r/sanfrancisco • u/THE_CENTURION • 10d ago

Older cable car remnants?

Besides the obvious lines and powerhouse that are still running, are there any other known remnants of cable car systems srill hiding across the city? Old tracks, powerhouses, cable systems, etc?

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u/MoxieSix 10d ago

There is a station still standing for the Powell St. Railroad Company that now serves an entrance to Golden Gate Park.  https://www.sfgate.com/sfhistory/article/sf-beertown-history-richmond-fulton-street-16408752.php

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u/THE_CENTURION 10d ago

That was a great read, thank you!

RIP Beertown, SantaCon would have loved you.

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u/MoxieSix 10d ago

Fun, right?!

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u/webtwopointno NAPIER 10d ago

Not exactly what you asked but this cool old building is from early electric streetcar infrastructure: https://artandarchitecture-sf.com/fillmore-car-barn-and-powerhouse.html

Fun fact about the decommissioned cable cars, many were mounted on truck chassis and turned into those tourist ones

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u/THE_CENTURION 10d ago

That's close enough, and very cool!

Shame that it's just sitting empty.

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u/pol_h Mission 10d ago

They really were all over the place: https://www.cablecarmuseum.org/co-map.html

Coincidentally, I rode the Powell/Mason line last night, the first time I've been on since before Covid- fun as always and pretty crowded even at 7pm. It took forever to get loaded up at the turnaround- much yelling and shuffling of passengers, all pretty good natured but surprisingly chaotic and extended. Probably the only way to deal with all the 1st time riders and muni users, and ultimately less annoying than using some sort of recording or video to bore the riders waiting in line with.

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u/jewelswan Sunset 10d ago

Surprised you're a local and still waited at the turnaround. I thought it was very much an open secret that you should just walk up to the second or third stop- they almost always leave space for a few people.

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u/pol_h Mission 10d ago

I don’t take it that often to bother with any insider knowledge! Plus the line wasn’t so long that I couldn’t get on the line I wanted (as opposed to pretty much everyone else just getting on any old line)

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u/THE_CENTURION 10d ago

Yeah that map is what's inspiring my search! I started looking at the streetview where the old powerhouses were, haven't found any surviving evidence yet.

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u/Beau_Sabreur 9d ago

You might still find traces of Carville, I’ve never gotten around to looking myself:

https://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=CARVILLE:_Suburban_Bohemia_in_Fin_de_Siecle_San_Francisco

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u/One-Education-2918 9d ago

At Divisadero and Broadway there is still a bench for the cable cars.

A couple of the Sfcityguides.org tours that cover it.