San Francisco Cable Cars

Photo by Cliff West

The first cable car system was built in San Francisco in 1873. Cable car systems continued to grow until the 1890s, when electric streetcars began to arrive. The 1906 earthquake damaged many of the cable car systems, and they were replaced with streetcars. The city tried to eliminate all cable car systems in 1947, however the issue went to public referendum, and the people overwhelmingly supported the cable cars. Over the coming years, cable car lines were shut down one by one, until October 1, 1964, when the San Francisco cable cars became a National Historic Landmark. They are operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway. 

There are three operational cable car lines in San Francisco: the Powell & Mason line, the Powell & Hyde line, and the California Street line. These pictures were taken on the Powell & Mason line, at the turntable at the end of the line at Taylor Street. Though the cable cars look historic, they have all been extensively rebuilt in the late 20th century, though some original components are retained. Beginning in the 1960s, some entirely new streetcars have been built for the system, following the original designs.

Car #25, pictured above, was originally built by the Ferries & Cliff House Railway for the Powell Street line in 1888-1890 at the Washington-Mason carbarn. The Ferries & Cliff House Railway was merged into the Market Street Railway in October 1893, which itself was merged into the United Railroads of San Francisco in 1902. Car #25 was assigned to the Sacramento-Clay line before the 1906 earthquake and in 1907 the United Railroads transferred it to the Powell Street lines. It was renumbered from #525 to #25 in 1973 and was rebuilt by MUNI at the Elkton shops in 1976.

Photo by Cliff West

Car #12 was originally built by the Carter Bros. of Newark, California, in 1893-1894 for the Market Street Railway's Sacramento-Clay line. After the 1906 earthquake, the United Railroads of San Francisco transferred it to the Powell Street lines in 1907. It was rebuilt by MUNI at the Elkton shops in 1959 and was renumbered from #512 to #12 in 1973. This car was exhibited in Japan in 1987.

Behind car #12 is car #17. It was built in 1887 for the Ferries & Cliff House Railway for the Powell Street line by the Mahoney Bros. of San Francisco, who contracted with Burnham-Standeford in Oakland to build its cars. Assigned to the Sacramento-Clay line before the 1906 earthquake, the United Railroads of San Francisco transferred it to the Powell Street lines in 1907. It was originally numbered #532 and was renumbered to #517 in 1929. It was rebuilt by MUNI at the Elkton shops in 1956 and was renumbered from #517 to #17 in 1973.