San Francisco Cable Car

1:160 N scale miniature paper model, about 2.25 inches long

Andrew Hallidie invented the first mechanized urban transit system in 1873, powered by wire cables running under the street. Cable car systems were built in many cities, but all were later replaced by electric trolleys. Even San Francisco nearly scrapped its system in favor of diesel buses in 1947. Thanks to the efforts of socialite Friedel Klussmann, the cable cars were preserved as a valuable local landmark.

Read more:

• The Cable Car Museum is a must-see in San Francisco
• A chronology of cable car history
• Timetables and fare info for riding the cars, from the SFMTA
• Extensive info on cable cars around the world from the Cable Car Guy, including "How do cable cars work?"
• The Cable Car in America, by George Hilton, Stanford University Press (1997)

How to build the Cable Car Order the postcard