Retro Tech: San Francisco Trains to Use Floppy Disks for Operations Until 2030

San Francisco is not yet done using obsolete, retro technology known as 'floppy disks,' particularly for some of its operations on the city trains.

More specifically, the 5.25-inch floppy disks are known to be the middle size alongside the 3.5-inch and 8-inch ones, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SMFTA) claims that it will use them until 2030.

The local government agency also boasts that it was the first US agency to adopt floppy disks, but now, it struggles to leave them behind.

San Francisco Trains Still Use Floppy Disks for Operations

SMFTA members spoke to ABC7 Bay Area News and revealed that the technology it uses to run some operations of the city's trains still centers on floppy disks, particularly the 5.25-inch ones. It is part of Muni Metro's Automatic Train Control System (ATCS) since it was first used in 1998, almost thirty years, with the agency relying on this tech for a long time already.

The floppy disks are responsible for loading the software running the central servers of its operations. This occurs when a train enters the subway, with the system connecting to the control system of the vehicles to run automatically.

They then disconnect to the ATCS when exiting the subway station, returning to their manual operations where the conductors drive them.

SFMTA's Floppy Disks Will be Used Until 2030

The initial plans for overhauling SFMTA's ATCS started in 2018, expecting a decade before completion. However, it was revealed that this was prolonged due to the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively pushing their plans further to 2030.

That being said, in five to six years, the ATCS will change into a more modern operation, with floppy disks still in working condition. However, to keep it operational, it will need programmers adept in the 1990s programming languages.

Floppy Disks in Today's Modern Tech

Considered as one of the obsolete pieces of technology, the floppy disks was the marvel of modern technologies for computers during its time, one that replaced more old-school technology before it.

From the large 8-inch ones, down to 5.25-inch versions, down to the most popular, advanced, and durable 3-inch versions, these pieces of tech were later replaced by compact discs, a.k.a. CDs.

The United States is not shy of using outdated technology, as previously, the country's Defense Department, Pentagon, is known for still using floppy disks to operate US nuclear weapons. Not only that, the Pentagon spends a massive three-fourths of its $80 billion technology budget to maintain said outdated technology, centering on running it to a 1970s IBM computing platform.

San Francisco may be left in the dust with its floppy disks, but while it is obsolete, others still rely on these kinds of technology for stability and security.

That being said, SFMTA only gives the agency until the end of the decade to find the budget to switch to more modern tech, finally letting go of the ages-old floppy disks.