0706, 0978, 1018, 2258 UNITED STATES (California) - San Francisco cable car system

0706 San Francisco cable car system - Powell-Hyde Line - Car no. 9

Posted on 28.06.2013, 21.01.2014, 01.03.2014, 01.02.2016
It is said that there is no better way to experience the hills and views of San Francisco than aboard one of the city’s famous open-air cable cars, the world's last manually operated such system, and the only mobile National Monument in the United States. Of the 23 lines established between 1873 and 1890, have remained three and all three cross Nob Hill, which lies just north of downtown: the Powell-Hyde Line (the most scenic - it is in the postcards), the Powell-Mason Line, and the California Street Line.

0978 San Francisco cable car system - Powell-Hyde Line - Car no. 11

As I said before, cable cars were introduced in San Francisco in 1873 by Andrew Smith Hallidie and the Clay Street Railroad company, and until the time of the great fire of 1906, they criss-crossed the entire city. After that, many of the cable car lines where re-opened using cheaper and more energy efficient electric streetcars, but however the cable cars were still much better at navigating the steep slopes of the downtown hills (in 1912 there were only eight lines). In the 1940's, the cable cars were almost destroyed again, making way for automobiles, but the Citizens Committee to Save the Cable Cars managed to defeat the corrupt politicians, who backed the auto industry. Since 1984, Muni (San Francisco Municipal Railway) has continued to upgrade the system.

1018 San Francisco cable car system - Powell-Hyde Line - Car no. 24

This system is served today by two type of cable cars: single-ended (as those in the postcards) and double-ended. The first ones, which serve the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason lines, have an open-sided front section, with outward-facing seats flanking the gripman. The rear half of the car is enclosed, with seats facing inward and entrances at each end and the car has a small platform at the rear. These cars must be rotated to reverse direction at each end of the line, an operation performed on turntables. Most of these cars (28 in total) were built or rebuilt in the 1990s at Muni's Woods Carpentry Division.

2258 San Francisco cable car system - Cable car turntable
at Powel and Market Streets

According to Market Street Railway, a nonprofit preservation partner of the Muni, the cable car no. 9 (in postcard 0706) "was built as open car No. 542 by Mahoney Bros., 1887. Converted to standard car 1923 and renumbered 509, rebuilt 1952, retired after accident in 1995. Currently in storage; could possibly be restored as open car." In the background of this postcard can be seen the Alcatraz Island, which housed probably the world's most famous prison. In the postcard 0978 is the cable no. 11, operational, rebuilt in 1979-1980, and in the postcard 1018 the cable no. 24, also operational, renumbered from 534 to 524 in 1929, rebuilt 1958, and displayed at Chicago Railroad Fair 1949.

About the stamps
On the postcard 0706
The stamp shows a photograph by James Amos of the beautiful countryside of Lancaster County (Pennsylvania) and is part of the Scenic American Landscapes series, about which I wrote here.

On the postcard 0978

The first stamp, Neon Celebrate!, was issued on March 6, 2011. The second stamp, depicting Spicebush Swallowtail, is part of a definitive series with butterflies, about which I wrote here.

On the postcard 1018
The first stamp is one of the three issued in 2013 as a civil rights series commemorating courage, strength and equality in America, about which I wrote here. The second stamp, depicting Spicebush Swallowtail, is part of a definitive series with butterflies, about which I wrote here.

On the postcard 2258
The first stamp is part of the definitives series American Design, about which I wrote here. The last three stamps are part of series that feature 10 still frames from the 1965 TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas, about which I wrote here.

References
San Francisco cable car system - Wikipedia
Cable Cars - Market Street Railway official website
The Cable Car: A San Francisco Icon - About.com

Sender 0706: Hallie Feldman (direct swap)
Sent from San Ramon (California / United States), on 21.08.2012
Photo: Locke Heemstra
Sender 0978, 1018, 2258: Denise
0978: Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 13.01.2014
Photo: Ken Glaser Jr.
1018: Sent from Jericho (New York / United States), on 27.01.2014
Photo: Ken Glaser Jr.
2258: Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 25.01.2016
Photo: Ken Glaser Jr.