[PRCo] Re: Fwd: Amazing 1906 Cable Car Movie Taken prior to Earthquake

[Ken and Tracie]

I have wondered if the San Francisco cable car rails were heavy enough to 
handle the heavier, faster electric cars? Does anybody know if the cable 
rails lasted well into the traction era, or if they were systematically 
replaced over the span of a few years or several decades.

I have that reel on VHS, from Interurban Press. I don't know what happened 
to their source after Ira passed away. Maybe TGM will re-release it on disk 
someday. TGM used part of that film in one of their videos.

I have the Boston film, too, as well as a portion of an early P.E. training 
film.

Fred, you should find that "Dallas' Greatest Hits" video which shows many 
present day motorists are not any better at driving than their ancestors 
were.

BTW, I found some Paul Weyrich slides of a fantrip or demonstration run of 
PCC 4000. Car 1713, in Steelers' colors showed up a lot, so maybe it was a 
two car trip. The slides are dated 1981.

He also has a lot of duplicate slides from long ago sources, as well as some 
of his own. Lots of great Pittsburgh, Philly, Johnstown, Laurel Line stuff.

A photo study of Sky Bus is also well represented. As some of you know, my 
oldest brother used to call the Sky Bus cars "suitcases on wheels."

K.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Schneider Fred" <fwschneider at comcast.net>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Cc: "Skip Gatermann" <biker4 at sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Monday, February 01, 2010 1:19 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Fwd: Amazing 1906 Cable Car Movie Taken prior to Earthquake


> Yes, guys, I know it isn't Pittsburgh.   Let's broaden the horizons a
> little.   This is a great film strip that Skip Gaterman, a retired
> St. Louis school teacher, found on the internet.
>  Whether or not this was only a few days before the April 18, 1906
> earthquake, it was before the earthquake.   Most of the cable lines
> were never restored after the tremblor.  It was cheaper to hang wires
> over the streets and bond the rail joints.
> Furthermore, by 1907 we were into the era of much more powerful
> interpole traction motors.
>
> I think the most amazing aspect of this film is not the cables but
> how the antics of motorists were choreographed.   Compared to the way
> we drive today according to rules, one would think they were all high
> on something.
>
> And before you shun this ... remember that Pittsburgh also had cables
> on Butler St., Liberty Avenue, Center and Herron and Fifth Avenue.
>
> Click and enjoy.
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: Skip Gatermann <biker4 at sbcglobal.net>
>
> Subject: Amazing 1906 Cable Car Movie Taken prior to Earthquake
>
> http://www.flixxy.com/san-francisco-1905-historical-footage.htm
>
> The earthquake aftermath in 1906
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH4F91oARtE
>
>
>
>
> Other inclines:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T3SC_HhWEk
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ZC4B90_yQ
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihkdSIBP_t4&feature=fvw
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o__Xh5UcPig&feature=related
>
>