the idea for adding energy to market street with the vintage cars happened during diana feinstein's tenure in the early '80s, she says it was not popular with the engineers. >> everything was going underground, they didn't want anything above ground on market street. and there were a few people that worked at it. >> reporter: that paid off. it took millions to lay the track and make the old cars wheelchair accessible. >> thank you very much. >> reporter: the cars called the president's conference committee street cars and design designed in the 30s are from cities across america, they worked on them and they are in cities where they once ran. >> well ladies and gentlemen this is the beginning. >> reporter: today, all rides were free. starting tomorrow, a dollar, with all the troubles of muni, the drivers on the street cars who volunteered for the f line say it feels good to be aligned with something most people like. >> well, in the past they had so much fun with them. and talk about them like an old friend that i wanted to enjoy some of that. >> i enjoyed riding them when i was a kid. and