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Collision at McAllister and Fillmore - a 1905 Newspaper Article

A Runaway Car Causes a Wreck

Cut Down By the Ruthless Cable Car

Patent 100,140

Cable Car Video Roster

19th Century Magazine Articles

Miscellaneous Articles About Cable Cars

Other Cities

Northern California Funiculars

The San Diego Trolley

The Phantom Cable Car Line

Private Funiculars

Gravity Power

Doppelmayer

Cable Car Miscellany

Cable-Driven Automated People Movers

Frequently Asked Questions

Messages

Anniversary development


2025 Anniversaries


250 years ago - 1775
Apr 19 - British Redcoats and American Minutemen exchanged the first shots of the American Revolution in Lexington, Massachusetts. Eight Americans died and the Minutemen ran. The British marched towards Concord, planning to seize arms stored by the colonials.
Apr 19 - British Redcoats found and destroyed some of the colonial arms hidden in Concord, Massachusetts. When the British prepared to leave, they found that hundreds of Minutemen had gathered. The British ran for Boston, suffering 273 casualties before a rescue party reached them.
May 10 - The Second Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia.
Jun 15 - George Washington received command of the Continental Army.
Jun 17 - The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on Breed's Hill near Boston, Massachusetts.

150 years ago - 1850
May 1 - Alcalde John White Geary, later a general in the Civil War, was sworn in as the first Mayor of San Francisco
May 4 - The Second Great Fire destroyed the entire block bounded by Kearny, Clay, Montgomery and Washington
Jun 14 - The Third Great Fire destroyed the area between Clay and California from Kearny to the waterfront
Sep 9 - California was admitted to the Union as the 31st state
Sep 17 - The Fourth Great Fire destroyed the area bounded by Dupont, Montgomery, Washington and Pacific
Oct 18 - The Steamer Oregon arrived with news that California had been admitted to the Union

150 years ago - 1875
Sep 9 - Actress Lotta Crabtree dedicated Lotta's Fountain to the citizens of San Francisco at the intersection of Geary, Kearny and Market streets
??? ?? - The old Ferry Building opened at the foot of Market Street

125 years ago - 1900
Mar 28 - Denver City Cable Company (Denver, Colorado) West Denver line converted to electricity
Mar 29 - Denver City Cable Company (Denver, Colorado) Welton line converted to electricity
Apr 01 - Denver City Cable Company (Denver, Colorado) Larimer line converted to electricity
Apr 24 - Andrew Smith Hallidie died
May 02 - Grand Avenue Railway (Kansas City, Missouri) converted its Westport line to electricity
Sep 04 - Front Street Cable Railway (Seattle, Washington) converted to electricity. The section on Queen Anne Hill was converted to a counterbalance.
Oct 08 - St Louis Railroad (St Louis, Missouri) converted to electricity
Oct 30 - Metropolitan Street Railway (Kansas City, Missouri) converted its 18th-19th Street line to electricity
? - New South Wales Government Tramways (Sydney, Australia) converted to electricity
? - Kaikorai Tramway (Dundein, New Zealand) opened

New York Giants record: 60-78, 8th place. Managers: Buck Ewing, George Davis.

100 years ago - 1925
Jul 01 - Market Street Railway Castro cable car no. 2 was fitted with a cable grip and brakes operated by air. The company felt that air grips could displace the present "unwieldy manually operated grip, give more space and convenience for passengers, and materially lighten the work of gripmen." A second Castro cable car No. 6 received the air grip and braking system on July 16, 1925.

New York Giants record: 93-60, 1st place. The Giants played their fourth straight World Series. They lost to the Washington Senators 4 games to 3. Manager: John McGraw

75 years ago - 1950
Mar 24 - A Powell Street cable car hit an auto at Powell and Post.
May 01 - Public Utilities Commission Manager James Turner announced that cable car operation on Powell Street is suspended from May 1 to May 14, 1950, inclusive for the installation of a new turntable at Powell and Market Streets. The new turntable replaced the original Ferries and & Cliff House Railway (Powell Street Railway) turntable that has been in use since March 28, 1888. Monday, May 15, 1950, service was resumed on both the Washington-Jackson and Powell-Mason cables. During the 15-day suspension, buses covered both Powell lines.
Jun 20 - San Francisco Powell cable car No. 524 had been shipped to Los Angeles for the 1950 Shriners convention, representing San Francisco’s Islam Temple; 524 was towed down that city’s Broadway on its own trucks using Los Angles Transit Lines’ narrow gauge trackage as part of the Shriners parade. Ironically, Los Angles Transit Lines employees were on strike.
Jun 20 - Cal Cable files a suit against the City of San Francisco, seeking financial relief from removing and then replacing its tracks at Hyde Street and Broadway in connection with Broadway tunnel construction. The company objected to closing down the line for six months during construction and sought to have all costs it incurs because of the project of the paid for by the City.
Aug 14 - Cal Cable's O'Farrell, Jones and Hyde cable car service north of California Street is replaced by shuttle buses (San Mateo-Burlingame Transit, Ford buses) to Chestnut Street only because of Broadway Tunnel construction.
Aug 21 - The San Francisco Grand Jury reported that during the calendar year 1949 Muni’s Powell Street cable cars lost $145,089. The railway "is powerless to eliminate the loss, as the voters mandated continuance of the Municipal cable cars." Heavy capital expenditures for track and "other essentials" will be required to keep cable cars in operation. The operating costs, per vehicle service hour, were trolley buses $4.72, motor buses $5.15 streetcars (two-man) $ 8.76 and cable cars $9.52.
Sep 17 - "Service on Line No. 59 (Powell-Mason cable car) will be discontinued on account of construction work on the Broadway Tunnel. A partial substitution of service will be instituted by motor coaches to connect with Line No. 60 (Washington-Jackson cable car) at Powell and Washington Streets." Muni "NOTICE TO PUBLIC" dated September 13, 1950.
Oct 28 - Santa Claus rode a cable car to the Emporium to unveil the Christma windows.

New York Giants record: 73-81, 5th place. Manager: Leo Durocher.

50 years ago - 1975
Apr 08 - Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run, taking the lifetime home run record from Babe Ruth
Sep 03 - John (the Count) Montefusco made his first appearance for the Giants. He made an eight inning relief appearance, hit a two-run homer, and beat the Dodgers 9-5.

San Francisco Giants record: 72-90, 5th place. Managers: Charlie Fox, Wes Westrum

25 years ago - 2000
Jan 11 - The California street line shut down for conduit reconstruction
Apr 24 - The California street line back in service after conduit reconstruction
Jul 16 - Frank Ware won the 37th annual Bell Ringing Contest
Jul 26 - A Powell/Hyde car stopped suddenly when the grip shank hit a coupler pin which fell from another car
Sep 10 - A loose strand stopped the Powell street cable for about eight hours
Oct 13 - A Powell/Hyde cable car hit an auto at Washington and Taylor. The auto hit a pedestrian

San Francisco Giants record: 86-76 2nd place. Manager: Dusty Baker.


30 Years in the Hole (November, 2026)

30 copilot Non-existent Powell Street Car 30. Created by Microsoft Copilot. November 2026 Picture of the Month.

I launched The Cable Car Home Page on AOL thirty years ago in November 1996. I wish I had written down the day. My plan was to sharpen my new html skills and share information about a subject which had not been addressed on the web. I knew when I started that I would not be able to write about everything at once, so I tried to devise a format that was flexible, one that would allow me to develop the site in a modular fashion.

I keep learning new things and finding new newspaper and magazine items. The cable cars keep rolling along in San Francisco, generating new stories and photos. Cable cars were dedicated to Willie Mays and Tony Bennett. In 2024 and 2025, the cable cars faced an existential threat as federal subsidies implemented during the Covid-19 epidemic expired. A group in Dunedin, New Zealand is trying to recreate one of their cable tram lines. People keep digging up bits of long-gone lines. People send me stories about their experiences or information they have learned about ancestors who worked on the cables. I hope I will have enough items to keep me going.

I want to thank all the kind people who have shared information with me. I have learned a lot from building this site.

I look forward to the next 30 years.

By surviving for thirty years, the Cable Car Home page has lasted as long or longer than all but 19 of the about 83 companies that built Hallidie-type cable car lines around the world. London's Highgate Hill Cable Tramway and the New York and Brooklyn Bridge Railway both lasted 30 years. Next year this site will pass the cable operations of San Francisco's Presidio and Ferries Railway and New York's Metropolitan Street Railway.


Gelett Burgess Humorist Gelett Burgess, who wrote "The Ballad of the Hyde Street Grip" died in 1951. (source: "Gelett Burgess, 85, Humorist Regretted 'Purple Cow' Poem" Washington Evening Star, 19-September-1951.)

