Cable Car Lines in Other California Cities

by Joe Thompson

The desire to develop land on and beyond the steep hills near the central plaza inspired Los Angeles to build cable car lines in imitation of San Francisco.

• Los Angeles Cable Car Operating Companies
  • Second Street Cable Railway
  • Temple Street Cable Railway
  • Los Angeles Cable Railway
• Los Angeles Miscellany
  • "The Los Angeles Cable Railway" from Scientific American
  • Cable Cars at Knott's Berry Farm
  • Los Angeles Area Funiculars

Oakland's cable car lines connected downtown with outlying residential and business sections.

• Oakland Cable Car Operating Companies
  • Oakland Cable Railway
  • Consolidated Piedmont Cable Company
• Oakland Miscellany
  • H Casebolt's Elevated Railroad

San Diego's only cable car line was one of the shortest lived.

• San Diego Cable Railway

Los Angeles Second Street cable train at Fort (now Broadway) in 1885, photographed by C.C. Pierce (Source: [group 1:12], William C. Barry Collection of Los Angeles Area Photographs, BANC PIC 1964.056--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley). Jan, 1999 Picture of the Month.

line: Second Street from Spring Street to Diamond Street (now Beverly Boulevard)

opened: 08-Oct-1885

powerhouse: Second & Boyleston

grip: Single-jaw side grip.

gauge: 3'6"

cars: single-ended dummy & trailer trains.

turntables: single track

crossings:

Intersection	Company	Status
Second/Fort	LAC	superior

notes: Like most Spanish and Mexican colonial cities, Los Angeles grew up around a central plaza. Bunker Hill, like Nob Hill in San Francisco, impeded development northwest of the Plaza.

Real estate promoters, seeing the success of the cable car lines in San Francisco, projected a line to climb Bunker Hill on Second Street. Their job was made more complicated by the fact that Second Street was not graded far past Fort Street (now Broadway). The work required deep cuts in Bunker Hill. The line climbed another hill beyond Bunker Hill. The powerhouse was in the valley in the middle.

In an effort to save money, the line was built with a single track. Passing sidings were arranged so that downbound cars could drop the rope and coast through. The arrangement was not successful. The line was designed by J M Thompson, an engineer who worked for the patent trust's Pacific Cable Construction Company.

The line contained the single steepest cable gradient in North America, 27.7% between Hope Street and Bunker Hill Avenue.

The company was short of cash throughout its life and it was especially hurt whenever it rained, because the water would run down the poorly drained conduit, damaging the cables and the pulleys. The line was shut down from late February to early March 1888 because a replacement cable could not get through the mud from the train station to the powerhouse. The line shut down on 13-Oct-1889 when the cable broke and the company could not afford a replacement. A terrible storm on 24-Dec-1889 ruined the property beyond repair.

The Second Street Cable Railway became the first operational cable car line to be abandoned.

The company connected with a steam line, the Cahuenga Valley Railroad, which ran to Hollywood. The steam line was later forced to cut back to the city limits, which hurt the Second Street company.

Looking up Second Street, photographed by I.W. Taber (?) (Source: [group 3:3], Riverside and Los Angeles Area Views, ca. 1880-1889, by I.W. Taber and Others, BANC PIC 1905.06211--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley).

Second & Boyleston powerhouse and carhouse in 1888. (Source: Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Los Angeles, 1888, Vol 1, Sheet 40b).

from Poor's Directory of Railway Officials, 1887 P. 233 Second Street Cable R.R. Co. operates 1.6 miles of road, owns 6 dummies and 6 cars. Directors, W. S. Newhall, San Francisco, Cal; Jas. McLaughlin, Jesse Yarnell, H. C. Witmer, Edward A. Hall, Los Angeles, Cal. -- Edward A. Hall, Pres., Jas. McLaughlin, Vice-Pres., H. C. Witmer, Sec., Jesse Yarnell, Treas., Edward A. Hall, Supt., F. F. Field, Pur. Agt.. -- GENERAL OFFICE, 33 South Spring St., Los Angeles, Cal.

P. 378 Revised statement Second Street Cable R.R. Co. operates 1.6 miles of road, owns 6 dummies and 6 cars. Directors, Jas. McLaughlin, A. I. Hall, D. W. Field, Chas. McLaughlin, Los Angeles, Cal. -- Jas. McLaughlin, Pres., H. W. Davis, Sec., Treas., & Supt., E. H. Hutchinson, Asst. Supt. -- GENERAL OFFICE, Second and Figueroa Sts., Los Angeles, Cal.

