San Francisco Cable Cars In Video and Pictures

The 40 historic photos and illustrations included in this book are supplemented with an extensive 59 minute video that was filmed 10 March through 13 March 2009.


This video includes:


1. Shots inside cable cars - for example - passengers; municipal workers and car components (about 5% total video)


2. Shots from outside cable cars - for example - at the various turntables as they move, are stationary and are turning around (about 5% total video)


3. The remainder video is shot from in-car standing areas looking down streets as the cars are moving along the following three (3) lines:

• The Powell-Hyde (Line 60) line runs north and steeply uphill from a terminal at Powell and Market Streets, before crossing the California Street line at the crest of the hill. Downhill from this crest it turns left and uphill again along Jackson Street (as this is one-way, cable cars in the opposite direction use the parallel Washington Street), to a crest at Hyde Street. Here it turns right and steeply downhill along Hyde Street to the Hyde and Beach terminal, which is adjacent to the waterfront at the San Francisco Maritime Museum. Man-powered turntables turn the cable cars around at the two ends. This line is used greatly by tourists and often has long lines.



• The Powell-Mason (Line 59) line shares the tracks of the Powell-Hyde line as far as Mason Street, where it crosses Washington and Jackson streets. Here the line turns right and downhill along Mason Street, briefly half left along Columbus Avenue, and then down Taylor Street to a terminal at Taylor and Bay. This terminus is near to, but two blocks back from, the waterfront at Fisherman's Wharf. There are man-powered turntables at each end that turn the cars around. This line is also used greatly by tourists, but also some commuters.



• The California Street (Line 61) line runs due west from a terminal at California and Market Streets, close to the junction of Market with the waterfront Embarcadero. The line once ran a much longer distance from Presidio Ave. to Market street but was reduced in the 50's. Ideas to restore the whole line have been proposed but not acted on. The whole of the line lies on California Street, running at first uphill to the summit of Nob Hill, then more gently downhill to a terminus at Van Ness Avenue. This line is used to a greater extent by commuters, with majority of passengers on weekdays being commuters.