San Francisco Cable Car


In 1869, Andrew Smith Hallidie envisioned a cable car system in San Francisco after witnessing a tragic horse-drawn streetcar accident on wet cobblestones. With financial support from backers like Henry L. Davis and Joseph Britton, the Clay Street Hill Railroad had its successful inaugural run on August 2, 1873, with Hallidie as the promoter and William Eppelsheimer as the engineer. The line used innovative grip cars to engage with the cable, leading to the term "grip" becoming synonymous with the operator.


Starting regular service on September 1, 1873, the Clay Street line became a financial triumph and served as a model for other cable car systems. Hallidie's patents were enforced on other cable car operators, making him wealthy.


Expansion of the cable car system followed: the Sutter Street Railway converted to cable cars in 1877, introducing the side grip and lever operation. Leland Stanford opened the California Street Cable Railroad in 1878, the city's oldest operating cable car line. The Geary Street, Park & Ocean Railway began in 1880, with the Presidio and Ferries Railway adding curves in 1882.


The Market Street Cable Railway, controlled by the Southern Pacific Railroad, emerged in 1883, becoming the city's largest cable car operator. By 1888, the Ferries and Cliff House Railway operated on two lines, with the Powell–Mason line still in use today. The Omnibus Railroad and Cable Company launched in 1889, and the California Street Cable Railroad opened two new lines in 1890.


In total, twenty-three cable car lines were established in San Francisco between 1873 and 1890, solidifying its reputation as a pioneer in cable car transportation


 

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