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Temple Street cable train (detail of a large photograph taken from the tower of the county court house) (Source: [group 7:66], William C. Barry Collection of Los Angeles Area Photographs, BANC PIC 1964.056--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley). February, 1999 Picture of the Month

line: Temple Street from Main to Edgeware Road

opened: 14-Jul-1886

extended: 30-Apr-1889 Temple Street to Hoover Street

powerhouse: Temple & Edgeware

grip: Single-jaw side grip.

gauge: 3'6"

cars: double-ended dummy & trailer trains.

turntables: crossovers

crossings:

notes: The Temple Street Cable Railway was the most successful cable car line in Los Angeles. It was built by real estate promoters, and it succeeded in raising the value of property along the road. The line climbed through the draw between Fort Moore (Mormon) Hill and Pound Cake Hill.

Like the Second Street Railway, the line was originally single-tracked. In 1889, the line from Main to Union was double-tracked.

The Temple Street line connected with the Cahuenga Valley Railroad, a steam line to Hollywood.

The company was sold under foreclosure on 28-Feb-1898. Henry E Huntingtion acquired it in 1902 and included it in the Pacific Electric Railway. It was converted to electricity on 02-Oct-1902. The line was transferred to the Los Angeles Railway in 1910. In the 1930's, the A line, which ran on Temple Street, was one of the first in Los Angeles to be converted to buses.

Cahuenga Valley Railroad steam train which connected the Temple Street Cable Railway with Hollywood (Source: [group 3:23], William C. Barry Collection of Los Angeles Area Photographs, BANC PIC 1964.056--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley).

Temple & Edgeware powerhouse and carhouse in 1888. (Source: Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Los Angeles, 1888, Vol 1, Sheet 40a).

from Poor's Directory of Railway Officials, 1887 P. 234 Temple Street Cable Ry. (in progress.) Length of road, 3 miles, owns 6 dummy engines and 6 cars. Directors, Walter S. Maxwell, Victory Beaudry, Prudent Beaudry, Julius Lyons, Thomas Stovell, Ralph Rogers, E. A. Hall, Octavius Morgan, John Milner. -- Walter S. Maxwell, Pres., P. Beaudry, Vice-Pres., Octavius Morgan, Sec., John Milner, Treas., O. Morgan, Supt., Pur. Agt, etc., Los Angeles, Cal. -- PRINCIPAL OFFICE, Los Angeles, Cal.

P. 378 Revised statement Temple Street Cable Ry. operates 1.75 miles of road, owns 6 dummy engines and 6 cars. Directors, W. S. Maxwell, Victory Beaudry, Prudent Beaudry, Julius Lyons, Thomas Stovell, Ralph Rogers, E. A. Hall, Octavius Morgan, John Milner. -- P. Beaudry, Pres., O. Morgan, Vice-Pres., F. W. Wood, Sec. & Man., John Millner, Treas., Los Angeles, Cal. -- PRINCIPAL OFFICE, Los Angeles, Cal.

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The Los Angeles Cable Railway used the "Cape Horn" viaduct to cross the Southern Pacific Railway yards near the Los Angeles River. 1889 photograph. The viaduct was carried on a single row of columns for over 1 KM (Source: [group 3:21], William C. Barry Collection of Los Angeles Area Photographs, BANC PIC 1964.056--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley). Mar, 1999 Picture of the Month.

A detail of the preceeding photograph. The steep approach and open tracks kept other vehicles off of the viaduct. The sign reads "Los Angeles Cable Railway Co/Caution, No Thoroughfare" (Source: [group 3:21], William C. Barry Collection of Los Angeles Area Photographs, BANC PIC 1964.056--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley).

line: East LA/West LA

opened: 08-Jun-1889. Fort (now Broadway) from the Plaza to Seventh, Seventh to Grand.

extended: 14-Sep-1889. Grand from Seventh to Jefferson.

extended: 02-Nov-1889. North Spring to Downey (now North Broadway), Downey to Pritchard (now Lincoln Park).

powerhouse: Seventh and Grand.

powerhouse: Downey and Workman.

grip: Eppelsheimer bottom grip.

gauge: 3'6"

cars: single-ended dummy & trailer trains.

turntables: ?

crossings:

Intersection	Company	Status
Second/Fort	2ST	inferior

line: Westlake Park/Boyle Heights

opened: 03-Aug-1889. East First from Spring to Chicago.

opened: 28-Sep-1889. East First from Chicago to Evergreen.

extended: 02-Nov-1889. North Spring to Downey (now North Broadway), Downey to Pritchard (now Lincoln Park).

extended: 07-Dec-1889. West Seventh from Alvarado to Grand.

powerhouse: Seventh and Grand.

powerhouse: East First and Chicago.

grip: Eppelsheimer bottom grip.

gauge: 3'6"

cars: single-ended dummy & trailer trains.

turntables: ?

crossings:

Intersection	Company	Status
Second/Fort	2ST	inferior

notes: The Los Angeles Cable Railway, later known as the Pacific Railway, operated ten miles of cable and 25 miles of horse lines.

