00 Cable Car Museum - A Cable Car Track

Cable Car Museum

Address: 1201 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA
Coordinates: 37.7946° N, -122.4115° E
Inventor: Andrew Hallidie

Andrew Smith Hallidie tested the first cable car at 4 o'clock in the morning, August 2nd, 1873, on Clay Street, in San Francisco. Clay Street Hill Railroad began public service on September 1st, 1873. Friedel Klussmann founded the Citizens' Committee to Save the Cable Cars from extinction in 1947. Cable car lines is driven by powerhouses. Out on the street along their routes, the cable cars travel on steel tracks set above a channel enclosing the cable. At the top of the channel is a slot through which the cable car’s grip grabs the cable moving below. The museum is in the complex which houses the cable car power house, which drives the cables and the car depot. The car depot is not open to the public, but viewing galleries let the visitor to see the power house. The system is unique and one of a kind and is still running and suited well for the geography. It is an inspiration in problem solving and tells me to go for unique and customised solutions.