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The Cable Car Home Pageby Joe Thompson |
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I want to use this site to share my knowledge about and interest in cable cars (also known as cable tramways). I want to keep it simple. I welcome input from any source, especially about cable cars in cities other than San Francisco. I hope to build this page up gradually as time permits. I welcome information, photographs, and suggestions.
| Where Should I Go from Here? Visit the Map |
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Tales From the Grip: "Rookie Bites" I am proud to be the host of gripman Val Lupiz's column: Tales From the Grip. |
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Reflections on Life at the San Francisco Cable Car Division I can highly recommend Nick Tomizawa's dvd The Feel of the Rope: "a tribute to the men and women that carry on a San Francisco tradition that has continued for over 130 years. Through the words of employees past and present representing two generations of operators, managers, maintainers, trainers, and car builders, you will get an insider's look at what makes the cable cars the most unique transit system in the world." Read my Review. |
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The Cable Cars of San Francisco Second Edition by Robert Callwell & Walter E. Rice, Ph.D. The second edition of Of Cables and Grips: The Cable Cars of San Francisco -- not yet available in a print-and-paper book format -- is available on this web site. |
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| Tin cable car 504 is unusual because its riders are standing figures. In this detail view, I would guess the guy in blue is supposed to be the gripman, but he is standing outside of the bench. The guy with the glasses would not be allowed to stand where he is on a real cable car. I like the surrealistic look. See more collectible items on my Cable Car Kitsch page. See toys, magazine ads, and other new items. |
Table of Contents
- What is a cable car? (updated 01-Sep-2005)
- How do cable cars work? (updated 01-Aug-2007)
- Where and when did cable cars operate? (updated 01-Jul-2008)
- San Francisco (updated 01-Dec-2008)
- Other California Cities
- Los Angeles (updated 01-Jul-2008)
- Oakland (updated 01-Jun-2008)
- San Diego (new 01-Jun-1999)
- Chicago (updated 01-May-2008)
- Kansas City (updated 01-Aug-2008)
- New York/New Jersey (updated 01-Nov-2007)
- Hoboken (updated 01-May-2008)
- Newark (updated 01-May-2008)
- Binghamton (updated 01-May-2008)
- Brooklyn (updated 01-Sep-2006)
- New York (updated 01-May-2006)
- Pacific Northwest (updated 01-Dec-2008)
- Australia/New Zealand (updated 01-Jun-2007)
- UK (updated 01-Sep-2007)
- Douglas, Isle of Man (updated 01-Aug-2004)
- Glasgow (new 01-Oct-2001)
- Liverpool (new 01-Oct-2001)
- London (updated 01-Jan-2001)
- Other Cities
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (updated 01-May-2008)
- Providence, Rhode Island (new 01-Jul-2008)
- Denver (new 01-Mar-2006)
- Paris (new 01-Nov-2003)
- Who Was Important in the History of the Cable Car? (updated 01-Aug-2008)
- Why do I Maintain This Site? (updated 01-Apr-2008)
- News (updated 01-Jan-2009)
- 2009 Anniversaries (updated 01-Jan-2009)
- Thanks/Links (updated 01-Oct-2008)
- What's New (updated every month)
- Ten Years Ago (updated every month)
- San Francisco Cable Car Chronology by Walter Rice and friends (updated 01-Jan-2009)
- Miscellany (updated 01-Aug-2008)
- Site Map (updated 01-Dec-2008)
- Bibliography (updated 01-Jan-2009)
- Guest Book (new 01-Sep-1998)
- Picture of the Month (updated every month)
- Search This Site (updated 01-Oct-2006)
- Legal Stuff (modified 01-Jul-2001)
News
27th Annual Senior Luncheon - 18-December-2008
The people of the Cable Car Division hosted a group of more than 175 senior citizens for the 27th annual holiday luncheon.
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| Val Lupiz created this invitation for the luncheon. All rights reserved. |
SUV runs into Cable Car - 17-December-2008
Two people were hospitalized after an SUV ran into a cable car near the end of the Hyde Street line.
Powell Cable Stopped - 16-October-2008
The Powell Street cable was stopped for most of the day by an early-morning loose strand.
Trainz Cable Car Simulation - 30-September-2008
Norm Phythian, working from Australia, has created a Trainz simulation, referred to as a map, representing San Francisco's cable car lines. Sel Churchward has created representations the tracks and of cable cars to run on the lines. They both do nice work.