Nixons on cable car Vice President Richard Nixon and his wife Patricia rode a cable car up to the Mark Hopkins Hotel from Fisherman's Wharf. They were in town for the Republican National Convention. (source: "The Nixons Ride a Cable Car" Washington Evening Star, 21-August-1956.)

Margaret Truman Margaret Truman was as outspoken as her dad Harry. She came to San Francisco with her husband, journalist Clifton Daniel, who was covering the Republican National Convention. As a dedicated Democrat, she wanted nothing to do with Republicans; she planned to go sightseeing and ride a cable car. (source: "Margaret Daniel to Sightsee While Republicans Meet" Washington Evening Star, 15-August-1956.)

Dunedin cable tram closed The end of the Washington-Jackson line. (source: "Another Cable Car Makes Last Run in San Francisco" Washington Evening Star, 03-September-1956.)

Dunedin cable tram closed One of Dunedin's cable tram lines was being converted to buses. (source: "Cable Cars Vanish" Washington Evening Star, 22-January-1952.)

SF cable car going to dc "...one of San Francisco's earliest cable cars" was leaving for the National Museum in Washington, DC. I have to dig deeper into this one. (source: "Cable Car Coming to D.C." Washington Evening Star, 07-December-1937.)

female conductor quit Mary Alice Ball left her job as a cable car conductor after 11 years. (source: "San Francisco Woman Quits Cable Car Job" Washington Evening Star, 14-January-1954.)

Seattle cable car going to dc Seattle donated a retired Yesler Way Grip car to the Smithsonian Institution. This is now the only surviving Seattle cable car. (source: "Smithsonian is Given Complete Cable Car" Washington Evening Star, 23-February-1938.)

KC gripman George Carter, who operated horse cars, cable cars and electric cars in Kansas City, took his first flight on an airplane. (source: "Motorman Takes to Air" Washington Evening Star, 25-November-1934.)

Touring SF WE (William Ely) Hill drew a weekly full page of cartoons satirizing American life. I like the facial expressions on these cable car riders. The gripman should be standing farther back. (source: "Touring San Francisco", WE Hill, Washington Evening Star, 11-August-1929.)

The Cable Cars Are Back The front page of the 04-June-1984 San Francisco Chronicles welcome the cable cars back after the Great Reconstruction.



cover page january, 1999 This is the earliest Picture of the Mnnth I have been able to find on the Wayback Machine, from January, 1999. It was captured on 17-January-1999.

Sacramento/Clay car in Reno This is a former Sacramento/Clay cable car which has had one open end surgically removed, but it is not number 21. This car carried people to hotels in Reno. Thank you to Mike Fong for pointing it out.

Sacramento/Clay car in Elko This is a former Sacramento/Clay cable car which has had one open end surgically removed, but it is not number 21. This is serving Elko, Nevada's Ranch Inn. It may be the same car we saw in Reno. Thank you to Mike Fong for pointiing it out.


glasgow district subway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4VTltNg1FA&feature=share


Renault Commercial An ad for the Renault R-8 uses San Francisco's hills to make a point. (source: Broadcasting, 22-July-1963).

Best of San Francisco "The Best of San Francisco" was a movie produced by the Visitors Bureau. (source: Business Screen Magazine, 1964, Number 3).

I Love a Soldier article
Miss America 1954, Lee Meriwether, grew up in San Francisco and went to George Washington High School and City College. Here she christens a California Street cable car to promote the movie Desiree. (Source: Film Bulletin, 29-November-1954)
outcast_screenland_192901_001.jpg

Outcast
Corinne Griffith and Edmund Lowe on a cable car, filming a scene from the movie Outcast. (Source: Film Bulletin, 29-November-1954)

"San Francisco on the Screen," Picture-Play Magazine, )ctober, 1920.


ad for national/pacific cable railway
An ad for the services of the National Cable Railway and Pacific Cable Railway companies, which were formed by the Patent Trust (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Vogel and Whelan Cable Railway System An ad for the shallow conduit Vogel and Whelan Cable Railway System. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Connely Gas Motor An ad for the Connely Gas Motor. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Roebling An ad for John A Roebling's Sons Co, Manufacturers of Cable Road Ropes. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Richmond Locomotive and Machine Works An ad for the Richmond Locomotive and Machine Works' street railway products. In 1901 it became an initial component of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO). (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

HK Porter HK Porter and Company was famous for building light locomotives. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Washburn and Moen Washburn and Moen were a major cable manufacturer. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Broderick and Bascom Broderick and Bascom were a major cable manufacturer. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

ad for Edmund Saxton
An ad for the services of Edmund Saxton, who built many cable railroads (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

ad for WH Paine
An ad for the services of Colonel William H Paine, who designed the New York and Brooklyn Bridge Railway (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

celluloid railway checks
I assume Celluloid Railway Checks are tokens (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Pintsch gas lighting An ad for the Pintsch Gas Lighting system features the interior of a Third Avenue Railroad "Palace Car" (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Brill Maximum Traction An ad for the Brill Maximum Traction truck. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Brill 27 An ad for the Brill 27 truck. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Brill export An ad for Brill cars for export. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Brill convertible An ad for Brill convertible cars. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Brill snow equipment An ad for Brill cars for handling snow, snow plows, snow sweepers and track scrapers. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Brill electric cars An ad for various styles of Brill electric cars. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

Brill foreign An ad for Brill car styles popular in foreign markets, like the double decker. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).

JG Brill An ad for the JG Brill company. (source: Street Railway Journal Supplement, January, 1890).


not a trolley Batman and Robin (R) discuss taking a ride on a cable car. Meme courtesy of imgflip.com.


from The Street Railway Review, Volume 1, 1891.

California Kid Catcher


Kaikorai tramway testing
The James Street line was being tested. (Source: Otago Daily Times, 25-September-1900)

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Inclined Railway.

From The Street Railway Journal, October, 1891. Volume VII, Number 10.

SRJ Westmount Incline Plane
WESTMOUNT INCLINE PLANE, JOHNSTOWN, PA.

Another interesting feature of Johnstown is the inclined railway illustrated herewith, which was put into operation in June last, and was built in order to develop a fine residence section on the top of the hill where people can live free from the danger of a second flood. This new suburb of Johnstown is called Westmount, and it has a commanding situation overlooking the Conemaugh Valley, and from which may be seen the Allegheny mountains thirty miles away.

The incline is 900 ft. long, being one of the longest in the country. It is built at an angle of thirty-five degrees, and the lower end is supported on a steel structure. The power plant is situated at the crest of the hill, and is operated by two balanced valve engines made by the Altoona Manufacturing Co., and three seventy-eight H. P. Babcock & Wilcox boilers. The winding drums are sixteen feet in diameter with a four foot face. The cables were manufactured by the Roeblings. The entire plant was designed and built by Samuel Diescher, of Pittsburgh, and cost $125,000. On the Fourth of July last about 9,000 people patronized the line.


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Horses as Passengers.

From The Street Railway Journal, May, 1893. Volume IX, Number 5.

Ontario horse car
FIG. 1. -- ON THE DOWN TRIP -- ONTARIO, CAL.

A road in which horses provide the motive power in going in one direction and enjoy a ride when going in the other direction exists in Ontario, Cal. The length of the road now being operated in this way is six and a quarter miles, and the ascent for that distance is a little over 1,000 ft. The up trip occupies ninety minutes. The schedule time for the down trip, is thirty minutes, but it can be readily made in twenty minutes. The truck on which the horses ride down folds up and slides under the car while the journey up is being made. The horses really seem to enjoy the ride, and when turned out of their stables, which are located at the upper end of the line, will walk into the truck of their own accord. Since the adoption of this method only about two-fifths of the number of horses formerly used have been required. This method of operation the manager of the railway company, Charles Frankish, states is only temporary, as the road will probably soon be equipped with electric cars.

Denver horse car
FIG. 2. -- CAR ON 34TH AVENUE RAILWAY -- DENVER, COLO.

Fig. 2 shows a similar road in Dever Colo., which extends on Thirty-fourth Avenue, from Colorado Boulevard to the Welton Street Cable line, the greater part of this distance being on a grade of from 2 to 5 per cent. The owner of the road is J. Cook, Jr., and the rolling stock consists of one car, shown in the engraving, together with the novel truck for transporting the horses down the grade. The line is one and a quarter miles in length, and this distance, on the descent, is often made in two minutes.

Besides drawing the car up the hill, the horses are also used for a short distance at each end where the road is on a level. The wheels for the horse platform car are one foot in diameter, and the car weighs, complete, 300 lbs. Five horses only are needed, showing that, as in Ontario, a distinct gain is made in allowing the horses to ride down hill, as the car is run from 5:30 A. M. to 11:30 p. M.

Go to top of The Electric Railway Journal section.

