| S.F. Bay Area
San Francisco Attractions
Cable Car Museum,
Barn & Powerhouse
Cable Car Museum,
Barn & Powerhouse
1201 Mason Street,
SF
415-474-1887
Find out everything you always
wanted to know about San Francisco's Cable Cars. 
The
historic Cable Car Museum,
Barn & Powerhouse
is located on the corner of Mason & Washington Streets.
The museum occupies the bottom
two floors of the Cable Cars' Barn and Powerhouse.
The Only Operating
Cable Car System in the World
The top "viewing
deck" overlooks the machinery that runs all the cable cars
in San Francisco — huge engines and winding wheels that pull
the cables that the cable cars grip to get them "up and over" those
famous San Francisco hills.
Cable Cars have no motors or power of their
own — they are towed along tracks in
the street
by a moving cable.
This is the only operating cable
car system in the world.
Downstairs, there's a viewing
area of the large sheaves that route the cables to their four lines (Hyde, Mason,
Powell and California).
Antique Cable Cars
The very first Cable Car was invented by Andrew
Hallidie in
1873. The Cable Car Museum houses several antique cable cars from the
1870s, including a Sutter
Street Railway No. 46 Grip Car and the
No. 54 Trailer.
The Oldest Cable Car
in the World
The Clay Street Hill Railroad grip car No. 8 (photo above) is the
only surviving car from the original 1873 fleet,
making it the "oldest cable
car in the world."
Museum exhibits feature various
mechanical devices and a large collection of historical photographs,
including a photo narration of the Cable Car reconstruction effort
1982-1984.
Top |
Private Parties
Host a fun Cable Car Party — the 2nd floor of the Cable
Car Barn is available for events during the evening hours.
This is where the cable cars
"sleep" — every
day at 1:30am,
the cable cars are rolled into the barn and parked for the
night,
then rolled back out into the streets at
5:30am.
Cable Car Photo Op
Climb aboard the No. 62 cable car
(photo below) and take a picture
as a memento of
your San Francisco visit.
Cable Car Museum Hours
Open daily
Closed Thanksgiving Day,
Christmas Day and New Year's Day
April 1-Sept 30 10am-6pm
Oct 1-Mar 31 10am-5pm
Admission
Admission is Free
Cable Car Museum Store
The Cable Car Museum Store
features a
variety of Cable Car books, cards, and
memorabilia — including
genuine cable car bells.
Cable Car Museum Directions
Hop on a Cable Car — it's the
best way to get to the Cable
Car Museum, Barn & Powerhouse. Street parking can be difficult.
The closest
MUNI
bus
lines are
the #1
and #30.
More Info
Cable
Car Museum,
Barn & Powerhouse
415-474-1887
Cable Cars
Motorized Cable Cars & Tours
Cable Car Museum,
Barn & Powerhouse
Cable Car Bell-Ringing Contest
Check out other Fun Attractions
in San Francisco.
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