In 1873, the first cable railway in the United States began operation in the hilly city of San Francisco. In subsequent years, the Clay Street Railroad was joined by many other operators throughout the U.S.A., including systems in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The rise of the electric trolley made most cable car systems obsolete, but San Francisco's Municipal Railway managed to survive not only because of tourism, but because cable cars make for practical transportation on steep grades. Originally published in 1887, this prospectus was prepared by patent holders in hopes of attracting...
In 1873, the first cable railway in the United States began operation in the hilly city of San Francisco. In subsequent years, the Clay Street Railroa...