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Banana Splits - Wait Til Tomorrow

Banana Splits/1 The Banana Splits on California Street Cable Car 54..

The Banana Splits, Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper and Snorky starred in The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, produced by Hanna-Barbera in 1968-1970. The Banana Splits visited San Francisco in an early music video for the song "Wait Til Tomorrow." They rode across the Golden Gate Bridge, rode on a cable car and visited Fisherman's Wharf.
Banana Splits/1 The Banana Splits on California Street Cable Car 54..

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Mount Beacon Incline Railway

Mount Beacon Incline A postcard shows the two cars of the Mount Beacon Incline Railway and the Beaconcrest Hotel on top of Mount Beacon.

Mount Beacon question A 1937 question about a New York summer resort that can only be reached by cable car. (source: "Answers to Questions" by Frederick J Haskin, Washington Evening Star, 30-December-1937.)

The Mount Beacon Incline Railway ran from 1902 to 1978. The funicular carried passengers to the top of Mount Beacon on the Hudson River. Otis Elevator Company engineer Thomas E Brown designed the road, which claimed to be the steepest passenger-carrying incline railroad in the world. The cable was driven by an electric motor.

Mount Beacon fire A 1927 brush fire damaged the incline but did not hurt anyone. (source: "40 Escape in Fire" Washington Evening Star, 07-October-1927.)

A hotel and casino at the top of Mount Beacon generated traffic until they were destroyed in a 1927 fire. Subsequent fires, the Great Depression and increased use of automobiles ground away at the road's ridership until it went out of business in 1978. The line remained mostly intact until a 1983 fire destroyed the powerhouse, the tracks and the cars.

The Mount Beacon Incline Railway Restoration Society wants to revive the Mount Beacon Incline Railway

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Edison's New Electrical Railway.

From The Scientific America, February 3, 1894.

Edison Electric Railway

[from The Scientific American of June 5,1880.]

EDISON'S NEW ELECTRICAL RAILWAY.

But for the chronic aptitude of this generation never to wonder at anything, we might expect to witness expressions of surprise as it becomes known that we are to be whisked through the country at the rate of thirty, forty, or fifty miles an hour by an agent invisible and unknown save by its effects; but the moment electricity is suggested as a motive power for railways, the never to be surprised public say, "Why not?" Nevertheless, the practical application of the electric current to this purpose seems never to have had a prospect of success before the experiments of Dr. Siemens, in Berlin, in 1879, and the present extended experiments of Mr. Edison. It is a subject fraught with difficulties, and while it has always offered a seemingly promising field for inventors, the expense attending experiments of this class has been a most effectual barrier to progress.

Mr. Edison, more fortunate in this respect than many of our experimenters, has not been hampered by monetary difficulties, and having had ample means for carrying out his ideas in practice, he has been enabled to develop his inventions more rapidly perhaps than any other man living.

His new electric railway at Menlo Park is built ov r natural ground, with little or no grading, and with no regard for curves or grades. It is at present something over half a mile long, and is soon to be extended to form a mile circle. The present rolling stock consists of one electric locomotive and one open car. The general appearance of the railway and its equipments will be seen in our engraving. The motor is precisely like one of Mr. Edison's electrical generators, figured and described in our columns some time since, and the motive power is supplied by his stationary engine, the power being converted into electrical energy by a single generator.

The current thus created is conveyed to the track by two copper wires, one wire being connected with each rail. The armature of the locomotive makes four revolutions to one of the drive wheels. The machine is managed about like a steam locomotive, and it pushes ahead with wonderful energy.

By invitation of Mr. Edison, representatives of this journal were present at a recent trial of this novel motor, and had the pleasure of riding, with some twelve or fourteen other passengers, at a breakneck late up and down the grades, around sharp curves, over humps and bumps, at the rate of twenty-five to thirty miles an hour. Our experiences were sufficient to enable us to see the desirableness of a little smoother road, and to convince us that there was no lack of power in the machine. Mr. Edison says that he realizes in the locomotive seventy per cent of the power applied to the generator. He will soon add four more cars and apply improvements which he has in contemplation. This grand experiment is designed to test the applicability of the electric current to this purpose and to develop a railway system suitable for plantations, large farms, and for mining districts, and perhaps it is not entirely visionary to expect that our street and elevated railways may at no very distant day be successfully operated by electricity.

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The Extensions of the Metropolitan Traction Company, of New York City.

From The Scientific America, June 30, 1894.

NY 9th Avenue

We illustrate what is really a striking scene in the development of street transit in the city of New York. It represents the last act in the conversion of a roadway originally constructed for horse-drawn vehicles into a double-storied avenue, in which two forms of mechanical car traction are used. The view is taken at 9th Avenue, near 98th Street, and shows the construction of the new cable conduits and tracks of the Metropolitan Traction Company, of this city. The company at present operates the cable line extending from the Battery through Broadway and 7th Avenue to 59th Street, to whose operations we have already devoted considerable space. The new cable line whose construction we illustrate starts from 7th Avenue at 53d Street. Through this street it passes under the tracks of the elevated road, reaching 9th Avenue, where it turns to the north and, still keeping under the tracks of the elevated structure, reaches 98th Street. It is to be run by cable from the 50th Street power station of the Metropolitan Traction Company.

The Broadway line at present in operation represents 56,000 feet of single track. Measured in the same way, the new 9th Avenue line gives 30,000 more feet. This is not the only new cable line whose construction is in progress. Starting from Broadway and 23d Street, another line is now being constructed to Lexington Avenue on the same street, and then north to 72d Street, giving 30,000 more feet of track. The two cable lines are to stop for the present at 72d Street and at 98th Street respectively, but they are manifestly an incomplete solution of the transit question, so the following extensions and connections are in prospect. It is proposed to carry the Lexington Avenue line straight up to the Harlem River; the 9th Avenue line is to be extended north, and probably at 109th Street is to run into 8th Avenue and thence north to about 116th Street. Here it is to divide, one portion running east and north to where Lenox Avenue meets the Harlem River, while the other branch is to go up St. Nicholas Avenue and Kingsbridge Road to Kingsbridge, almost the extreme northerly point of Manhattan Island. But the most interesting point is in another aspect, for it is hoped to run all the lines north of 77th Street and Lexington Avenue and 98th Street and 9th Avenue by electricity, an underground trolley system being employed. The cable system of traction is recognized as a very efficient one, increasing in efficiency as the number of cars driven at once increases, but it has several attendant disadvantages. A car cannot drop the cable on a curve. Where few cars are run the expense per car materially increases. The cost of maintenance for keeping the plant in order, the wheels oiled and the general apparatus in condition is very great. In electricity, many of these disadvantages are, to a great extent, overcome, and the result of the Metropolitan Traction Company's experiments in the direction of developing electric traction by underground conduit system will be watched with great interest.

We have alluded to the new character of a two-storied system as suggested by the scene illustrated, for virtually the center portion of the street is abandoned to the two railroads. Whether an underground road, on the lines of the London Underground, will yet make its appearance is a matter of surmise. If so, and if it should be built on a street occupied as is the one we illustrate, then we should have a three-storied street. It is to be hoped that our rapid transit problem may be solved without recourse to a method which has proved in many ways so disagreeable as has the London Underground. An electrical underground road would be free from most of the troubles in the way of discomfort which are encountered on the English road.

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Accidents on Cable Railways.

From The Street Railway Journal, January, 1885. Volume I, Number 3.

The best constructed cable railways are liable to accident. These accidents, however, are usually slight, confined generally to breakage of cable, or ineffective working of the grip or the brake, imposing delays varying from half an hour to a couple of hours.

Accidents to individuals have been, as a rule, limited to the loss of a hand or a crushed foot, now and then, but on the whole there are less accidents from the cable railways than from the steam tramways.

A short time ago a very serious accident occurred on the Highgate cable road, London. The car was on a steep grade, and the grip failing to clutch the cable, notwithstanding the brake was shut down hard, the car ran down the hill into the car waiting at the bottom of the grade, completely demolishing both cars and injuring four people. The occupants of the waiting car perceiving their danger, having alighted, only those in the runaway car were injured.

Cases of this kind are of very rare occurrence, and although accidents to the brake or grip are not by any means uncommon, they do not usually result in more serious inconvenience than the failure to stop and start when desired.

from Mems.

From The Street Railway Journal, January, 1885. Volume I, Number 3.

Edinburgh, Scotland. -- The construction of the first street cable tramway in Scotland is about to be begun on the north side of Edinburgh.

from Mems.

From The Street Railway Journal, January, 1885. Volume I, Number 3.

Andrews & Clooney (N. Y.) report among other orders a number for wheels from South America, some 75 sets for John Stephenson Co., also a number for J. G. Brill & Co. and J. M. Jones' Sons. They have just completed some elevating sheaves for the Kansas City Cable Railway.

from Mems.

