San Francisco cable cars

...........but lots of fun--it's not the same sitting down inside. In fact, the situation has been relaxed since the 1950s; back then women were not permitted to ride standing on the running boards. If all seats were taken, it was expected that a man would get up and stand on the running board so the woman could sit down (that would probably be a violation of Title Somethingorother today). It seems likely that at some time somebody fell off and sued the city or Muni; does anyone know whether such a thing happened, and what the outcome was?

Also, regarding an earlier post about a car using the stub track to depart ahead of sequence, I recall a facing crossover at Hyde & Beach where the tracks curve downhill to the left off Hyde St. into the terminal area which I have seen used to allow an arriving car to buck the line by crossing over and running "wrong main," passing the cars standing on the arrival track to go straight to the turntable, turn around, and come right out.

I was in San Fran last week. So don't ya' know as I come up out of the Muni at Embarcadero Sta. and walk up to the corner of California and Drumm Sts. (right off market) where the line begins, service has just been suspended 'cause of a car having sideswiped an incoming cable car, just west of Drumm St. where the line is single track. No damage to the cable-car, a scrape on the car. In view of stuff like this, again I say: I still can't believe they let passengers ride the outside step on these things. After a while they got squared away and service resumed. I rode all the way to Van Ness Ave. and back.

It's now $5.00 for a one-way ride, or $13.00 for an all-day pass with unlimited riding on all 3 lines. Quite a change from the first time I visited S.F. 25 years ago. If I remember right, at that time the Muni tunnel under Market St. was fairly new and the fare was $1.00 on Muni with a "transfer" valid on the cable-cars as well. Or $1.00 fare on the cable-car. Today Muni is $2.00 and "transfer" is not accepted on the cable-cars. You must pay the separate $5.00 fare.

Twenty-five years ago the whole system had just been rebuilt and the cars refurbished. Now they're showing their age again and look a little worn down. Visually it's quite a throwback to maybe a hundred years ago; and still lot's of fun. And you can see out the front!

You get a better view than the gripman does!

Head-end View wrote:
It's now $5.00 for a one-way ride, or $13.00 for an all-day pass with unlimited riding on all 3 lines.

Today Muni is $2.00 and "transfer" is not accepted on the cable-cars. You must pay the separate $5.00 fare. D

The 3 day, weekly and monthly passes let you ride everything. So $13 is good for cable cars, muni and buses.

Head-end View wrote:we still allow passengers to ride an unenclosed side step on cable cars, where they could fall off or be hit by passing traffic???? This while firefighters are required to ride inside an enclosed crew cab for their own safety.

If a passenger falls off chances are only the passenger gets hurt.
If a firefighter falls off it could mean many minutes and much manpower lost which they probably need to fight fires, and maybe several fire victims get hurt.

Head-end View wrote: I still can't believe they let passengers ride the outside step on these things.

This is of the mindset that now gives us luke-warm coffee because somebody sued MacDonalds after a hot one spilled on them, those idiot consumer safety warning signs all over the place telling us stuff that any moron should know, and the annoying beeper in your car telling you to buckle up (which if you don't know, then maybe you shouldn't be driving ?)