Number of Images on this Page = 17


Railways in San Francisco

I visited San Francisco in January 1986 and took the opportunity to photograph some cable cars. But I was never good at recording exactly what and where so some of these photographs remained mysteries until Mark Brader from Toronto wrote to clear up some of the locations. Many thanks to Mark for helping out.

San Francisco Cable Trams

  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 114353 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13692
  • Description : My first view of a San Francisco Municipal Railway cable tram! A Powell and Hyde car stands waiting to be turned ...


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 121423 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13693
  • Description : ... and here it is, being turned on the turntable.


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 38909 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13694
  • Description : The road ahead is clear, the car is climbing, and the gripman has a moment to pose obligingly for the camera ... thanks mate!


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 100072 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13695
  • Description : Another interior shot on that same Powell and Hyde car. Note the beautiful clerestory roof.


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 70385 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13696
  • Description : End of the route, and our car waits for turning at the other end.


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 59752 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13697
  • Description : I could not remember where this scene was taken. Mark Brader wrote to say that it has to be California Street. That cable-car line uses double-ended cars and no turntables, and does not go onto any other streets. Since the view is toward the bay, you're looking east.


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 82107 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13698
  • Description : Again I was stumped, and again Mark writes to clear things up: SFMR-5 and SFMR-7 are the same view in opposite directions. Note the department store building in 5; you can see it in 7. If your other captions are correct, this means that this is the Powell-Hyde line. Now your pictures of the other terminus don't show buildings as high as they are at the Powell and Market end of the line; I conclude that 5 is that end of the line -- and a quick web search for other photos confirms it. So 7 is showing Powell Street.


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 73111 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13722
  • Description : Aha! A real tram. But I don't know where this is either. Mark to the rescue: For SFMR-8 we at least know that it's on route M, Ocean View. But as you can see at this map of San Francisco light rail routes that that route curves around and must take several streets. A full map in PDF is available in case you'd like to figure out where along the route you were.


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 120233 bytes, 800x600 pixels
  • Date : Aug 1993, catalogued 05 Jan 2001
  • Photographer : Stewart Hughes
  • Medium : email digital image, image location SanFrancisco-1
  • Description : Stewart writes:
    No need to tell you where this is. (San Francisco cable car in 1993.)


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 122829 bytes, 800x600 pixels
  • Date : Aug 1993, catalogued 05 Jan 2001
  • Photographer : Stewart Hughes
  • Medium : email digital image, image location SanFrancisco-2
  • Description : Stewart writes:
    The cable car being turned on the turntable at the end of the line in San Francisco.
    Compare this picture with SFMR-2 above.


Southern Pacific Railroad P-8 4-6-2 (Number 2472)

In early '86, I visited San Francisco, and heard about a group of people restoring a steam loco. I tracked them down, and visited a group of enthusiastic and very hospitable blokes working on 2472. You can read all about the outcome of their labours at Southern Pacific #2472 Class P-8 4-6-2 locomotive . Current restoration status is recorded at The Golden Gate Railroad Museum News Page . For now, check these "historic" photos!

Southern Pacific #2472 was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1921. It is a 4-6-2 Pacific type, having 4 leading wheels, 6 drivers, and 2 trailing wheels. Pacifics such as the #2472 where designed primarily for high-speed passenger train service where sustained high speeds were just as important as pulling capability. Pacifics were used on railroads around the world and could be seen in the rosters of a great many American railroads. Southern Pacific classed the 2472 as a P-8, along with 14 sister engines built from the same Baldwin order. (From the web page )

  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 73227 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13723
  • Description : 2472 lying high on "pigsties" and RSJs. Note that the boiler and frame have been lifted clear of the wheels. The current state of restoration of 2472 is described in the Restoration of the 2472


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 60052 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13724
  • Description : The front end of 2472.


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 82043 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13725
  • Description : The Baker valve of 2472 seen here totally dismantled. Compare this with non-dismantled Baker gear at 621-7 and Ja1250-5 .


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 68420 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13726
  • Description : A view of the crew working on 2472. The author's sons can be seen to the left of the photo.


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 46903 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13727
  • Description : The funnel and smokebox of 2472.


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 83055 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13728
  • Description : The crew gather in front of 2472 for a photo. Sadly, the light was very poor, and I didn't get the focus I wanted. Again, the junior members are ring-ins, and belong to the author, not the train crew!


  • Image : dir=usa/sanfran/ page=index 58840 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Jan 1986
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 13729
  • Description : The cross-compound pump bracket -- without the pump, you might notice.


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