From The Street Railway Journal, January, 1885. Volume I, Number 3.

The Third Avenue R. R. Co. (N. Y.) has just closed a contract with Andrews & Clooney to furnish and lay the curves, switches and castings connected with the cable road depot to be built at Tenth Avenue and 125th Street.

The Third Avenue Railroad Co. has work on road bed nearly completed on about three miles of double track line on 10th Avenue, and about 1,600 feet on 135th Street. This experimental line of cable road is to run from the Harlem to the Hudson on 125th Street and from 125th Street north to the end of Tenth Avenue, which is above 225th Street. It is probable that cars will be running on a large portion of the line by the first of April. If this trial of the cable system is satisfactory to the company and popular with the public, cable power will doubtless soon supersede horses on the old line of the company.

President Lyon, of the Third Avenue Co., has spared neither pains nor expense in building cars for tbe new cable line of the company. The most noticeable features of the cars are a very high clerestory, which carries the centre lamp well up out of the way and gives a very nice roomy appearance: the platforms are provided with two gates, only one on each being allowed to be opened, thus compelling passengers to get on and off the car on side nearest the walk; a woven wire screen on sides and wooden frame at ends prevent persons from slipping under the car; doors are hung from the top; six windows on a side.

Superintendent Robertson, of the Third Avenue Co., N. Y., has designed and built an open car having two rows of reversible cane seats similar to an ordinary smoking car. The sides are closed, compelling passengers to get on and off only at the end of car. It is probable that their new Tenth Avenue cable line will have a large summer traffic, and the company seems bound to deserve it.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, March, 1885. Volume I, Number 5.

Chicago Cable Roads. -- For the first time, we believe, since the South Side (Chicago) Cable lines started up, there are reports of failure, on account of snow and ice during the recent cold snap. We can't see, however, that this is any argument against the cable, as horse car lines were stopped at the same time all over the United States.

Chicago. -- A grip was broken on the Madison Street switch the other evening, and all switching from one track to the other, on both the State and Cottage Grove lines, was done with the assistance of horses.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, March, 1885. Volume I, Number 5.

Andrews & Clooney- have just made for the Kansas City Cable road, and are now making for the 10th Avenue (N. Y.), Cable road, a number of springs to be so applied as to relieve the cable of sudden strain. They are graduated in such a manner as to indicate at any time the amount of resistance of the car. Why would it not be a good plan to attach to such a graduated spring a pencil to mark on a ribbon of paper to move by clockwork in such a way as to indicate the exact amount of load at any part of the trip, and the average amount of power required to haul the car or train?

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, April, 1885. Volume I, Number 6.

Alfred Egerton, Superintendent of the Albany (N.Y.) R.R. Co., is investigating the various systems of cable traction, with a view to adopting one of them. He invites correspondence on the subject. A few cars and some track will be added this spring.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, April, 1885. Volume I, Number 6.

Mr. Wm. P. Craig is to furnish the material and build about six miles of street road in New Bedford, Mass., using the Johnson steel girder rail He writes that his prospects are good for building several more roads in the eastern states, using this rail. He has contracted to build an extension to the Bushwick Road, in Brooklyn. E. D., comprising about 2 1/2 miles of track. He also expects, in a few days, to commence work on laying the curves and switches connecting the cable road on Tenth Avenue, New York, with the depot, and this road is expected to be running as soon as this work is completed.

Mr. Holmes on the Traction Company's Troubles.

From The Street Railway Journal, May, 1885. Volume I, Number 7.

Mr. C. B. Holmes, Superintendent of the Chicago City Railway Company, was recently interviewed by a reporter on one of the Chicago dailies, and expressed himself as follows on the subject of the Philadelphia Traction Company's mechanical difficulties:

"The first piece of cable road constructed in Philadelphia was put in one year ago last summer, and was something like a mile in length. The projectors of the road had previously visited this city and we made them familiar with our methods of construction and our various appliances; but they expressed the conviction that our expenditure of money had been too great, and they endeavored to construct an equally effective road at a cost of about half the money.

"Their first construction cost them, I am told by their engineer, something in the neighborhood of $146,000, and it proved an utter failure. It was taken up and thrown away. Last season the same company constructed from twelve to sixteen miles of cable track, which was in some respects an improvement on the first experimental mile put in a year before, but the construction was altogether too light and had no ability to resist the lateral pressure of frost, which is simply enormous. If our construction here had been made in the same way, it would have given us even more trouble than they had, as our frost goes so much deeper and its pressure is so much greater.

"I notice in the papers that the cost of this road is stated to be $600,000, but it is my impression, received from various sources, that the expenditure was much greater -- probably over a million. This construction had no ability to resist the great lateral pressure, and as soon as the frost came the slot closed. The engineer of the construction told me that they had taken up the pavement, inserted wedges in the slot, and forced the slot open, and had attempted to hold it open by inserting bolted rods between the slot-iron and the stringers upon which the rails are placed. But this afforded only temporary relief, for as soon as the temperature changed again the slot not only closed but drew the rails themselves toward the slot, so that in operating the cars with horses a large number of wheels and axles on the cars were broken.

"This information," said Superintendent Holmes, "was given me by the President of one of the companies in Philadelphia. We have never had the slightest trouble with our construction here in Chicago in the way of the slot closing, as we made special provision to guard against that, it being the thing to fear most. That feature of the construction was made perfectly secure. As is known to all the citizens of Chicago, the iron-work and the concrete which inclose the iron-works were made with special reference to intense frost.

"Statements have been made in the Eastern papers that the cable line here had been troubled with its slot closing up. These reports are wholly without foundation. The only thing that could have given rise to any such impression was the fact that in the construction of the road we received a few car loads of slot-iron that had a ragged edge from imperfect rolling. The parties who furnished this iron instructed us to return it at their expense, but we had 1,500 men at work, and the streets torn up, and we could not afford to wait for new shipments of iron, but were obliged to use this, purposely placing the slot-irons closer together than a finished state would permit, and afterwards chipping off the ragged edges. That was all, or nearly all, that was done before the cars commenced operating. A few spots were finished afterward, but with this exception there has been nothing to give any impression whatever that our slot had ever closed on us.

"There have been a few cases, especially in the early days of the system, when inexperienced drivers have held on to cables too long and thereby cut them, but experience has relieved us of all trouble of this sort. We have had two cases when minor portions of the machinery have proved of insufficient strength under the intense strain at times brought to bear upon them, but we have strengthened these parts by adopting much heavier machinery. In February one section of this heavy machinery was placed in position, and to-day we have received and are hauling to the works the last of this heavy machinery. When occasion arises, or as soon as it is possible to do so, we shall remove the last portion of light work and insert this heavier construction in it place.

"The last winter has been an unprecedented one in severity of frost and volume of snow, but it has been of use to us in enabling us to discover wherein were the weak points of our construction, and so completely remedy them. The weak and imperfect construction adopted in Philadelphia should not weigh against the true merits of the cable system.

"It is absolutely necessary," said Mr. Holmes, in conclusion, "that the construction should be strong and stable to insure comfort to the public and to the operators. When this is done, there is no system yet devised which will compare in excellence with the cable system for transportation in large cities."

Cable Railway Notes.

From The Street Railway Journal, May, 1885. Volume I, Number 7.

The New York Cable Railway Company proposes to use these patents.

The 125th Street and 10th Avenue route will probably try another system.

The National Cable Railway Company controls the A. S. Hallidie grip patents.

The National Cable Railway Company reports being in negotiation with companies in Baltimore, Washington and Cincinnati and has sold a license for Omaha.

There is a Commission, now sitting in the Tribune Building, appointed by the Supreme Court to consider the applications to the court for permission to construct roads upon all the routes laid out.

The 155th Street Elevated Railway, New York City, has as yet done nothing. Its projectors expect to obtain the consent of nearly all the property owners. The required consent of the Board of Aldermen has been obtained.

The grip used on the Brooklyn Bridge appears to be no good. Whereas a good system should take three cars with one grip, on the Bridge one grip is needed for each car. By a proper system the car should start at once with the grip at the Brooklyn end and not use locomotives at all.

The Chicago Cable Company claims to have run right along during the past winter when the steam roads were completely blockaded up with snow. Some say that its stock has depreciated since using the cable ; others say the reverse; we call for the figures.

In Philadelphia an experimental grip and tube are being fooled with. A mile and a quarter was laid from Columbia Avenue to the Park, and had to be thrown out. Now 15 miles are down, of the Bonzano wrought iron tube, and this has so far proved a failure, from all that we can hear. It will probably cost more to experiment and reconstruct than for a license to use some well tried system.

The National Cable Railway Company made a proposition some time ago, to put its system on the Brooklyn Bridge and carry passengers for 2 cents each, instead of nearly 4. The reduction of fare by the Bridge people is claimed to be the direct result of this proposition. The Cable Railway people would have sold sixty car tickets for a dollar and let foot passengers go free.

