The Cable Car Home Page

The Cable Car Home Page

by Joe Thompson

The Cable Car Home Page

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


Tales From the Grip

Tales From the Grip:
"Rookie Bites"

I am proud to be the host of gripman Val Lupiz's column: Tales From the Grip.
Tales From the Grip


The Feel of the Rope
The Feel of the Rope
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.

The Feel of the Rope


Book Cover
Of Cables and Grips:
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.
Book Cover


Toy Cable Car
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


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.

announcement
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

Norm Hyde Street
A screen capture looking down Hyde Street from Norm Pythian's map. Car 23 by Sel Churchward. All rights reserved.

Sel Churchward 57
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.
2008 contest

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.

News Archive

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.

Anniversaries Archive

Go to top of page.


What's New

What's New Archive

Go to top of page.


Ten Years Ago

  • 01-Jan-1999
  • 14-Dec-1998
  • 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.

Ten Years Ago Archive

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.

Sign My Guestbook
View My Guestbook
View My Old Guest Book


Search This Site

Search this site by entering a key word or phrase (for best results use quotations, i.e. "Ferries and Cliff House Railway")


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.




Visit my home page
Home/ What/ How/ Where & When/ Who/ Why
Chronology/ Miscellany/ Links/ Map/ Bibliography

If you have comments, suggestions, or kvetches email me at cable_car_guy@hotmail.com

This page has been referenced  many times since 01-Apr-1998.

Copyright 1996-2009 by Joe Thompson. All rights reserved.
Last updated 01-January-2009