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Disneyland, 2010

Philadelphia Ergonomics

Cable Car Lines in Ohio

Cable Car Lines in Pennsylvania

Cable Car Lines in the District of Columbia and Baltimore

Cable Car Lines in Colorado

Cable Traction by Daniel Kinnear Clark

Patent 100,140

Australia/New Zealand development

UK development

Cable Car Video Roster

Tales From the Grip (dev)

19th Century Magazine Articles

Miscellaneous Articles About Cable Cars

Other Cities

• Birmingham - Birmingham Central Tramways Company
• Matlock - Matlock Tramways Company, Ltd
• Paris - Tramway Funiculaire de Belleville
• Providence, Rhode Island - Providence Cable Tramway
• Saint Paul, Minnesota - Saint Paul City Railway
• London, England - The Tower Subway

Northern California Funiculars

The San Diego Trolley

The Phantom Cable Car Line

Private Funiculars

Gravity Power

San Francisco, 1906

Doppelmayer

• Feinstein, Dianne

Cable Car Miscellany

• Cable Car Kitsch
• Cable Car Destinations
• Before Hallidie (and Brooks)

Excerpt from Travels with Jottings by Edward D Holton

Excerpt From "Their Silver Wedding Journey" by William Dean Howells

Excerpts from Blix by Frank Norris

Excerpt from White Fang by Jack London

Cable-Driven Automated People Movers

Frequently Asked Questions

Messages

Anniversary development

2010 Anniversaries

175 years ago - 1835
Nov 30 - Samuel Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri

150 years ago - 1860
Nov 06 - Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States
Dec 20 - South Carolina seceded from the Union

125 years ago - 1885
Oct 08 - In Los Angeles, the Second Street Cable Railway started service
Oct 21 - The National and Pacific Cable Companies agreed to share the national market
Nov 06 - The Binghamton, New York experimental cable car line started running
Nov 11 - The first cable tramway service in Australia began to Richmond in Melbourne, Australia

New York Giants record: 85-27, 2nd place. Manager: James Mutrie. Mutrie began calling his players "My Giants". The name caught on.

100 years ago - 1910
Mar 29 - A car of Kansas City's Metropolitan Street Railway derailed on the 12th Street incline and was struck by the following car.
Apr 22 - Mark Twain died

New York Giants record: 91-63, 2nd place. Manager: John McGraw.

75 years ago - 1935
Feb 27 - A runaway automobile hit the California and Powell signal tower. Signalman James Chiamps later died.
Apr 30 - The Inner Circle of the Glasgow District Subway last ran with cable traction
Nov 30 - The Outer Circle of the Glasgow District Subway last ran with cable traction

New York Giants record: 91-62, 3rd place. Manager: Bill Terry.

50 years ago - 1960

San Francisco Giants record: 79-75, 5th place. Managers: Bill Rigney, Tom Sheehan.

25 years ago - 1985

San Francisco Giants record: 62-100, 6th place. Managers: Jimmy Davenport, Roger Craig. This was the only time the Giants have lost 100 games.

Anniversaries Archive

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butte coc

montana magazine

montana hs

uw digital collections
Trolley Folly By Brennen Jensen Baltimore City Paper February 21 - February 27, 2001

http://www.cityofdunedin.com/city/?page=feat_tram THE RISE AND FALL OF THE DUNEDIN TRAM

http://www.pacificislandtravel.com/new_zealand/about_destin/dunedin/dunedin. html

"Taming the hills: The hills that rise so sharply from the waterfront were in time conquered by the first cable tramway to operate outside the United States. Suggested in 1879 by a 27-year-old engineer, George Smith Duncan, the pioneer line was built by a company he founded. The line ran up Rattray Street and curved to the left at St Joseph's Cathedral, the curve being overcome by a "pull curve" - a number of small wheels that eased the wire rope round the curve but still allowed the cablecar to grip. The innovation was later adopted by major cable systems throughout the world.

