Yesterday, having arrived a day early for our tour, we took the chance to ride on a few of the cable cars in this fabulous city. We started off at The Cannery Wharf where one of the cable car's turntable is. Being Saturday, we had to queue for about 15 minutes before we got on one of the cars but it was worth while waiting. It took us up Hyde Street right past Lombard Street. we stayed on up to the Cable car Museum and got off to visit the museum where also the engines are that drive the cables all around the city.
 |
| At the turntable, the driver rotates the car and guides it onto the other track. |
 |
| Inside the car, with the driver in front |
When the car takes off, the driver applies a clamp to the constantly moving cable below the street level with a kind of clamp. The car then moves at the speed of the cable until the driver releases the clamp, applies the brake and the car comes to a stop.
 |
| Our car after we jumped off, outside the museum. |
 |
| These giganic machines turn the fly wheels which in turn move the cables on rollers around the city. |
 |
| Looking out of the car going back to our hotel |
The shot above really does not show how steep some of the roads are in San Francisco where the cable cars run.