The promoters of the Los Angeles Cable Railway, Isais W Hellman and James F Crank, studied the first electric line in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Electric Railway, which used the pioneering system of Professor Leo Daft (no kidding). The Pico Street line was entirely unsuccessful, so Hellman and Crank chose to use cable even though their system covered very few hills.

Two trains of the unsuccessful Los Angeles Electric Railway. The poor performance of this line convinced the promoters of the Los Angeles Cable Railway to use cable as their source of motive power (Source: [group 3:24], William C. Barry Collection of Los Angeles Area Photographs, BANC PIC 1964.056--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley).

Hellman and Crank ran short of money and sold three quarters of the company to C B Holmes, promoter of the Chicago City Railway. Holmes reorganized the company as the Pacific Railway. Augustine W Wright of Chicago designed the system using patents controlled by the industry trust.

The system had several difficult features, including complicated pull curves around the Plaza, and three long viaducts used to cross rivers and railroad yards.

The storm of 24-Dec-1889, which destroyed the Second Street Cable Railway, also caused damage to this company. The Pacific Railway went bankrupt on 21-Jan-1891 because of storm damage and competition from Sprague electric cars of the Consolidated Electric Railway. The Consolidated Electric Railway purchased the company for a tiny fraction of its capital value on 13-Jun-1893. The Los Angeles Railway purchased the Consolidated on 13-Oct-1893.

The Los Angeles Railway, run by Frederick W Wood, the former general manager of the Temple Street Cable Railway, strung wires over the former LA Cable tracks. On 01-Feb-1896, West Seventh and Fort were shut down. The Grand Avenue cable stopped on 12-Feb-1896. Service to Boyle Heights was converted on 13-Mar-1896. Downey Avenue was converted on 18-Mar-1896.

The electric lines which replaced the Los Angeles Cable Railway were among the last in Los Angeles before the new era of light rail. They were converted, along with the Pico Street line, on 31-Mar-1963.

The Los Angeles Cable Railway/Pacific Railway lost money for all concerned. Hellman continued to be a successful bank executive. He was also president of Wells Fargo Bank. Crank was bitter about the Consolidated's efforts to ruin the company. Holmes, one of the pioneers who spread cable cars beyond San Francisco, was ruined.

Scientific American described the Los Angeles Cable Railway in an article in its 10-Oct-1891 issue.

Los Angeles Cable Railway cable train on Fort (now Broadway) near Second in 1889, photographed by C.C. Pierce (Source: [group 1:14], William C. Barry Collection of Los Angeles Area Photographs, BANC PIC 1964.056--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley).

Downey & South Workman powerhouse in 1894. (Source: Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Los Angeles, 1894, Vol 1, Sheet 35b).

East First & Chicago powerhouse and carhouse in 1888. (Source: Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Los Angeles, 1888, Vol 2, Sheet 69b).

Seventh & Grand powerhouse in 1894-1900. (Source: Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Los Angeles, 1894-1900, Vol 2, Sheet 56a).

Tension run at the Seventh and Grand powerhouse of the Los Angeles Cable Railway. The closest sheave is on a movable tension carriage. The drivers and idlers are in the background (Source: [group 2:20], William C. Barry Collection of Los Angeles Area Photographs, BANC PIC 1964.056--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.).

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A postcard showing former O'Farrel/Jones/Hyde cable car 59 at Knott's Berry Farm.

In 1955, the San Franisco Municipal Railway sold former California St Cable Railway cars 6, 17, 20, 43, 49, and 59 to Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, Orange County. They ran under battery power, hauling visitors from the parking lot. The cars operated at Knott's until 1979.

Car 17 is preserved at the Poway Midland Railroad in Poway, California and car 43 is preserved at the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, California. Two sources say the other cars were returned to Muni in 1981, but they must have been used for parts, because they aren't on Muni's roster.

Thanks to Mike Coppack of the Poway Midland for reminding me that David Pirmann's New York City Subway Resources has a photo of a California Street cable car at Knott's on the Around the World/San Francisco/Historic Views II: Cable Cars, Early Trolleys & Key System page. Visible under the shed in the background is Sutter Street Railway trailer 77.