The Kansas City Cable Road made a trial trip with the Board of Directors on the 2d inst , and it was in every way successful. By the time we go to press, they will probably be running regularly. This road is built on the two-cable system owned by D. J. Miller, who is constructing the Third Avenue Railroad Cable line in New York City, and which so far seems to possess great advantages over the single cable svstem, there being at least six railroads in New York City and vicinity which are awaiting the opening of the Third Avenue line about June 1st, which, if as successful as predicted and as Kansas City is, they will at once adopt and commence to build.

The New York Cable Railway Company, if the Commission reports favorably and the court approves the report, and then the Board of Aldermen will give its consent, will go in vigorously, commencing with Lexington Avenue, to supply the future wants of New York City pretty liberally. The movement by rail in New York City was 284 millions of passengers in 1884, and will probably be 420 millions in 1890. and 830 millions in 1990; so there must be 136 millions to be provided for in six years. The great bulk of the people see no more people in the street now than formerly. They don't recognize the increase though in 4 years there has been an increase of 73 millions carried by the street railroads in New York City. The elevated roads have had an increase of about 21 millions in 3 years ; about 40 millions since 1880.

from Notes.

From The Street Railway Journal, May, 1885. Volume I, Number 7.

The Kansas City Cable Railway Co. (Kan.), is not in operation yet.

from Notes.

From The Street Railway Journal, May, 1885. Volume I, Number 7.

The North Hudson County Railway Co. (N. J.), will open its cable railway for business July 1.

from Notes.

From The Street Railway Journal, May, 1885. Volume I, Number 7.

The Cable Cars are not yet running in Tenth Avenue, New York, but will start up shortly. This company has just purchased 100 sets of hand-made harness from J. F. Leahy, the manufacturer, 245 Tenth Avenue.

from Repairs in the Brooklyn Bridge Cable.

From The Street Railway Journal, July, 1885. Volume I, Number 9.

The Sun says: Preparations are being made to put in two large new sheaves for the traction rope at the New York end of the Brooklyn Bridge. Advantage will be taken of this interruption of the railroad travel to cut the rope and shorten it when splicing it together again. The rope has now been in constant operation for twenty-one months, dragging heavy trains of two cars each over the bridge each way. There has been some wear, but about the only noticeable effect of the strain has been has been to lengthen the rope about 1 1/2 per cent. It is said that ropes used by the Chicago street cars last about nine months. The workmen about the bridge assert that the bridge rope is good for two years more.

In speaking of the grip used on the bridge Col. Paine said that the greatest difficulty experienced at first was in closing the little grip wheels on the rope with just the right force. "When the sheave lining was new the wheels scarcely opened wide enough to let the rope up between them, and the toggle joints which brought them toward each other had so little purchase that the men turning the brakes had to use all their power to keep the grip from slipping. But, as the lining wore away, of course the purchase of the toggle joints grew more powerful, and the brakemen, still throwing their weight on the brakes, set the grip six or eight times tighter than necessary. That held the car fast enough, but it indented the sheave linings and wore them unevenly, so that the grip was likely to catch every time at the same spot of the circumference. To overcome this an automatic device was put on the grip, which regulates the pressure on the rope so that it can never be too great nor too small. Before that was adopted the sheave linings wore out in sixty days. They will now last twice as long."

This rope will be strong enough, it is said, when the additional traffic is put on after the tracks are extended across Centre street, New York.

A rope gives way because the wires are worn out by the friction of the grip, but there is no danger that the rope will at any time break apart and allow the cars to run down into the stations.

from Notes.

From The Street Railway Journal, July, 1885. Volume I, Number 9.

M. M. Green, Pres. Hockwo Valley Railroad, is reported to have said, in a recent interview :-- "The cable railroads of San Francisco beat all the surface street roads in existence. They run up hill and down, sometimes at an angle of forty-five degrees, with perfet ease and great rapidity and security. The cars are some of them fifty or sixty feet in length. They can increase or decrease the speed through their clutch on the cable, and when they come to a clear space they shoot ahead with great rapidity. The cable roads of Chicago are mere tramways compared with the San Francisco cable roads."

Cable Railway Directors.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

The last meeting of the old board of directors of the Cable Railway Company was held at No. 206 Broadway, Tuesday, July 7; and a new board was elected for the ensuing year by the stockholders. There are 20,000 shares into which the capital stock is divided, and 19,995 of these were voted on at the meeting. All but nine of them were voted on by Mr. Charles P. Shaw as attorney or owner. Mr. Shaw reported on behalf of the retiring directors, in his capacity as counsel to the board, the transactions of the past year. He said in substance that no legislation had been made against the company, and that he saw nothing in the way of the cable railway being constructed in the near future. The assaults on the company's charter and franchises by interested parties must fail of their object, for no objection had been raised that had not been fully answered. Of the $15,000,000 5 per cent 50-year gold bonds authorized by the company for construction purposes only, not one had been withdrawn from the trust company. Of the $25,000,000 of second mortgage income bonds now in preparation for issuing, not one had been sold in advance or promised to any one. So the assets of the company consisted of 95 per cent of every share of the 20,000 shares of capital stock, and all the mortgage bonds, aggregating $40,000,000, with $2,000,000 capital stock, and all were available. All the expenses of the company thus far had been borne out of the private pockets of the syndicate, and the company, being entirely out of debt, was equipped, by its securities and right to call for assessments on its stock to the extent of $1,900,000, in a satisfactory manner to build its roads.

The following directors were then elected for the coming year: Wallace C. Andrews, Homer A. Nelson, Augustin C. Moss, Joshua B. Shaw, Rowland N. Hazard, John J. O'Brien, Thomas W. Evans, Samuel B. P. Higgins, and William S. Williams.

The Uptown Cable Road.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

It looks as if New York would soon be able to judge of the merits of cable railroading. Everything but the cable is ready for the road that is to run from 125th street and Eighth avenue, through Tenth avenue to 187th street. The officials say that cars will be run by the cable August 1st. Then the road is to be extended along 125th street to the East River if no legal trobules arise. The slit between the car tracks, which opens into the cylinder through which the cable runs, is about an inch wide. An iron shank runs from the bottom of the car through the slit and grips the cable. The grip is similar to that in use in Chicago, and is not at all like that in use on the East River Bridge. In place of the wood lined sheaves there is a lower jaw which is stationary and an upper jaw which rises and falls, having a bearing of 20" on the rope. When the cars are to be started the "driver" closes down on the jaws, which pinch the rope like a vice. It is said by the officials of the road that the cars will start and stop easier than the horse cars do. At first they will be run at the rate of about seven miles an hour. This is a little more than a mile an hour faster than the average speed of the horse cars. The cable cars of Chicago attain a speed of between nine and ten miles an hour, and when things get into good working shape this will probably be the speed on the New York line.

The Fourth Avenue horse railroad is pushing its line up beyond Eighty-sixth street, its present terminus. By the first of October it is expected that the road will be in operation to 137th street.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

The Brownell & Wight Car Company, St. Louis, has recently delivered twelve cars for the new cable line in that city; and is now at work on thirty more for the same company.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

The first cable-car over the Ninth street incline of the new street railway in Kansas City, Mo., descended recently on its trial trip to the Union depot. The test was entirely satisfactory, and the road will shortly be opened for business.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

The New York Cable Ry. Co. met at 210 Broadway, July l8th, and elected Win. S. Williams, president, Homer A. Nelson, vice president, Thus. W. Evans, treasurer, A. L. Earle, secretary, and Chas. P. Shaw, counsel. It expects to commence laying track inside of three months.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

The Central Park, North & East River R.R. Co., (Belt Line) having determined upon building a cable road on West street & Tenth ave., below 59th street, gave an audience and hearing to representatives of the different cable systems or parts of systems on Thursday the 23d. Its decision as to which one it would adopt (if it arrive at any decision) was not made known.

@@@@@@@@@@@

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

The Third Avenue Cable Line. Steam was turned on and the machinery for working the cable of the Third Ave. R.R. (cable line), on Tenth avenue and 125th street, was started for the first time on Tuesday, the 21st inst., at 12.30 P. M. in the presence of president Lyons, chief engineer Miller, superintendent Robertson, and a large number of stockholders and invited guests, including some of the most prominent civil and mechanical engineers in the couutry.

The immense engines and working machinery moved off noiselessly, and as perfectly, in obedience to the touch of chief engineer Miller, as though they had been in motion for years, amidst the loud and prolonged cheering of the assembled company.

The engines (two of them) are of 350 H. P. each, with cylinders 24" x 48". The driving machinery outside of the engines proper weighs over 300 tons, including four pairs of driving drums, each operated independent of the other, especially arranged for the double cable system.