"A continuously running endless cable ran beneath the roadway and was gripped by a projecting arm when the passenger car was to move. Each car had a brakeman who could grip the cable at will and who also had a variety of brakes to hold the car still when it was not engaged to the cable. The cablecar system, based on the design of the world's first (San Francisco, 1873), became a landmark. By the turn of the century three private companies were operating services to Roslyn, Mornington, Maryhill and Kaikorai. Duncan later crossed the Tasman to design a cable tramway for Melbourne; this was later reputed to be the best laid out in the world. The cars trundled up and down the hills of Dunedin for three-quarters of a century. One by one the lines closed, and finally the Mornington cars made their last journeys in 1957. The decision to abandon the system evoked much opposition, as the city was hard to imagine without the quaint cars. (A cablecar from the Maryhill line is in the Early Settlers' Museum. The Guinness Book of Records accords Baldwin St (1:1.266) as being the world's steepest.)"

http://www.sligofamily.com/Alexander.htm

"He was also a Director of the Roslyn and Kaikorai Tramway Company and a Director in several other public companies."

http://www.kaiser.aix.de/global/cablecar.html

The Wellington Cable Car

"The design of the cable cars would appear to have been based on that of the Mornington Cable Cars and the Kaikorai Trams, both of Dunedin, which first ran in 1883. Plans of the original cars state the builder as Mark Sinclair of Dunedin and the year of construction as 1901."

http://www.tramarchives.homestead.com/Page1.html

Maryhill tram in color

"The Tramway Classics range features popular trams seen on the streets of Great Britain at the beginning of the twentieth century."

VALLEY CITY STREET AND CABLE RAILWAY.

November 10, 1884, a report made in the Common Council recommended that permission be given for the construction of a cable railway in Lyon, Union and East Bridge streets, and an ordinance was passed February 16, 1885, granting a franchise with conditions. Some efforts toward starting the work were made in the following year, without much progress. The Valley City Street and Cable Railway was incorporated June 6, 1887 - President, Wm. P. Innes; Secretary and Treasurer, Robert W. Innes; Engineer, Wm. Phenix. Their first cable line was in Lyon street, from the foot to Grand avenue; and horse-car lines in connection were constructed from the foot of Lyon to Waterloo and down Grandville avenue to the south city line, also across Fulton street bridge and to the west city line, and one north from Lyon on Barclay street. The company began work in August, and the horse-car branches were running in October. The cable in Lyon street was drawn to place April 13, 1888, grip cars ran on the 16th, and soon began their regular trips. The power house is by the Lyon street and Grand avenue corner, where very powerful steam machinery is placed to operate the line. The lines in the early part of 1890 are:

Lyon and Bridge street (cable), from the corner of East Fulton and East streets over Fulton, Union, Lyon, Canal, and East Bridge streets and Grand avenue. Ottawa street (cable), from the City Hall by the way of Canal and East Bridge streets to Ottawa, and over North Ionia and Taylor streets to the north city line at Sweet street. West Third ward line (cable), from Pearl street and business center to city limits by Louis, Spring, Wealthy avenue, Sheldon, Wenham avenue and Lafayette streets. Grandville avenue line (horse), from Canal street and business center to city limits south on Grandville avenue. West Fulton street line (horse), Fulton, Straight, Jackson, Pine and Bridge and business center. Barclay street line (horse), Coit, Trowbridge and Clancy to D., G. H. & M. track. Ionia street line, south on Ionia to and beyond the city limits.

Some seven miles of roadway are completed, or nearly so. A central power house plant is in the course of development and construction, at the foot of Lyon street, between Campau street and the river. Twenty-five passenger and twenty-three grip (cable) cars are in use, also fifteen passenger cars drawn by horses. The capital invested is near half a million dollars. There has been some change of officers and management. Directors chosen July 3, 1889: A. J. Bowne, James Blair, John W. Blodgett and A. D. Rathbone, of Grand Rapids; W. S. Crosby and John M. Hagar, of Chicago; H. P. Breed, of Minneapolis - President, A. J. Bowne; Vice President, J. W. Blodgett; Secretary, W. S. Crosby; Assistant Secretary, Accountant and Purchasing Agent, H. P. Baker; Treasurer, James Blair.

