.
The participating merchants are pretty awesome: the long list includes Chow and Chez Maman ($20 for $40 of food and drinks), and discount for drinks at Blue Bottle Coffee, Elixir, and Blackbird.
Mobile Spinach is a social mobile coupon company, offering mobile cash that you can store on your phone and deals on local merchants. Their offers are loaded onto your mobile device and redeemable at select locations around the city. The mobile cash never expires – say if you buy the $20 for $40 of food and drinks at Burma Superstar, Mobile Spinach loads your coupon onto your phone, and you can redeem it at the restaurant after you polish off the roti prata.
Mobile Spinach is calling this new campaign is called Muni Spinach. To kick things off, the deals are located at various restaurants, cafes, and shops along the 1-California, 22-Fillmore, 38-Geary, and N-Judah lines. We’ve listed all of the offers, organized by line and stop. Click the merchant you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the appropriate page so you can buy the deal. All vouchers can be purchased directly from your iPhone, iPad, Android, or BlackBerry Torch. Each voucher is only available to purchase for a limited time, but can be redeemed at any time.
Note: The deals are programmed especially for Android devices, iPhones, iPads, and BlackBerry Touches.