Cable cars are icons of San Francisco's landscape. They replaced horse-drawn carriages in the late nineteenth century only to be replaced themselves by electric streetcars. Finally in 1947 the lines were completely replaced by buses and then the BART. Then made a comeback in the 1980's as a tourist attraction. Today there are three cable car routes. A ride costs five dollars.
Although I dislike heights and amusement park rides, I was determined to partake in the opportunity to ride down the streets in a cable car. I started at the Hallidie Plaza at the turnaround and rode all the way down a very steep hill on Hyde Street. It was not a busy day so I had a spot to sit. Fortunately for me I was sitting next to a very beefy Russian tourist whose bulk stopped my downward momentum. At the time I didn't really know how a cable car worked and I did a lot of wondering about their ability to stop. On the way up the cable is used to tow the car up. On the way down the brakes are operated by a gripman who clamps down on the cable by pulling a lever. The wheels also have brakes. I did wonder if I should be putting so much faith into this man's ability to make the car stop. I did not end up in the bay. I made it all the way to the turnaround in Victoria Park. I even started to relax and enjoy the ride, just in time to catch a glimpse of the amazing view of the harbor, Lombard Street, and Russian Hill.
Although I dislike heights and amusement park rides, I was determined to partake in the opportunity to ride down the streets in a cable car. I started at the Hallidie Plaza at the turnaround and rode all the way down a very steep hill on Hyde Street. It was not a busy day so I had a spot to sit. Fortunately for me I was sitting next to a very beefy Russian tourist whose bulk stopped my downward momentum. At the time I didn't really know how a cable car worked and I did a lot of wondering about their ability to stop. On the way up the cable is used to tow the car up. On the way down the brakes are operated by a gripman who clamps down on the cable by pulling a lever. The wheels also have brakes. I did wonder if I should be putting so much faith into this man's ability to make the car stop. I did not end up in the bay. I made it all the way to the turnaround in Victoria Park. I even started to relax and enjoy the ride, just in time to catch a glimpse of the amazing view of the harbor, Lombard Street, and Russian Hill.
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