The Bay Area Rapid Transit system’s iconic 1970 cars have been serving millions of people in the Bay Area for decades now.
If you have lived in the Bay Area for any period of time, you know these cars for their boxy, space-shuttle-like design, and their iconic whooshing sound.
As a resident of Lafayette, California, I’m often walking through the hills when I hear BART’s distinctive whoosh. I always know what it is.
Sadly, for many, our original cars have been phased out in favor of new, sleeker cars that are much more energy-efficient. The new cars are also easier to clean, which is probably good overall!
That said, if you’re feeling some nostalgia for the original BART cars, there’s one more chance to ride them coming up.
On April 20, BART will operate its very last run of these iconic cars at MacArthur Station in Oakland, California beginning at 1pm.
This trip is not particularly functional, as the trains will just go to Fremont and come back; it’s just for fun and nostalgia.
There’s no direct relation to the other big Bay Area “event” taking place on April 20, so don’t even ask.
BART says that they will keep the legacy trains running on this route, which was their original route when the system first launched until everybody has gotten a chance to ride one of these iconic trains.
After that, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system’s original cars will go the way of the dodo bird.
But don’t fret too much because these cars will ultimately get an awesome new life of their own. Many are already slated to be turned into restaurants, museum attractions, and more.
Repurposing old train cars is a Bay Area tradition, and BART’s iconic cars will get the same treatment.
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