San Francisco still has a few historic cable cars, cable cars, running. The cars are original. They are pulled by a cable that sits in a slot in the road surface. So the tram itself has no engine or driving machine. The cable is pulled around somewhere separate in one engine room (Cable Car Barn). The system was established in the late nineteenth century, when horse-drawn trams occasionally failed to function on the steeply sloping and steep streets. In the present day, it is a beautiful stand-alone attraction. The technology is purely mechanical and hand-operated. Pull away, pull out, brake. The speed is determined by the cable. The carriages are half-open, so all in all the tram travels quite slowly. But the ride is unique and very special.
My photo was taken in 2008. The fare is listed at $5. A ticket now costs $8.
I am a professional photographer and have been active for many years, since childhood and I am self-taught.. Read more…