St. Louis City Revised Code Chapter 8.92

8.92.100 Rules and regulations for running streetcars.

D. Vigilant watch to be kept. The conductor, motorman, gripman, driver or any other person in charge of each car shall keep vigilant watch for all vehicles and persons on foot, especially children, either on the track or moving towards it, and on the first appearance of danger to such persons or vehicles, the car shall be stopped in the shortest time and space possible. (1948 C. Ch. 63 § 9: 1960 C. § 595.020.)

8.92.110 Regulations when tracks intersect with railroad and other streetcar tracks.

At all points where the streetcar track may intersect or cross any steam railroad track, every streetcar shall be brought to a full stop not less than ten or more than twenty-five feet from nearest point of intersection, and shall not proceed to cross the railroad track until, upon sufficient investigation, the conductor, or other proper agent appointed by the company for that purpose, is assured there is no danger of collision, whereupon the person in control of the car shall be signaled to proceed. At all points where the street railway track intersects or crosses other street railway tracks, the car shall be stopped immediately before crossing the same, so as to avoid danger of collision. The car going in an eastwardly or westwardly direction over, on or crossing any intersecting street upon which other streetcars are run shall be entitled to the right-of-way to pass before any car going in a northwardly or southwardly direction at the point of intersection of the streets. It shall be the duty of the conductor, motorman, gripman, driver or any other person in charge of the car going in a northwardly or southwardly direction to run the car when approaching the intersection of other street railways so as to stop in due time and give the right-of-way to the car going in an eastwardly or westwardly direction on the intersecting line. In no event shall this clause be so construed as to sanction or allow a wilful or wanton collision by the conductor, motorman, gripman or driver of a car running in an eastwardly or westwardly direction. (1948 C. Ch. 63 § 10: 1960 C. § 595.030.)

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Centennial History of the City of Washington, D. C.: With Full Outline of ... 1892

By Harvey W. Crew, William Bensing Webb, John Wooldridge

p 342-343

The Seventh Street road was changed to a cable road May 1, 1890. The plant by which the cable is propelled is situated on Square No. 504, between Water and Four and a Half streets, and fronting on the Arsenal. In this power house are two engines, each of two hundred and fifty horse-power, but capable of five hundred horse-power each. The legislation under which this cable road was built was permissive only, but in 1890 Congress passed a supplemental act requiring the entire system of the Washington and Georgetown Railroad to be operated by cable or electricity, and the change to be completed within the time required by law, which expires August 6, 1892. The power house in which the machinery will be located is being erected on Square No. 255, between Thirteen and a Half and Fourteenth streets, and D and E streets Northwest. The estimated cost of the machinery to be erected in this building is $150,000. There will be two seven hundred and fifty horse-power engines, and eight one hundred and eighty-four horsepower boilers. The total length of the cable road belonging to the company will, when completed, be eleven miles of double track, and the the entire cost of the change is estimated at $3,500,000.

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The Washington Electrical Hand-book: Being a Guide for Visitors from Abroad ... - Page 101-103

Electric industries - 1904

THE SYSTEM OF THE CAPITAL TRACTION CO.

The first street car service in Washington was begun in July, 1862, when the Washington and Georgetown Railroad Company ran its first horse cars on Pennsylvania Avenue. The Pennsylvania Avenue line has been operated without interruption since, and as the public's need for service in other sections were manifested, they have been met by the other lines and various extensions.

When it became apparent that the horse car was not adequare, in the later '80's, the company considered what form of mechanical system would best meet the condifions. The overhead trolley system, then just beginning to be generally used, was properly not allowed in Washington, and the cable, the only other successful method of propulsion then available, was adopted. The Seventh Street line was first equipped, and immediately after that was put into operation, in 1890, work was begun on the other lines, so that August, 1892, found all the Washington and Georgetown Railroad's system operated by cable. This system continued to give satisfactory service until September, 1897, when the burning of the company's large central power station, at Fourteenth street and Pennsylvania Avenue, put all the lines except Seventh Street out of commission. The fire occurred after 11 at night, but the disabled cable cars were hauled off the street and the trail cars started out with horse power on a regular schedule the following morning.

