California Street Cable Railroad
The California Street Cable Railroad Company was an operator of cable tram routes in San Francisco. It existed from 1874 to 1951 and was acquired by the San Francisco Municipal Railway, the municipal public transport company of the city. Some of the routes are still in operation today.
History
After the success of the first cable car line along the Clay Street entrepreneur Leland Stanford founded in 1874, the California Street Cable Railroad Company. He wanted to build a route from the city center via the Nob Hill district to the Western Extension. On 5 July 1877, the construction work and the first section of the Sacramento St / Kearny St started by the Sacramento and California Street to the intersection Fillmore Street was on 10 April 1878 in operation. The travel time for the 1.7 miles ( about 2.7 miles) was initially 19 minutes. The line runs since the official designation " California Street Cable". The depot and the drive train station was located east of the Larkin Street, between California and Pine Street. The track had two cables that led each to the two endpoints of the depot. The track width of the tracks was three and a half feet ( Cape gauge, 1067 mm).
On May 30, 1879 an extension of the Fillmore Street went up to Central Avenue (now Presidio Avenue ) in operation, which was first built on wooden planks to save costs. The superstructure was found to be inappropriate and in 1884 he was replaced by normal railway tracks. Also In 1884, Antoine Borel, a Swiss, the majority of shares. He pushed for an expansion project. 1890, the line was extended to the city by the end of Sacramento Street to Market Street. A second line labeled " O'Farrell -Jones - Hyde Cable" was on 9 February 1891 in operation. It led from the O'Farrell Street / Market Street by the O'Farrell, Jones, Pine and Hyde Street to Hyde Street / Beach Street. Also for these two line cables were needed, which both ended at the depot. The two lines crossed at California St / Hyde St A third line led under the name " Jones Street Shuttle" as a pendulum line of Jones Street / Market Street to Jones Street / O'Farrell Street and served to connect the Tenderloin district. The cable under the Jones Street led from the depot out to the Jones / Market Street, was diverted there, bent at the O'Farrell Street in this from, was diverted at the local terminal again and led under the O'Farrell and Jones Street back to the depot.
The O'Farrell -Jones - Hyde line crossed on their way ten other cable tram routes. Since she was the last to be built route, the cable ran under each of the cables to the other party through, so that the car at each of these intersections release, rolling through their own momentum through the intersection and had to re- engage beyond. At the intersection of California Street, however, the older cable railway was laid down so that here no notching was necessary for the new line. However, this was also at the depot and at the intersection of Jones / O'Farrell needed. Overall, on a ride from the O'Farrell Street to Hyde Street and back 22 times had to be notched out the car. Due to the closure of many of the crossing routes, the number in the early 20th century, however, drastically reduced.
The largest slope of the network was with 20,67 % in the Hyde Street, but also in the California Street there was such to 18.2%. Both routes could not be replaced by electric trams, therefore, which on 18 April 1906 was the fate of many cable tram routes, especially after the earthquake in San Francisco. In this earthquake, the tracks and the depot were totally destroyed. In August 1906, an emergency operation was resumed, but the repairs were completed mainly on the depot until 1908.
The city tried several times to buying the railway company. 1929 ran out of the concession, but the company did not sell its operation, but also received an extension of the concession for another 25 years. The tracks were also independent of the Second World War also in operation and the company. In 1949, a passenger died when a truck rolled backwards into a tram. The trial ended with the railway company was found guilty and the relatives had to pay damages. Then the insurance company Lloyd's announced the insurance for the car and on July 31 In 1951 the California Street Cable Railroad Company to operate on their lines, since they could not pay a new insurance policy. The company was thereupon be dissolved. The city bought the railway system and the San Francisco Municipal Railway, the municipal public transport company of the city, took on 13 January 1952 operating on the three lines back on. She laid on May 15, 1954 shut the O'Farrell -Jones - Hyde line, including the Jones Street Shuttle and shortened the line on the California Street to Van Ness Avenue. 1957, a portion of the line in the Hyde Street was reopened as Powell & Hyde line. This is as well as the rest of the California Street line still in operation today and is one of the city's attractions.