A postcard showing a former Cal Cable car at Knott's Berry Farm, with costumed characters from the Ghost Town.

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Oakland Cable Railway Car One at San Pablo and Park Avenues in Emeryville, the outer terminal (Source: [group 3:29], Frank B. Rodolph Photograph Collection, BANC PIC 1905.17146-17161--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley). April, 1999 Picture of the Month.

line: Broadway/San Pablo Avenue

opened: 19-Nov-1886. Broadway from Seventh Street to San Pablo. San Pablo Avenue to Park Avenue in Emeryville.

extended: 1889. Broadway from Seventh Street to the ferry terminal at Water Street.

powerhouse: Twentieth and San Pablo.

grip: Root single-jaw side grip.

gauge: 3'6"

cars: single-ended California cars.

turntables: double track

crossings:

Intersection	Company	Status
Broadway/San Pablo	ConPed	superior

The Oakland Railroad was founded in 1869. It built a 5 foot gauge horse car line on Broadway and Telegraph Avenue.

Senator James G Fair, a Comstock millionaire who also built the South Pacific Coast narrow gauge railroad, purchased the company and promoted the Oakland Cable Railway.

The cable car line had few grades and only one mild curve. The Southern Pacific bought both the SPC and the Oakland Railroad with its cable subsidiary from Fair in 1887.

The line used the same Root single-jaw side grip as the Market Street Cable Railway, under license from the Patents Trust.

The line used nice-looking single-ended California type cars that were similar to the original Ferries & Cliff House Railway cars.

The line crossed steam railroads near both terminii. This was difficult because it required a very strong conduit to support the weight of the steam locomotives.

The Broadway/Telegraph Avenue line was electrified on 04-Jan-1893. The Telegraph Avenue cars shared the cable car tracks on Broadway to the Ferries. The Broadway/San Pablo Avenue cable line was converted to electricity on 21-May-1899.

from Poor's Directory of Railway Officials, 1887 P. 233 Oakland R.R. Co. owns 100 horses, 2 dummies and 25 cars. -- J. S. Emery, Pres., A. Doble, Vice-Pres. & Pur. Agt., H. H. Towns, Sec., First National Bank, Treas. Gy. Loring, Supt. -- GENERAL OFFICE, 921 Broadway, Oakland, Cal.

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Consolidated Cable Company crews building the conduit and track on Oakland Avenue (Source: [group 5:60], Frank B. Rodolph Photograph Collection, BANC PIC 1905.17146-17161--PIC, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley).

line: Broadway/Oakland Avenue

opened: 01-Aug-1890. 8th Street from Clay to Washington. Washington from 8th to 14th. 14th to Broadway. Broadway to 24th. 24th to Oakland Avenue. Oakland to Highland Avenue. Inbound only: 14th to Clay. Clay to 8th.

powerhouse: 24th and Harrison.

grip: McClelle bottom grip.

gauge: 3'6"

cars: single-ended California cars.

turntables: double track turntables. Loop at inner terminal.

crossings:

Intersection	Company	Status
Broadway/San Pablo	OakCab	inferior

line: Broadway/Piedmont Avenue

opened: 02-Aug-1892. 8th Street from Clay to Washington. Washington from 8th to 14th. 14th to Broadway. Broadway to Piedmont. Piedmont to Mountain View Cemetery. Inbound only: 14th to Clay. Clay to 8th.

powerhouse: 24th and Harrison.

grip: McClelle bottom grip.

gauge: 3'6"

cars: single-ended California cars.

turntables: double track turntables. Loop at inner terminal.

crossings:

Intersection	Company	Status
Broadway/San Pablo	OakCab	inferior

notes: The lines of this company were longer and more complicated than those of the Oakland Cable Railway; the company's corporate history was also complicated.

The company was at some point known as the Piedmont Cable Company. It was taken over by the Consolidated Piedmont Cable Company. I have also seen it referred to as the Consolidated Cable Company.

The company's lines started in the business district, where I used to work, and continued on Broadway after the Oakland Cable Railway's line turned off. The Oakland Avenue line made a steep climb into the East Oakland Hills. At the outer turntable, cars could return on Oakland Avenue or hoist their grips and run along another route by gravity, rejoining the main line around Highland and Oakland. That must have been a neat trip.

The Piedmont Avenue line climbed the hills to Mountain View Cemetery.

The company considered converting its Fourteenth Street horse car line to cable. It began to lay conduit on the street, but converted the flat line to electric instead.