In the meantime, the conduit electric system had been developed and proven satisfactory on the Metropolitan Railway Company's lines in Washington and also in New York, so the company's directors decided not to rebuild the cable power station, but to equip the entire road with that system. Fortunately the concrete cable conduit was well adapted to the electric system, and work was soon begun on the track, power station and cars so that both the Pennsylvania Avenue and Fourteenth Street lines were electrically operated from the company's own power station in April, 1898. Parts of the lines had been run some months before that time.

The Seventh Street cable road was also rebuilt, the work being done without interruption to the cable system, which was driven by a separate station, now abandoned.

In September, 1895, the Washington and Georgetown Railroad Company and the Rock Creek Railway Company were consolidated under the name of the Capital Traction Company.

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Horse Car - 175 Years June 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the return of the cable cars after the 1982-1984 reconstruction. Read San Francisco: Cable Cars Are Here to Stay by Val Lupiz and Walter Rice. Pay a visit to Bruce Kliewe's website full of photo of the 1982-1984 reconstruction.

Horse Car - 175 Years 26-November-2007 marks the 175th birthday of the Horse Car. Read a new article on its history and an 11-March-1906 newspaper article about Michael Houlihan, who drove the URR's franchise-protecting horse car line on California Street

The Sutter Street Railway - San Francisco's Second Cable Car Line Read Walter Rice and Emiliano Echeverria's illustrated article "The Sutter Street Railway - San Francisco's Second Cable Car Line"

125 Years - Beginning of Cable Traction in Chicago - 125 Years 28-January-2006 marks the 125th anniversary of the beginning of cable traction in Chicago, Illinois, when the Chicago City Railway's State Street line converted to cable traction.

1906 Earthquake and Fire - 100 Years 18-Apr-2006 marks the 100th anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. 21-Jun-2006 marks the 100th anniversary of the return to service of the Geary Street, Park and Ocean Railway, the first cable car line to return to service after the Earthquake and Fire. 17-Aug-2006 marks the 100th anniversary of the return to service of the California Street Cable Railroad after the Earthquake and Fire.

125 Years - Beginning of Cable Traction in Chicago - 125 Years 28-January-2006 marks the 125th anniversary of the beginning of cable traction in Chicago, Illinois, when the Chicago City Railway's State Street line converted to cable traction.

100 Years - End of Cable Traction in Chicago - 100 Years 21-October-2006 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of cable traction in Chicago, Illinois, when the former Chicago City Railway's Wabash Avenue line and the North Chicago Clark and Lincoln lines converted to electric traction.

Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest The 47th Annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest is scheduled for Tuesday, 09-June-2008 at noon in Union Square.

Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest The 46th Annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest is scheduled for Tuesday, 03-June-2008 at noon in Union Square.

Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest The 45th Annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest is scheduled for Thursday, 12-Jul-2007 at noon in Union Square.

Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest The 44th Annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest is scheduled for Thursday, 13-Jul-2006 at noon in Union Square.

Contest: San Francisco Without Cable Cars See the winning entries in our 2006 Contest, conceived by Walter Rice, who has generously provided the prizes.

Contest: San Francisco Without Cable Cars See the winning entries in our 2006 Contest, conceived by Walter Rice, who has generously provided the prizes.

2006 Contest Please participate in our Contest, "San Francisco With a $5 Cable Car Fare", conceived by Walter Rice, who has generously provided the prizes.

2006 Contest See the winning entries in our Contest, "San Francisco With a $5 Cable Car Fare", conceived by Walter Rice, who has generously provided the prizes.

2006 Contest Please participate in our 2006 Contest, conceived by Walter Rice, who has generously provided the prizes.

First Cable Tram Outside of San Francisco - 125 Years 24-Feb-2006 marks the 125th anniversary of the first cable tram to run in Dunedin, NZ, on the Rattray Street line.

