Powell Cable Car 21 was built new in 1992 by Muni’s Cable Car Carpentry Shop. It is built in the style of the 1893 car built by Carter Brothers, but the car it replaced was actually built for Mahoney Brothers in 1887 as part of the original Ferries & Cliff House Railway, and the Mahoney cars featured more complex, slightly taller roofs, with two rows of side windows in the clerestory .
Powell Street Cable Car Specifications
Number of Cars
28 on roster (Maximum of 19 in service at one time)
Capacity
60 (29 seated + 31 standing)
Weight
15,500 lb (7,030 kg)
Length
27′ 6″ (8.4 m)
Height
10′ 5″ (3.2 m)
Width
8′ 0″ (2.4 m)
Track Gauge
3′ 6″ (1.07 m)
Round Trip Route Length
Powell-Mason line: 3.2 mi (5.15 km)
Powell-Hyde line: 4.3 mi (6.92 km)
Cable Speed
9.5 mph (15.3 km/h)
Cable Lengths
Powell: 9,300 ft (2,835 m)
Mason: 10,300 ft (3,140 m)
Hyde: 16,000 ft (4875 m)
Cable Motive Power
510-horsepower electric motor driving four cable winders at powerhouse
Powerhouse and Carbarn
Washington and Mason Streets
Built 1887 by Ferries & Cliff House Railway
Rebuilt 1906 by United Railroads
Rebuilt 1982-84 by San Francisco Municipal Railway
Steepest Grades on Powell Lines
Powell: 17% between Bush & Pine
Mason: 17% between Union & Green
Hyde: 21% between Bay & Chestnut