The cables will be placed in position on the 27th inst., and it is expected to have the road in operation by August 1st.

from Personal.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

Mr. Chas. B. Thurston, president of the Jersey City & Bergen R.R. Co. of Jersey City, was quite severely shaken up by an accident at the cable depot, on Tenth ave., last Saturday, the 18th, whilst viewing the cable plant with some friends. He inadvertently stepped upon a loose plank, which precipitated him into the wheel vault below, a distance of 12', cutting his left cheek open and otherwise bruising him.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

A New Twenty-two Ton Cable is to be put into the conduits on the eastern end of the Market street, Philadelphia, line. A new method (not stated) is to be employed in putting it into place.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

The Lane National Cable Railway Co. , capital stock $300,000, has been organized in Covington, Ky., by H. N. Lane, G. B. Kerper, S. M. Lemont, Albert G. Clark and John Kilgour, to manufacture cable railway machinery.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

Andrews & Clooney, New York, have completed their contract for furnishing iron work for switches, curves, entrances to depots, &c, for the cable road of the Third Avenue Railroad Company. The contract amounted to over $10,000.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

Petitioning, For Cable Roads. A petition, signed by nearly seventy thousand bona fide names, in favor of the cable road system, has been presented to the Board of Aldermen. The petitioners complain that the present means of transit in this city are totally inadequate, and that the charge of a second fare when a change is made from one line of cars to another is an injustice. The New York Cable Railway Company, says the petition, proposes to remedy these causes of complaint by building several trunk lines of railway from Kingsbridge and the Harlem river to the Battery, with cross-town branches, connecting with all the ferries on both sides of the city, and to charge a fare of five cents, without any extra charge on change of cars. In view of the benefits the cable road will confer on the working people, whose fares constitute the largest part of the revenues of the railroad companies in this city, the petitioners request the Board of Aldermen to consent to the application of the company to construct and operate its system of railways."

The Cable Railways.

From The Street Railway Journal, November, 1885. Volume II, Number 1.

Among the busiest men in this city are the officers of the New York Cable Railway Company. The report of the commissioners appointed by the Supreme Court to pass upon the question whether the railways mentioned in the petition of the Cable Railway Company ought to be constructed and operated, unanimously recommended the construction of the railways.

Mr. W. C. Andrews, representing the syndicate which will furnish the money to carry on the work, says: "We are abundantly able to go on with the plan which we have laid out, and we are thoroughly convinced of the entire practicability of the cable system. There is a pressing need in this city of additional street railroad facilities, and to properly appreciate what this demand is it is necessary to study the vast increase of the past fifteen years in the business, traffic and population within the limits of this island. We propose simply to supply New York City with au ideal surface system of communication. It is intended to furnish a thorough system of transit, with due consideration to the convenience and economy of the people and the development of property interests. Our plan embraces three axial lines, partly on the surfaoe and partly elevated, to give continuous transit from the Battery to Harlem River. The other lines are transverse and ohiefly surface ones, intersecting the axial lines and connecting with the ferries on the Hudsou and East rivers. These axial routes in connection with the cross-town lines will, it is thought by the commissioners, lead to a great improvement in the taxing values of property on the cross streets and lateral portions of the city, which are now comparatively out of the way. The great popular advantage of the system is that a person starting anywhere in the city may, on payment of a single fare of five cents, reach any other point in the city. The system of transfers will be such as to admit of this, and with the least inconvenience to the passengers."

"The plan of a comprehensive system of lines, all under one management and ownership, is desirable to the public who patronize the street railroad, as well as to all others in any way affected. The proposition of the company to carry passengers for single trips over the main line and branches at a single five-cent fare is entirely practicable, so far as the management of the business is concerned, and it presents to that very large class of our people to whom the expense of street car fares is an unavoidable tax, the possibility of choosing comfortable residences far away from the more crowded portions of the city without any increase in this personal tax. A careful study of the existing street car traffic in this city shows that, exclusive of the Fourth avenue horse car line, which makes no separate report, the fourteen other surface roads show, in February, 1885, a market value of 48.61% greater than the par value of their stocks and bonds. Their gross earnings for the year 1883 amounted to $8,355,545, equal to 30.17% upon their total capital. An expensive operating system left them still a total, net, of $2,407,871, or about 8.69% upon the entire nominal capital, taking them good and bad together. Their total market value at this time, distributed on the mileage of 1883, amounts to about 8431,000 per mile."

"There is a wonderful amount of opposition shown to these cable roads, but it is not unlike that which opposed the elevated roads. Lot-owners thought that the iron road was like a Juggernaut to them, but instead it has turned out to them a very Argonaut of wealth. The cable road will undoubtedly be a great benefit to New York. The problem is a growing one every day. There was a passenger traffic in 1874 of 152,927,233. Ten years later (1884) that traffic became 302,183,362. Now, that is an increase of 200%. Carry that forward ten years longer in the same ratio, aud it will be 604,000,000. How are these people going to live here and do business? The elevated roads carried 96,000,000 of people last year, and have reached their capacity; all other railroads, 187,000,000, and we are hanging by the strap now, there are no seats for the people who ride. When we get a surplus over, that in ten years of 420,000,000 of people who can neither get a seat nor hang on the strap, what are we going to do? This is the exact question before us. A great many people who now ride on the elevated railroads don't like it because they have got to walk a distance at either end to get to the stations. They will take the cable cars because they can ride to their very doors. But there is this fact before us -- there is this 420,000,000 to be provided for ten years hence, very soon after these oable roads can be completed; a 420,000,000 who, with all our present methods, can neither get a seat to sit on nor a strap to hang on. That is the problemto, solve. And in that question aud its solution lies the future interest, growth and welfare of our city."

Brooklyn Bridge Railroad.

From The Street Railway Journal, January, 1886. Volume II, Number 3.

There are now several models of cable grips at the superintendent's and engineer's offices. These are to receive a thorough examination by two experienced engineers, who are said to be experts in matters of this kind. If any contrivance presented seems worthy of trial, no objections will be raised to such trial. On the contrary, every facility will be afforded for a thorough test.

The Brooklyn Bridge Company have ordered six cars for the bridge railroad. They will have the Eames vacuum brake and the usual equipment of bridge cars. These will have two side doors in addition to the end ones. The object is to afford better facilities for entering and leaving the cars.

The bridge receipts for the week ending Dec. 19 were the largest in the history of the structure, being an average of $2,057 per day.

Denver, Col.

From The Street Railway Journal, January, 1886. Volume II, Number 3.

The first successful attempt at trial trips of the new cable car was made Dec. 19th, over a portion of the track of the Denver Electric and Cable Railroad Company on Fifteenth street. The car ran a considerable distance, and at the satisfactory rate of eight miles an hour. A dynamo of twenty horse power furnishes the motive power for the car. Quite a large number of prominent citizens took rides on the car. Prof. S. H. Short, of the Denver University, has worked very hard to make his invention a success, and his efforts seem to be already reaping their reward. The company have hoped to get their cars running in six weeks or a month. The car which is now being used in making trial trips, is shaped and fitted up very much like an ordinary street car, and is fully as handsome in its style and appointments as any street car in Denver. It was made by Woeber Brothers, of West Denver. The dynamo and other machinery, which is located in a building near the corner of Fifteenth and Tremont streets, and which is used to propel the car, was mode by F. M. Davis, of Denver, and all the plant and material used by the company will be of Denver manufacture. Ex-Governor Johu Evans, W. N. Byers, Rodney Curtis and other well known Denver gentlemen are among the the officers and directors of the new company.

Claims for the Fairchlld Cable System.

From The Street Railway Journal, May, 1887. Volume III, Number 7.

The advantages claimed for the Twin Cable System over the "grip systems" are: --

1. Only a shallow conduit is required, so the first cost for the street structure is only about one-fourth that of other systems.

2. As there is no extra wear on the cables in starting, stopping or slowing up, engineers are of the opinion that the cables will last three or four years.

3. The speed of the cars is entirely under control of the brakemen, and can be reduced on the curves and grades to any desired speed, or made to travel twice as fast as the cable on the straight track and moderate grades. By this means each car can be kept on schedule time independent of the others.

4. Vacuum brakes can be used on all the cars, and a slot brake is provided to hold the car on steep grades.

5. The cost of maintenance can be reduced to the ordinary and usual depreciation in machinery due to wear and tear, without special destruction to any one of its parts.

6. The conduit is so shallow that there is no danger of the slot closing by frost pressure.

The Philadelphia Cable Railway.

From Engineering News, May 31, 1884.