The Feel of the Rope Reflections on Life at the San Francisco Cable Car Division Nick Tomizawa has created a dvd, The Feel of the Rope/Reflections on Life at the San Francisco Cable Car Division: "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."

Last Sydney Cable Tram - 100 Years 14-Jan-2005 marks the 100th anniversary of the last cable tram to run in Sydney, on the King Street line.

Pacific Avenue Abandonment - 75 Years 17-Nov-2004 marks the 75th anniversary of the abandoment of the Pacific Avenue remnant of the Sutter Street Railway. See Walter Rice's article "The Sutter Street Railway", which focuses on the technical innovations of the Sutter Street company.

Upper Douglas Cable Tramway Abandonment - 75 Years 19-Aug-2004 marks the 75th anniversary of the abandonment of the Upper Douglas Cable Tramway on the Isle of Man. Walter Rice kindly provided two articles he wrote about the Isle of Man Railway and the Manx Electric Railway.

Jones Street Shuttle Abandonment - 50 Years 06-Feb-1954 marks the 50th anniversary of the California Street Cable Railroad's Jones Street Shuttle. I have collected some contemporary newspaper articles.

Cable Car Senior Luncheon Raffle Tickets How can you buy a raffle ticket to support the senior citizen luncheon put on by the people of the Cable Car Division? Read the News.

San Francisco Municipal Railway/Cable Car Division 25th Annual Senior Citizen's Holiday Luncheon See the News for an important announcement about the San Francisco Municipal Railway/Cable Car Division 25th Annual Senior Citizen's Holiday Luncheon.

Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest The 40th Annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest is scheduled for Thursday, 16-Oct-2003.

Great Orme Tramway - 100 Years 08-Jul-2003 marks the 100th anniversary of the upper section of the Great Orme Tramway

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

California Street - 125 Years 10-Apr-2002 marks the 125th anniversary of the California Street Cable Railroad. Visit the San Francisco Cable Car Museum site for Walter Rice and Emiliano Echeverria's article "A Century and a Quarter of Cable Car Service on California Street".

Go Giants

Go Giants

Go Giants

Go Giants

Go Giants

Go Giants

Great Orme Tramway - 100 Years 31-Jul-2002 marks the 100th anniversary of the lower section of the Great Orme Tramway

Wells Fargo - 150 Years 18-Mar-2002 marks the 150th anniversary of Wells Fargo

Sutter Street - 125 Years 27-Jan-2002 marks the 125th anniversary of cable traction on the Sutter Street Railway. Visit the San Francisco Cable Car Museum site for Walter Rice's article "Celebrating 125th Anniversary of San Francisco's Second Cable Car, The Sutter Street Railroad - History & Technology".

Geary Street - 125 Years 16-Feb-2005 marks the 125th anniversary of cable traction on the Geary Street Park and Ocean Railway. Read Walter Rice and Emiliano Echeverria's article "When Steam Ran on The Streets of San Francisco," about steam street railway operations, including the Geary Street company's steam dummy line to Golden Gate Park.

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.

They're Back! - 25 Years June, 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the return of the cable cars after the 1982-1984 reconstruction. Read San Francisco: Cable Cars Are Here to Stay by Val Lupiz and Walter Rice. Pay a visit to Bruce Kliewe's website full of photos of the 1982-1984 reconstruction. June 03 - The California Street line reopened after the Great Reconstruction June 04 - The Powell/Hyde Street line reopened and the rebuilt Washington/Mason carbarn and powerhouse was dedicated after the Great Reconstruction June 21 - The Powell/Mason Street line reopened and the city held a major celebrtion after the Great Reconstruction

Angels Flight is Back Angels Flight in Los Angeles returned to service on 15-March-2010.

Happy Holidays Do you remember when Santa arrived at the Emporium by cable car? Read Joe Lacey's "Christmas on the Cables" to find out more. Read more about decorated cable cars, a living holiday tradition.