You can learn more on the Trainz discussion forum:
http://forums.auran.com/trainz/index.php
(search for "cable car")
You can see screen captures from the cable car lines and many other interesting-looking
simulations on Norm's website:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/norm_phythian
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| A screen capture looking down Hyde Street from Norm Pythian's map. Car 23 by Sel Churchward. All rights reserved. |
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| Sel Churchward produced this version of Cal Cable 57. All rights reserved. |
Updated 31-October-2008: Added more about the simulation on the Cable Car Models page.
Pedestrian Dies - 25-August-2008
The Chronicle reported that an elderly lady who was hit by a cable car at Mason and Broadway early in the morning on 24-August-2008 had died in San Francisco General Hospital.
California Street Collison - 29-August-2008
The Chronicle reports that an inbound California Street cable car rear-ended another cable car car at California and Drumm this morning.
Runaway and Derailment - 13-July-2008
Powell Street car 12 ran away at Washington and Mason and derailed while making the turn at Powell Street. Four passengers were injured. The inbound Powell/Mason car failed to coast through the turn from Mason to Washington. This curve was poorly redesigned when the system was rebuilt in 1982-1984. The crew got off of the car to push. When it started rolling down the hill on Washington, the gripman jumped on the back platform and passed through the cabin. He found that the front cabin door was jammed and he could not get through. The car hit the curve into Powell too fast and derailed. Muni stated that the crew may have broken the rules by not keeping one person the car while it was out in the street.
Val Golding, RIP - 02-July-2008
San Francisco transit fan and historian Val Golding passed away in Seattle. He was a good guy and was always generous about sharing his knowledge. Val wrote a very good article about his memories of transit in San Francisco, "San Francisco: That Was the City That Was".
Explosion at California and Drumm - 24-June-2008
Manhole covers flew threw the year by the terminal of the California Street line, where I had been standing just the day before. Pacific Gas and Electric was trying to determine the cause. Cal cable service was interrupted for a while.
46th Annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest - 03-June-2008
Defending champ Leonard Oats won the
46th Annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest. I think it was held on a Tuesday in June instead
of a Thursday in July because of the APTA convention.
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Rebuilt Car 25 Rolls out - 28-May-2008
Rebuilt car 25 went into revenue service after a complete rebuilding. This was to coincide with the APTA (American Public Transportation Association ) Rail Conference and International Rail Rodeo.
Movie Milk - 17-March-2008
Val Lupiz reports that the producers of Milk, a biographical film about assassinated Supervisor Harvey Milk, chartered Powell Street Car One, operated by bell ringing champion Byron Cobb.
Go to top of page.
2009 Anniversaries
2009 Anniversaries
200 years ago - 1809
Feb 12 - Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky
125 years ago - 1884
May 29 - The Highgate Hill Cable Tramway, the first cable tramway in Europe, started service.
Jun 30 - The Telegraph Hill Railroad, a funicular, started service.
New York National League club (not yet Giants) record: 62-50, 5th place. Managers: James Price, Monte Ward.
100 years ago - 1909
New York Giants record: 92-61, 3rd place. Manager: John McGraw.
75 years ago - 1934
New York Giants record: 93-60, 2nd place. Manager: Bill Terry.
50 years ago - 1959
May 14 - Sidney Bechet, important early jazz musician, died in Paris
San Francisco Giants record: 83-71, 3rd place. Manager: Bill Rigney.
25 years ago - 1984
Apr 26 - Bill "Count" Basie, piano player and swing band leader, died
Jun 03 - The California Street line reopened after the Great Reconstruction
Jun 04 - The Powell/Hyde Street line reopened and the rebuilt Washington/Mason carbarn and powerhouse was dedicated after the Great Reconstruction
Jun 21 - The Powell/Mason Street line reopened and the city held a major celebrtion after the Great Reconstruction
Jun 12 - A suicidal driver ran head-on into Powell/Hyde car 12, causing it to run away backwards downhill. Gripman Ray McCann and his conductor, both seriously injured, were able to stop the car
San Francisco Giants record: 66-96, 6th place. Managers: Frank Robinson, Danny Ozark.
Go to top of page.
