The Cable Car Book

From Front Jacket: "Ever since August 2, 1873, when the first cable car moved up Clay Street, these cars have inspired visitors with their charm and uniqueness. To San Franciscans they are an institution that must be cared for and protected, in spite of the progress in modern transportation. 'The Cable Car Book,' with its unique collection of over 150 black-and-white photographs, traces the history of the cable care and its ability to survive to the present day. The passenger-carrying cable car was invented and developed in San Francisco, where it flourished; in the early 1890s eight different companies operated 20 lines and more than 25 miles of track. After its emergence in San Francisco, the cable car soon began to operate in other cities across the country including New York, St. Louis, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. Yet today only in San Francisco does the cable car still exist, climbing the city's hills and coasting down the other side."