The depression of 1893 bankrupted the company. The reorganized Piedmont and Mountain View Railway converted the Piedmont Avenue line on 10-Jun-1893. Oakland Avenue was too steep, so the line ran under electricity on weekdays and under cable on weekends when people rode to the hills for recreation. In December, 1896, the line was completely electrified.

The line was the only one in California to use a non-trust grip, using a bottom grip designed by R A McLelle (or McLellan).

The company's powerhouse and car barn still stands. It was a Cadillac dealership for many years and is now vacant. Clay Burrell, a famous local architect, remodeled it for Cox Cadillac. A Whole Foods store may open there in 2004.

Former Consolidated Piedmont powerhouse at 27th and Harrison Streets in Oakland. March 2003. Photo by Joe Thompson.

In January, 2004, workers digging near Mountain View Cemetery may have uncovered the turntable or the base of the turntable under the asphalt.

from Poor's Directory of Railway Officials, 1887 P. 231 Broadway and Piedmont R.R. Co. -- Walter Blair, Pres., Samuel Howe, Sec., Montgomery Howe, Supt. -- GENERAL OFFICE, Oakland, Cal.

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Henry Casebolt stands at the controls of his overhead cable car. Photograph courtesy of the Museum of the City of San Francisco. July, 1999 Picture of the Month.

In the mid to late 1880's, Henry Casebolt, builder of the Sutter Street Railway built an experimental line in Emeryville, California, near Oakland, to demonstrate an overhead cable system. He hoped to sell it to the management of the Consolidated Piedmont Cable Company. They were not interested.

Casebolt's idea was that not having to lay an expensive conduit under the street would save money. In this system, the cable would run on pulleys attached to cross arms on poles along the line. In the accompanying photograph, the grip sits atop the ornate metal structure, which reminds me of the legs under my grandmother's sewing machine. One of the poles is dimly visible in the background. In larger and clearer copies of the photograph, one can read the legend "H Casebolt's Elevated Railroad" on the dash panel of the car. The grip is essentially a single-jaw side grip.

According to historian Roy Graves, the cable and pulleys dripped lubricant on the passengers.

I am still trying to determine exactly what year the experiment took place, how long the track was, what gauge the track was, and how the cable was powered.

G F Beauregard had tried to build a similar system in New Orleans, Lousiana in 1869 or 1870. In Beauregard's experimental installation, the cable was powered by a steam locomotive at each end of the line. I have been trying to determine whether he was related to General P G T Beauregard, CSA. Casebolt's grip was similar to Beauregard's; Casebolt did not build his line until after Beauregard's patents had expired.

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Former San Diego Cable Railway car converted to electricity. This picture was taken between 1896 and 1898. Photograph used with the kind permission of the San Diego Historical Society. June, 1999 Picture of the Month.

line: Main

opened: 07-Jun-1890. Sixth Avenue from L to C Street. C to Fourth Avenue. Fourth to Spruce.

extended: late July 1892. Fourth from Spruce to University. University to Normal Street. Normal to Park Boulevard. Park to Adams Avenue.

powerhouse: Fourth and Spruce.

grip: Van Vleck bottom grip.

gauge: 3'6"

cars: single-ended California cars and open cars.

turntables: Single track at terminals.

crossings:

notes: The San Diego Cable Railway was one of the least successful lines in the industry.

The San Diego Cable Railway was incorporated on 22-Jul-1889. It took over the franchise of an unsuccessful electric line. The line was intended to connect downtown with elevated residential areas.

Frank Van Vleck, who had been associated with the Los Angeles Cable Railway, designed the system, which was single-tracked to save money. He made a variation of the Eppelsheimer bottom grip suitable for single track operation.

The company used combination cars and open cars similar to those used on the Ferries and Cliff House Railway in San Francisco.

The first cars ran on 07-Jun-1890. On 09-Sep-1890, the company opened Mission Cliffs Gardens. The cable company went into receivership during the widespread economic downturn in early 1892 and the last cable cars ran on 15-Oct-1892.

Many people expected the system would be back in business after reorganization, but the system lay idle until 1896. The Citizens Traction Company took over the property and began running the old cable cars converted to electrics on 28-Jul-1896. Converting cable cars to electricity was not common because cable equipment was usually too light. The San Diego Electric Railway took over the Citizens company and converted the line to standard gauge some time after 23-Mar-1898.

Visit the San Diego Historical Society, which has a wonderful collection of old San Diego photographs, including several more pictures of the cable railway. They also have an interesting article from The Journal of San Diego History, January 1956, Volume 2, Number 1: "Those Fabulous Cable-Cars" by William C. Enneking.

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