The Philadelphia Traction Company, at a meeting of the West Philadelphia Passenger Railway stockholders on May 12, obtained a lease of the road for 999 years, and as soon almost as the document was executed the machinery for the cable road was started upon. The Traction Company, which is composed chiefly of William H. Kemble, Peter A. B. Widener, William L. Elkins, George R. Yarrow, George W. Elkins and George D. Widener, has made an agreement to apply the cable system to the Chestnut and Walnut Streets line, the Market Street line and the line to Darby. At present work is being done only on Market Street and on the Union tracks up Franklin Street to Columbia Avenue. The cables will be set in motion on these thoroughfares first of all, and then the other branches, which the Traction people have engaged, will undergo the change.

The Philadelphia Traction Company has a capital of $5,000,000. The cost of building a cable road is said to range from $40,000 to $125,000 a mile. The expenditure is influenced by the style of construction, the nature of the soil and the grades. In Chicago the cost was about $115,000 per mile, but in that city there were exceptional difficulties to be overcome. The ground was soft and yielding and the iron tunnels could only be prevented from sinking by a heavy bed of concrete. In San Francisco the conditions were muoh more favorable. The cost of placing three miles of cable road there was $155,698. To this, however, must be added the cost of equipping the road with engines, boilers, cables and everything requisite, which was $86,080, making in grand total for three miles of cable road in running order $241,788.

Assuming that the cars and dummies on a three-mile cable road run at the rate of six miles an hour, with a headway of five minutes, each car and dummy accommodating forty-four passengers (the capacity is twice as large as that of an ordinary car, the space taken up in the latter case by the horses being filled by the dummy), the annual running expense would be $59,085. If the same road were operated with horses running at the rate of four and one-half miles an hour, each car only accommodating twenty-two passengers, the headway would have to be two and one-half minutes. The cost with horses would be $138,880 per annum. It will thus be seen that the saving through the cable system on the three-mile road would be $79,794 per annum, or within a fraction of 57 1/2 per cent. -- Philadelphia Press.

Wrought Iron Tube for Cable Railways.

From Engineering News, June 28, 1884.

Iron Tube Here is the Powell Street Promenade on the east side of Powell at Geary.

In view of the success attending the introduction of the cable railway in San Francisco and Chicago, there can scarcely be any doubt that it is the street railway system of the future, destined to supersede the present mode of propelling street cars by horse power, owing to its many advantages, such as greater speed, economy of motive power, and occupancy of much less space in the streets.

The engraving we present in this issue illustrates a new system of tube for cable railways.

This tube is made up sections bolted together, each section being a self-contained girder, the upper chord of which has a continuous slot, admitting the grip bar to the interior of the cable tube. Each section consists of two opposite side plates, the upper portions of which are bent so as to converge toward each other. To their upper edges are riveted angle bars of proper shape, far enough apart to form the continuous slot above referred to. The lower edges of these side plates are connected with angle bars to a bottom plate. The side plates, and preferably also the bottom plate, and the top and bottom angles, extend throughout the entire length of the section, thus forming a self-contained girder, of which the upper angles form the top chord, the side plates, the webs, and the lower angles and bottom plate the bottom chord.

To provide against lateral pressure on the sides of the tube from the pavement and from vehicles crossing over the top chord angles, a series of braced frames are riveted to the sides and bottom of the tube, consisting of angle ribs, lower tansverse channel beams, or heavy angles, and inclined brace bars, riveted to the upper end of the angle ribs, and to the ends of the lower transverse channel beams or angles.

The body of the girder or tube is about 33 in. deep; the transverse channel beams are 8 in. deep. The clear width of the tube in its lower portion is 12 in., and the length of the transverse channel beams is 40 in.; being the widest part of the tube at any point. The sections are made in convenient lengths of about 16 ft., the connection between two consecutive sections being made by bolts through angle ribs at their ends. Thus a continuous tube or conduit is formed, complete in itself.

The work of laying the tubes is extremely simple. A trench is dug 3 feet deep from the surface and 3 feet 8 in. wide, for a distance of a block at a time, into which are lowered the tubes, and, after having been properly leveled up and bolted together and connected to the track stringers by three-quarter inch round rods attached to the angle ribs on the tubes, the work of closing up the ditch begins. First the space under and alongside of the tube is filled with concrete to within a foot of the surface of the street, sand to the depth of several inches is then thrown on, and the whole paved over with Belgian blocks.

Every alternate tube is provided with a manhole in one of the web plates, affording access to the tube for the purpose of introducing or removing the cable, oiling the sheaves, etc. At each of these manholes a chamber is made in the concrete, accessible from the street through a square opening alongside the track, which is covered with a cast-iron lid.

It will be seen that the whole process of laying these tubes is so very simple, that the advantages of this system of tubes are quite apparent. The limited width of the trench, which leaves the tracks wholly intact, enables the construction of the cable railway to proceed without interfering with the running of the horse cars, requiring any temporary side tracks or movable bridges, where existing lines of horse railway are changed into cable railway. In this connection Mr. George Rice, Chief Engineer of the Cable Division of the Union Passenger Railway Company, of Philadelphia, which company is now completing the laying of 20 miles of this tube, writes in response to an inquiry:

"I have made a careful examination of the different cable roads in California and Chicago, and I believe our Philadelphia system of cable tubes is the best for several reasons. It is simple in Its construction, and consequently cheaper than any of the existing systems of tubes that have any claim to permanency. These tubes can be laid more rapidly, and for construction on an existing line of horse railway, without interference with the traffic, this system has no rival.

"It would be impossible to build a cable line, such as is in use in Chicago or on Market Street, San Francisco, without side tracks or some device, such as a movable bridge, on which to pass the cars over the break in the street. In a narrow street the side tracks are not admissible, and the bridge device would be a cumbersome and expensive means of keeping the cars in motion over the work," etc.

Any further information in regard to the tube, relating to the construction, cost, etc., can be obtained on application to the inventor, A. Bonzano, Chief Engineer of the Phoenix Bridge Company, at Phcenixville, Pa. This system of tubes is patented in the United States and Great Britain. -- Scientific American.

from Electricity, Steam, Cable, or Horse Power?

From Western Electrician, November 12, 1887.

Last summer, C. O. Bean, city engineer of Tacoma, W. T., made a thorough examination of the various street railway systems in use in this country in the interests of northwestern capitalists, figuring upon the best motive power, all things considered, for a street railway in Butte, Mon.

from News of the Week.

From Engineering News, March 8, 1884.

The Kansas City Cable road is well under way, 100 tons of rails have been delivered; the weather alone preventing active work.

A New Design in Inclined Railway Construction.

From Popular Mechanics, July, 1914.

Fairfax funicular

There is an inclined cable railway in Marin County, California, which presents features in construction differing from usual methods. A counterweight car, attached to the cables hauling the passenger car, passes beneath the latter as they meet on the hill. Complete control of all operating apparatus is in the hands of the motorman on the passenger car, who is the only employe required to operate the system, and safety devices for stopping the car, if for any reason an accident should occur either to the cable, to the car or to the electric power plant, are provided. The control mechanism is actuated by trolleys, four of which, on the car, engage four wires supported by the railway trestle, terminating in the operating magnets on the control switchboard. The power house at the top of the hill contains an electric elevator engine of the traction type driven by a 30-hp. alternating-current motor, controlled from the motorman's operating handle in the car. The car and counterweight are carried by two 5/8-in. plow-steel cables, each having six strands of 19 steel wires over a core of hemp and showing a tensile strength of 36,000 lb. As the loaded car weighs but 6,000 lb., the margin of safety is high. The railway is 1,350 ft. long with a rise of 500 feet.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, February, 1888. Volume IV, Number 2.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, February, 1888. Volume IV, Number 2.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.

from Notes and Items.

From The Street Railway Journal, August, 1885. Volume I, Number 10.


Powell Street Promenade - 07-July-2011

Powell Street Promenade Here is the Powell Street Promenade on the east side of Powell at Geary.

The Powell Street Promenade is part of the city's program of introducing neighborhood parklets. On street corners along Powell from Ellis to Geary, there are aluminum platforms with planters and railings. They may provide good spots for photographing cable cars.

car 56 I stood on the platform on the west side of Powell near Geary with my new camera and took this photo of car 25.


from Business Notes.

From The Electrical Engineer, August 28, 1896. Volume 18.

Douglas. -- The cable tramway, constructed by Dick, Kerr, and Co., was opened for public traffic on Saturday last.

from Business Notes.

From The Electrical Engineer, September 4, 1896. Volume 18.

Douglas (Isle of Man). -- The opening of the Upper Douglas Cable Tramway, which has been promoted by the Isle of Man Tramways and Electric Power Company, Limited, to deal with the traffic from the Victoria Pier, Douglas, to the north end of the town, was celebrated by a public demonstration. The reason of the adoption of cable rather than electric traction on this piece of line is the extreme severity of the gradient.

from Tramway Notes.

From Transport World, August, 1896. Volume 5.

