The cable car system of San Francisco is the last manually operated cable car system in the world, with three of the original twenty-three lines still operating today. With these systems being installed between 1873 and 1890, they were due major maintenance and upgrades by the time the 1980s and with it their 100th year of operation rolled around. This rebuilding and upgrading process was recorded in a documentary by a local SF television station, which makes for some fascinating viewing.
While the cars themselves were fairly straight-forward to restore, and the original grips that’d latch onto the cable didn’t need any changes. But there were upgrades to the lubrication used (originally pine tar), and the powerhouse (the ‘barn’) was completely gutted and rebuilt.
As opposed to a funicular system where the cars are permanently attached to the cable, a cable car system features a constantly moving cable that the cars can grip onto at will, with most of the wear and tear on the grip dies. Despite researchers at San Francisco State University (SFSU) investigating alternatives, the original metal grip dies were left in place, despite their 4-day replacement schedule.
Ultimately, the rails and related guides were all ripped out and replaced with new ones, with the rails thermite-welded in place, and the cars largely rebuilt from scratch. Although new technologies were used where available, the goal was to keep the look as close as possible to what it looked at the dawn of the 20th century. While more expensive than demolishing and scrapping the original buildings and rolling stock, this helped to keep the look that has made it a historical symbol when the upgraded system rolled back into action on June 21, 1984.
Decades later, this rebuilt cable car system is still running as smoothly as ever, thanks to these efforts. Although SF’s cable car system is reportedly mostly used by tourists, the technology has seen somewhat of a resurgence. Amidst a number of funicular systems, a true new cable car system can be found in the form of e.g. the MiniMetro system which fills the automated people mover niche.
Thanks to [JRD] for the tip.
I guess if it’s old, repair it, but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Despite YIMBY ravings and fever-dreams, the thing holding us back from useful public transport (which we have already had before with Edwardian technology) is primarily social technology, not engineering. I can’t stand hearing the term “high-speed rail.” High-speed rail doesn’t exist outside Japan. They have the social technology.
American car and bus companies killed the “social technology”. American cities had cable cars and trollies. They were bought up and disposed up. “who killed the red car”
Nope, that’s pure unadulterated cope. The car and bus companies are not what killed US high trust public behavior. You still are unable to grok what happened last century at all
It is not the last cable car of it’s type in the world. There is also one in Llandudno, Wales.
That’s a Gondola lift which is not really at all the same
No, there’s a cable hauled street car as well. Like san fran.
As someone who has lived near and been in SF often for work and tourism, cable cars are sometimes useful and always fun. There are tons of things that only exist for tourists. I don’t get the comments above- maybe tear down the useless Eiffel Tower (it’s only for tourists) or space needle or Statue of Liberty or something. Geez.
This ^
Angry hackaday contrarians out in force to complain a historic railway is not as useful a modern bus sytem or exhilarating as a rollercoaster. Should we scrap the F too?
This is fun. I’m having fun. Thanks HaD
man that other thread is wild. but anyways, about san francisco…
the cable car system is worse than useless. i don’t know (or care) what motor/traction technology should be involved but the fact of the matter is that almost all of the public transit in the whole city spends most of its time waiting behind private cars. i think cable cars would seem pretty handy if they never stopped — and that would reduce wear on the cable-grips — but since they stop all the time they’re useless. i rode on one once as a tourist and the only transportation benefit to the experience was learning not to do that again.
the crazy thing is that privileging the private car in this manner produces an awful experience for drivers too. nobody wins.
grade-separation (or dedicated corridor) is the holy grail of transit for a reason
I’m just here to nitpick the photo caption; that car is not navigating traffic but at the end of the line being turned around on a large turntable, a ritual still performed today.