Cable Car Sesquicentennial Celebration -- August 2, 2023

Today my wonderful and patient wife accompanied me to the Cable Car Sesquicentennial Celebration at Powell and Market. There was a good crowd, and many were in costumes from various eras. I had a nice chat with Emperor Norton. Our host was Rick Laubscher of today's Market Street Railway. The PA system was weak and it was hard to hear some of the speakers. Representative Nancy Pelosi, Mayor London Breed, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, and many others spoke. Andrew S Hallidie had a few remarks. 

Powell Street Car One, which was built to celebrate the Centennial in 1973, was beautifully decorated by Val Lupiz, who also pulled the grip today. The VIPs rode away on the car.

Senator Dianne Feinstein was scheduled to be there, but she wasn't feeling well. 

Cable Car Sesquicentennial Carpentry Shop Tour -- July 7, 2023

Yesterday my wife was kind enough to accompany me to the Cable Car Cable Car Carpentry Shop Tour. I am very lucky.  The tours are in honor of the Cable Car Sesquicentennial. This is the first time the public has been allowed into the shop. Rick Laubscher of the Market Street Railway said that all the free tours for the rest of the year are booked solid. 

The tour was led by the chief carpenter, whose name I did not get (Andrew McCarron -- Thank you to Matthew Lee, Jeremy Whiteman and Norbert Feyling). We started with car 18, a Carter Brothers car that was rebuilt in 1961. Muni crews started to rebuild it at the barn, but found it needed more work than the crew at the barn could handle. Here he stands in front of Cal Cable car 60, one of the three small cars from the Jones Street shuttle. The Market Street Railway repatriated it from Healdsburg where it had been saved in good condition. The paint and the gold leaf trim are original. The front dash leans next to him. 

It was a great tour. 

#CableCarAnniversary