San Francisco is saying goodbye to a fleet of light rail vehicles that expanded transit service in the city during the 1990s dot-com boom. However, at least one of the retired cars is heading to a new home at the Western Railway Museum.

One hundred and fifty-one LRV2 and LRV3 vehicles were built for Muni by the Italian manufacturer Breda between 1995 and 2003. The LRV3s were essentially the same as the LRV2s but had improvements such as more reliable doors and step extensions that were not included on the first batch of cars. The Breda-built cars proved to be crucial for the agency, helping it expand Muni Metro service from Ocean Beach to Dogpatch, and they were the first vehicles used on the T Third line. 

The LRV2 and LRV3 vehicles have now been replaced with 260 Siemens vehicles, which began arriving in the mid-2010s. Muni started retiring the Breda cars in 2021, and by 2025, only 30 remained, with most of the fleet being scrapped. However, car 1534 has been set aside for preservation and will eventually be moved to the Western Railway Museum in Suisun City, Calif. The museum features an extensive collection of transit vehicles that span much of the Bay Area’s history. Currently, the museum is raising funds to cover the cost of moving the LRV out of San Francisco, as well as spare parts needed to keep it operational. 

Muni is planning a farewell run for the Breda LRVs on November 12 and has even published a tracker so that transit enthusiasts can follow along. 

—Justin Franz