Editing Key System (section)

{{Short description|Former local electric railway service in the East Bay}}
{{Other uses|Key system (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox Public transit
| box_width       = 280px
| name            = Key System
| image           = Key System logo.svg
| imagesize       = 250px
| image2          = 
| imagesize2      = 
| caption2        = 
| owner           = 
| area served     = 
| locale          = [[East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)|East Bay]]
| transit_type    = [[Interurban]] [[Tram|Streetcar]]
| lines           = 
| stations        = 
| ridership       = 
| annual_ridership = 
| headquarters    = [[Security Bank and Trust Company Building|Key System Building]]<br />1100 Broadway<br />[[Oakland, California]]
| began_operation = 1903
| ended_operation = (streetcar service) 1948 (commuter train service) 1958 (bus service) 1960
| operator        = 
| character       = Mixed grade separated and at-grade [[street running]]
| vehicles        = 
| train_length    = 
| system_length   = {{convert|66|mi|km|abbr=on}}
| track_gauge     = {{Track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}<ref name="LRV Specs">{{Cite web |title=San Francisco LRV Specifications |url=http://www.ansaldobredainc.com/images/stories/san_francisco_light_rail.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923172341/http://www.ansaldobredainc.com/images/stories/san_francisco_light_rail.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |access-date=March 3, 2013 |publisher=Ansaldobreda }}</ref>
| el              = {{600 V DC|conductor=overhead}}<br />[[Third rail]] on Bay Bridge
| average_speed   = 
| top_speed       = 
| map             = 
| map_state       =
}}

The '''Key System''' (or '''Key Route''') was a privately owned company that provided [[mass transit]] in the cities of [[Oakland, California|Oakland]], [[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]], [[Alameda, California|Alameda]],<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20030621/ai_n14551761 Old Alameda's transit system was less confusing] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612165632/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20030621/ai_n14551761/ |date=June 12, 2009 }}</ref> [[Emeryville, California|Emeryville]], [[Piedmont, California|Piedmont]], [[San Leandro, California|San Leandro]], [[Richmond, California|Richmond]], [[Albany, California|Albany]], and [[El Cerrito, Contra Costa County, California|El Cerrito]] in the [[East Bay (California)|eastern]] [[San Francisco Bay Area]] from 1903 until 1960, when it was sold to a newly formed public agency, [[AC Transit]]. The Key System consisted of local [[streetcar]] and [[bus]] lines in the East Bay, and commuter rail and bus lines connecting the East Bay to [[San Francisco]] by a ferry pier on [[San Francisco Bay]], later via the lower deck of the [[San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge|Bay Bridge]]. At its height during the 1940s, the Key System had over {{convert|66|mi|km}} of track. The local streetcars were discontinued in 1948 and the commuter trains to San Francisco were discontinued in 1958. The Key System's territory is today served by [[BART]] and [[AC Transit]] bus service.