Douglas. -- The Upper Douglas cable tramway is practically completed, and cars will commence running early in the current month. The cables for the line, wound on two enormous reels, were drawn up to the power station on the 1st ult. The cables weigh upwards of 20 tons, and were hauled by means of traction engines to the power station at Ballaquayle Road. The cables had to be taken up Broadway, one of the steepest gradients in Douglas, and in the steepest part of the hill the wheels of the engine began to skid. Blocks were placed under the wheels, and the traction engine was subsequently taken to the top of the hill, when the cables were hauled up by wire ropes to their destination. The Isle of Man Tramways Company have shown commendable enterprise in the issue of a coloured poster descriptive of the route of the electric tramways from Douglas to the top of Snaefell.

DOUGLAS CABLE TRAMWAY.

From Transport World, September, 1896. Volume 5.

The formal opening of the Douglas Cable Tramway took place on the 26th ult., in connection with the opening of the central promenade. A public celebration marked the completion also of the double line of tramway which now extend right up to Derby Castle gates. At night, the whole shore, from end to end of the fine bay, was illuminated, and there were displays of fireworks.

The cable tramway is now working regularly, and the service is much appreciated. The upper town has previously had no means of communication with the lower town, and, consequently, the value of property on the route will be much increased with the opening of the tramway. The cable tramway has been constructed by Messrs. Dick, Kerr, and Company, and it is equipped with the latest appliances. A fine power station has been built near the upper end of the line, and, altogether, the plant is an excellent example of a modern cable tramway.


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

"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.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."



CHAPTER XLVIII/STREET RAILWAYS AND GRAVEL ROADS
From NPS: "In 1862, the first of the Washington and Georgetown Railroad Co.'s horse drawn street cars rolled down tracks laid in the Avenue's center. In 1892, the company installed a cable car system similar to that of San Francisco. Two cables pulled the cars up and down the Avenue between the Navy Yard and Georgetown. However, on September 29, 1897, the company's powerhouse at 14th St. and the Avenue burned-down. An electric system replaced the cable cars the next year. On the Avenue, the electric wire for the cars was placed in the old cable system's underground conduit, thus sparing the Avenue from unsightly overhead wires. The Capital Transit Co.'s last electric street car traveled the Avenue from 14th St. to the Navy Yard on January 28, 1962."
Virtual Tour of Denver's Uptown District.
Edinburgh tram No.226
Irene Love of Bellevue Road is one of a small group of enthusiasts working on the restoration of Edinburgh tram No.226.
"This tram started life as a cable tram, before being converted to electric in 1923. It then lay in a field for many years, in the Borders, used as a holiday home. It now requires a lot of cash and dedicated work to restore it. It is hoped that one day it will run again, and members of the Edinburgh public can travel on that wonderful mode of transport." The Group is holding a fundraising CAR BOOT SALE on Saturday 20th June, Drummond Community High playground from 9am to 12 noon.
ed226.gif
"Originally built in 1903 as a cable car by the Dick Kerr Company of Preston, 226 was rebuilt as an electric car in 1923. The tram was rescued for preservation in 1987 by Lothian Regional Transport.

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


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.)


Go to top of page.


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.

Go to top of page.


Yesler Way Grip Car
Seattle Yesler Way - 125 Years

27-September-2013 marks the 125th anniversary of the first cable car line in Seattle, the Seattle City Railway line on Yesler Way.
Yesler Way Grip Car


Return program
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.
Return program


Horse Car
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
Horse Car


Sutter 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"
Sutter Street


Chicago
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.
Chicago


Union Street, 1906
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.

Union Street, 1906


Chicago
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.
Chicago


Chicago
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.
Chicago


Bell Ringing Contest
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.
Bell Ringing Contest


Bell Ringing Contest
Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest

The 51st Annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest is scheduled for Thursday, 19-July-2014 at noon in Union Square.
Bell Ringing Contest


Bell Ringing Contest
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.
Bell Ringing Contest


Bell Ringing Contest
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.
Bell Ringing Contest


Bell Ringing Contest
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.
Bell Ringing Contest


Cal Cable cover
Contest: San Francisco Without Cable Cars

See the winning entries in our 2006 Contest, conceived by Walter Rice, who has generously provided the prizes.
When Steam cover


Cal Cable cover
Contest: San Francisco Without Cable Cars

See the winning entries in our 2006 Contest, conceived by Walter Rice, who has generously provided the prizes.
When Steam cover



Dash sign
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.
Dash sign


Dash sign
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.
Dash sign

Cal Cable cover
2006 Contest

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


Roslyn cable tram
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.
Roslyn cable tram


FOTR cover
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."

FOTR cover


King Street cable trams
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.
King Street cable trams


Pacific Avenue train
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.
Pacific Avenue train


End of Upper Douglas Cable Tramway
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.
End of Upper Douglas Cable Tramway


Jones Street Last Day
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.
Jones Street Last Day

Autographed Bell
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.
Autographed Bell


2006 Luncheon
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.


Bell Ringing Contest
Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest

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


Great Orme Tramway
Great Orme Tramway - 100 Years

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


Tales From the Grip
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.
Tales From the Grip


Cal Cable Car 53
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".
Cal Cable Car 53


The Cable Car Home Page
1996 -- The Cable Car Home Page - 15 Years -- 2011

November, 2011 will mark the 15th anniversary of this website.
I wish I had written down the date I started it.

The Cable Car Home Page


The Cable Car Home Page
1996 -- The Cable Car Home Page - 20 Years -- 2016

November, 2016 will mark the 20th anniversary of this website.
I wish I had written down the date I started it.

The Cable Car Home Page


Cable Car in America
George W Hilton, RIP

Economist and transit historian George W Hilton passed away on 04-August-2014. His book The Cable Car in America was a major inspiration for this website.
Cable Car in America


Powell/Jackson switch
Santiago Montoya

On 06-April-2015, conductor Santiago Montoya was hit and gravely injured by an SUV on Powell between Washington and Jackson Streets. He is suffering from a broken leg, ruptured internal organs, broken ribs and a punctured lung. He is alive, but in ICU at SF General Hospital.

Transit Workers Union Local 250A has started a Gofundme page for his family:
http://www.gofundme.com/SantiagoMontoya

I made a contribution.

Powell/Jackson switch


Go Giants
Go Giants
Go Giants


Go Giants
Go Giants
Go Giants


Great Orme Tramway
Great Orme Tramway - 100 Years

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


Wells Fargo 150
Wells Fargo - 150 Years

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


cshrr Clay and Kearny
The Birth of the Cable Car - 150 Years

July and August 2023 will mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of cable traction on the Clay Street Hill Railroad. W0e see an image looking west on Clay Street at the terminal of the Clay Street Hill Railroad. One part of a stereoscope view.. (Image Source: OpenSFHistory / wnp24.224a.jpg).
cshrr Clay and Kearny


Geary St train
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.
Geary St train


Geary St train
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.
Geary St train


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


Return program
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
Return program


Angels Flight
A Visit to Angels Flight

In July, 2011, we made a visit to Angels Flight
Angels Flight


Angels Flight ad/1
Angels Flight is Back

Angels Flight in Los Angeles returned to service on 15-March-2010.
Angels Flight ad/1


Santa
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.
Santa


Santa
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. Newspaper items about the 1949 parade. Read more about decorated cable cars, a living holiday tradition..
Santa


Last Car
Last Horse Car on Market Street - 100 Years

03-June-2013 marks the 100th birthday of the last San Francisco horse car in regular service.
Last Car


Muni herald
Muni 100 Years -- 1912-2012

28-December-2012 was the 100th birthday of the San Francisco Municipal Railway. Please visit my new page on the 100th birthday
Muni worm


Yesler Way Grip Car
Seattle Yesler Way - 125 Years

27-September-2013 marks the 125th anniversary of the first cable car line in Seattle, the Seattle City Railway line on Yesler Way.
Yesler Way Sheave

Cliff Railway Day 2018
Saturday, 12-May-2018 is Cliff Railway Day, 2018.


Cliff Railway Day 2019
Saturday, 11-May-2019 is Cliff Railway Day, 2019.

San Francisco's Octopus
Hand Colored Transit Images
Presented by Emiliano Echeverria

Thanks to Emiliano Echeverria for letting me present a series of photos that were hand-colored by Charles Smallwood

San Francisco's Octopus


Tales From the Grip

Tales From the Grip
10 Years 2003-2013:
"Maybelle the Cable Car"

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

Special Update, December 2011: Maybelle the Cable Car.

Tales From the Grip


Flag

The rattlesnake's "... eye excelled in brightness that of any other animal, and ... she has no eye-lids. She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance. She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage ... (S)he never wounds 'till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her."
"An American Guesser" (probably Benjamin Franklin), 27-Dec-1775

Don't Tread on Me



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