Double Ended. Length: 30' 3". Width: 8'. Height: 10' 2". Weight: 16,800. Capacity: Seated -- 34; Total -- 68

Still wet from its first painting, new No. 60 awaits final acceptance testing prior to revenue service, Washington-Mason, Spring 2002.

All California Cars in service. Roster as of February 2003
Pre 1906 Roster

In late 1888 Cal Cable adopted a new cable car design to replace its two-car trains – "California" cars, a "double-ended" car with an enclosed middle section and open sections at both ends. During 1890-1 the San Francisco car builder John Hammond Car Co. built fifty of these cars for Cal Cable. They were numbered 1-50. All were destroyed during the fire that followed the 1906 earthquake. Prior to 1903-05 when state law mandated for safety reasons end windows, these cars operated without end windows as this view of No. 9 illustrates. The location is the western end of the California Street line – 150 feet west of Central (Presidio) Avenue. The stone fence belongs to the Laurel Hill Cemetery and the non cable car rail in the picture is part of the Ferries & Cliff House Railway’s Park steam line branch. A custom of the 1890s was for photographers to photograph cable car crews at the end of lines and then return with the finished photograph to sell to the posed gripman and conductor. This photograph was "From LURLINE STUDIO, A. O. EPPLER Prop., 1814 LARKIN ST. NR CAL." In any event, it is probably the best photograph of an early early Cal Cable “California” car without end windows. Note, also the front signage that reads from left to right “Central Avenue, California & Market Street.” Gary Stark Collection

“California” Type Cable Cars

Standard “California” type cable cars used post 1906 on the California Street; O’Farrell, Jones & Hyde and occasionally on the Jones Street Shuttle were Double Ended. Length: 30' 3". Width: 8'. Height: 10' 2". Weight: 16,800. Capacity: Seated -- 34; Total -- 68.

Post 1906 Cable Cars Assigned to California Street Line
(1906-1956 -Side Grip Era)

Note - After the 1906 Earthquake and Fire partial service was restored on August 4, 1906 on the California Street line using a single open dummy No. 24 that had survived the Earthquake & Fire in an isolated small barn near Central Avenue. No. 24 withdrawn following the arrival of first four "new" 30' 3" double-ended "California" style cars.

Post 1906/07 Cable Cars Assigned to O’Farrell, Jones & Hyde Line
(1906/07-1954 -Bottom Grip)

Note-The proposed California-Hyde line that was to run from Market Street via California and Hyde Streets to Beach was never built. Track work was to be part of the 1982-84 cable car reconstruction.

Post 1906/07 Cable Cars Assigned to Jones Street Shuttle
(1906/07-1954 -Bottom Grip)

Shortened version of standard “California” type cable cars built for Jones Street Shuttle was Double Ended. Length: 22'5" Width: 8'. Height: 10' 2". Weight: 10,500. Capacity: Seated -- 28 Total -- 58.

Note - On December 28, 1906 Cal Cable restored partial service on the Jones Street Shuttle. Using until 1908 single open dummy No. 24, converted to a bottom grip from its operation on the California Street line.

Jones Street Shuttle Cars Nos. 61 and 62 Switch Numbers

In 1947 the movie studio RKO contracted with Cal Cable to borrow a cable car for the movie soon to be in production I Remember Mama (released 1948). It was decided to ship one the short Jones Street shuttle cars, since it would be easier to ship than a full size cable car. On June 11, 1947 No. 61 was hoisted aboard a railway freight car and shipped to Los Angeles. The car retained its trucks. Close examination of the photograph verifies No. 61 was shipped.

No. 61, like all Cal Cable cars at the time, needed paint. A combination of the depression, World War II and an adverse post war economic situation for Cal Cable led to the company’s equipment looking shabby. RKO, accordingly, painted No. 61. It emerged as No. 62!

This is clearly shown by a photograph on page 105 of Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg’s book Cable Car Carnival. Beebe and Clegg wrongly caption the RKO photo by stating that “RKO Studios in Hollywood supply authentic San Francisco atmosphere for the film of “I Remember Mama” with a real California Street grip.” The bottom grip Jones Street shuttles never ran on the side grip California line.

In the movie the now No. 62 is signed “O’Farrell, Jones & Hyde Streets.” Interesting, since the movie family lived on Steiner Street. They would have to walk 11-blocks to catch a cable car!

Why the number change is unclear. Evidence suggests that the car specified in contract between the movie studio and Cal Cable was No. 62. No. 61 was sent in place of No. 62 after the Cal Cable determined that No. 61 was in better condition. Cal Cable was going to get freshly painted cable car. The actual reason may never be known.

After the January 1952 by Muni purchase of Cal Cable in early 1954 the renumbered 62 was motorized on truck chassis by Muni for parades, charters and the annual Cable Car Bell-Ringing. At the time it was correctly signed “O’Farrell, Jones & Hyde Streets.”

The original No. 62 was renumbered to No. 61 painted and placed on rubber tires, but not motorized and shipped during November 1959 to Osaka Japan for display at the Osaka Transportation Museum. Unfortunately, No. 61 was incorrectly signed “Van Ness Ave, California & Market Streets.” Subsequently, when No. 62 was repainted it was also given this incorrect signage, which is its status today.

Jones Street Shuttle No. 61 (former No. 62) is on display at the Osaka, Japan Transportation Museum.