Cable Car

Ever wondered how San Francisco’s iconic cable cars manage to turn around? Well, the answer lies right here at the cable car turntable! San Francisco’s tramway system is unique — it’s actually a cable car system, or a lift system, as cars are pulled by cables. It’s the last manually-operated system of its kind, and it’s a true symbol of the city. But before becoming a beloved tourist attraction and a historic landmark, San Francisco’s streetcars were a practical solution to the city’s main problem : its hills. Back in 1849 during the Gold Rush, San Francisco’s population skyrocketed, and residents needed a way to transport goods up and down the steep hills. Believe it or not, cart accidents were a common occurrence! There were even horse-drawn streetcars, but sadly, many horses couldn’t handle the steep slopes and were killed. It was a young inventor from London, who came to try his luck in the gold rush, who came up with the idea. He replaced the wearing ropes with cables and, with engineer Eppelsheimer, patented a system of car-trailers pulled by cables centered under the car. There is no power source on the cable cars themselves; it’s the motors of the cable car system that turn large wheels, around which the cables are wound. They were initially steam-powered and later switched to electric. However, the popularity of cable cars declined with the introduction of San Francisco’s first tramway line in 1892, as it was six times cheaper to build. Then, in 1906, an earthquake and fire devastated the city, destroying power stations and over a hundred stored cable cars. As a result, the city was rebuilt using electric streetcars, and cable cars remained only on streets with exceptionally steep slopes. Today, only three cable car lines remain, and while they’re cherished as part of the city’s heritage, they’re also a subject of controversy due to the extremely high maintenance costs of this system mainly used by tourists. Notwithstanding, for many, riding a cable car remains the quintessential San Francisco experience!