Dedication; Department of Rare Books & Special Collections; San Francisco Public Library; October 1, 1964 ... [San Francisco, 1964].

San Francisco's cable car system is the world's last manually operated cable car system and an icon of the city of San Francisco. The first cable-operated street running train was the Clay Street Hill Railroad launched in 1873 following twenty-three lines established between 1873 and 1890. Originally, the cables were powered by stationary steam engines. Coal consumption in 1893 was about 10 tons per day. Electric energy was introduced in 1912 when a 600-horsepower General Electric motor came online. 1906 San Francisco earthquake and resulting fire destroyed the powerhouses and car barns of both the Cal Cable and the Powell Street lines, together with the 117 cable cars. The subsequent race to rebuild the city allowed for to replace most of its cable car lines with electric streetcar lines. Of the 23 cable car lines established between 1873 and 1890, only three remain - two routes from downtown near Union Square to Fisherman's Wharf and a third route along California Street. They are among the most significant tourist attractions in the city, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and are designated as a National Historic Landmark.

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