Cable Car Number 6
by Mitch Shindelbower
Title
Cable Car Number 6
Artist
Mitch Shindelbower
Medium
Photograph
Description
Cable Car Number 6 waiting for the turntable to open up....The San Francisco cable car system is the world's last manually operated cable car system. An icon of San Francisco, the cable car system forms part of the intermodal urban transport network operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway. Of the twenty-three lines established between 1873 and 1890,[6] three remain (one of which combines parts of two earlier lines): two routes from downtown near Union Square to Fisherman's Wharf, and a third route along California Street. While the cable cars are used to a certain extent by commuters, the vast majority of their 7 million annual passengers are tourists. They are among the most significant tourist attractions in the city, along with Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Fisherman's Wharf. The cable cars are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The cable cars are not to be confused with San Francisco's heritage streetcars, which operate on Market Street and the Embarcadero.The first successful cable-operated street railway was the Clay Street Hill Railroad, which opened on August 2, 1873. The promoter of the line was Andrew Smith Hallidie, and the engineer was William Eppelsheimer. The line involved the use of grip cars, which carried the grip that engaged with the cable, towing trailer cars; the design was the first to use grips. The term "grip" became synonymous with the operator.
The line started regular service on September 1, 1873, and its success led it to become the template for other cable car transit systems. It was a financial success, and Hallidie's patents were enforced on other cable car promoters, making him wealthy.
Accounts differ as to exactly how involved Hallidie was in the inception of the line, and to the exact date it first ran.
Further information: Clay Street Hill Railroad
Uploaded
April 18th, 2016
Statistics
Viewed 336 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/20/2024 at 12:56 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Comments (14)
Laurie Search
Ahh, what a wonderful cable car/San Fran image, Mitch!!! Love the light up the road!!! :)))vf
Mary Deal
Every time I see image of anything San Francisco, I get homesick. But I don't miss having to reverse park with a stick shift on those hills. Wonderful shot. f/l/t/g+
Joan Kaplan
Nice perspective in this photo, Mitch. Hmmm.....could this have been the one that broke down on us, last time in San Fran? Fav!