What's New
- 01-January-2009
- Picture of the Month: A train of the Second Street Cable Railway in Los Angeles passes through the line's deep cut in Bunker Hill
- On the Other California Cities page:
Newspaper articles about the Second Street Cable Railway
in Los Angeles:
- Second Street Cable Railway Seeks Subscriptions/1 (Los Angeles Times, Tuesday, February 3, 1885)
- Second Street Cable Railway Seeks Subscriptions/2 (Los Angeles Times, Saturday, February 7, 1885)
- Second Street Cable Railway Tested (Los Angeles Times, Friday, October 9, 1885)
- Second Street Cable Railway -- Unpaid Cable Bill (Los Angeles Times, Saturday, October 26, 1889)
- Second Street Cable Railway -- Conduit Blocked (Los Angeles Times, Thursday, December 5, 1889)
- On the Decorated Cable Cars page: Cable cars decorated for Christmas, 2008.
- Added News item about the annual senior luncheon. Also News and Bibliography items about an SUV running into a Powell Street car
- Archived October 2008 What's New, 2008 Anniversaries, and July-December 2007 News items.
- 01-December-2008
- Picture of the Month: A Val Lupiz night view of car 60, which he had decorated for the holidays, at California and Drumm on 04-December-2007.
- On the San Francisco page: Articles about the 1886-1887 strike against the Sutter and Geary Street lines, which include reports about the Sutter Street superintendant's plug uglies shooting at people in the street and at least two grip cars, one from each company, getting blown up with dynamite
- With Christmas coming, it's a good time to visit Joe Lacey's article Christmas on the Cables (10th anniversary this year), and the Decorated Cable Cars page.
- On the Cable Cars in the Pacific Northwest page, Peter Ehrlich took a photo of a sign telling the history of the Yesler Way line. Thanks to Peter for the photo
- Archived September 2008 What's New
- 01-November-2008
- Picture of the Month: A postcard shows two Fillmore Hill counterbalance cars during the White Front era
- On the San Francisco page: Updates to the article about the Fillmore Hill Counterbalance, including two newspaper articles about accidents:
- On the Cable Car Models page, photos of a large wooden model of Powell Street car 16 recently unveiled at the Cable Car Museum
- Also on the Cable Car Models page, more information about Norm Pythian's cable car simulation
- Added a Chronology item about a plaque placed at the powerhouse of the Consolidated Piedmont Cable Company by the The Friends of the Cable Car Museum
- Added News and Bibliography items about a loose strand stopping Powell Street service
- Archived August 2008 What's New
Go to top of page.
Ten Years Ago
- 01-Jan-1999
- Picture of the Month: Los Angeles Second Street Cable Railway cable train.
- Roll out Other California Cities page with the Los Angeles Second Street Cable Railway
- Add link about the Katoomba Scenic Railway to the Australia page.
- Archive news stories, 1998 Anniversaries, and Jul-Dec 1998 What's New
- 14-Dec-1998
- Added "Christmas on the Cables" by Joe Lacey to the SF page.
- 01-Dec-1998
- Picture of the Month: "A Sunday Load".
- Add excerpts from article "The Parks of San Francisco" and "A Sunday Load" picture to the SF Miscellany section
- Add California & Powell accident to news & bibliography
- Fix some typos
- 01-Nov-1998
- Picture of the Month: Broadway, NY accident.
- Add Broadway, NY picture and two Cal Cable wreck photos to How page
- Add information about bells & brakes to the How page
- Add thanks to Joe Lacey and quote him on bells on the How page
- Add article about Fillmore Hill counterbalance to the SF Miscellany section
- Add information about turntable helpers to news & bibliography
- Add link to EHRA, replacing SF Online link
- Add link to Rick Russel's The Trolley Stop and Seashore Trolley Museum pages.
Go to top of page.
Guest Book
Note: Guestbook entries will not appear online until I have reviewed and approved them. The amount of text available is limited, so please keep your entry brief.
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Visit the Advanced Search page.
Legal Stuff
The opinions expressed in The Cable Car Home Page are mine.
All copyrights and trademarks belong to the people or firms that own them. I have always tried to give credit where credit is due. If I have failed and you can correct me, please let me know immediately. In such cases, I apologize beforehand and I mean no harm.
In general, the contents of The Cable Car Home Page (unless otherwise noted) are the copyright of Joe Thompson.
Following the links on this site may cause you to leave the Cable Car Home Page and enter the website of a third party. I have no influence whatsoever over the design and content of such websites and can accept absolutely no responsibility for them.
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since 01-Apr-1998.