Teeming with a strong electric current, San Francisco’s streets are covered by electric wires, which power a fleet of zero emission MUNI trolleybuses.

When I first moved to the SF Bay in 2009, I was very bothered by these “ugly wires” and considered them a blight on my photography.

 

San Francisco is covered in high-voltage electric wires that power the buses and train system
San Francisco is covered in high-voltage electric wires that power the buses and train system

 

14 Mission MUNI Buses in San Francisco's 17th and Bryant depot
14 Mission MUNI Buses in San Francisco’s 17th and Bryant depot

Now What do I Think About the MUNI Cables?

In the years since, I have come to love the wires as a part of the San Francisco charm and almost think that they add something to the flavor of this electric city.

 

Muni cables in San Francisco
Many different MUNI power cables connect at one point

San Francisco’s Mission Street MUNI Bus Depot

One of my favorite places to see these buses and cables is at the trolleybus depot located at 17th Street and Bryant Avenue in the Mission. I have driven by there countless times: always wanting to stop and take photos.

I must have driven or walked past the bus depot dozens of times before finally stopping to take photos of it after renting a Nikon D700 from Calumet Photo to document the Outside Lands music festival.

I was thrilled to find that there was a MUNI parking lot just above the bus depot that I was able to get on top of for great aerial views of everything.

While I probably took more than 100 photographs on that warm August day in San Francisco, these are by far my favorites.

 

A panorama of the MUNI Depot on 17th and Bryant in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood
A panorama of the MUNI Depot on 17th and Bryant in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood

 

MUNI power cables and the San Francisco sky
MUNI power cables and the San Francisco sky

 

Dozens of zero emission trolleybuses parked at the MUNI Depot on 17th and Bryant
Dozens of zero emission trolleybuses parked at the MUNI Depot on 17th and Bryant

 

A full frame fisheye shot of the parking lot above the MUNI depot on 17th and Bryant in San Francisco
A full frame fisheye shot of the parking lot above the MUNI depot on 17th and Bryant in San Francisco