San Francisco's World Famous Cable Cars

No. 7

San Francisco Municipal Railway, 1984-current

Built 1893 by Carter Bros. Rebuilt by Muni 1957

This cable car was built in 1893 in the East Bay town of Newark by Carter Brothers. It was numbered 507 until Muni dropped the first number on Powell cable cars in the 1970s. Car 507 served the Sacramento-Clay line until the 1906 earthquake and fire, and then was moved over to Powell Street, where it has run ever since, almost exclusively on the Powell-Mason line until 1956; on both the Mason and Hyde lines since 1957.

It has been painted in several different liveries over its lifetime and today wears the standard Powell Street livery of maroon with sky blue trim, which is a simplified version of the original 1888 Powell cable car livery (seen on Powell Car 1). This livery was adopted when the cable car system reopened in 1984 after being restored.

No. 7 - San Francisco Municipal Railway, 1984-current
Powell Cable Car 7 on the Hyde Street hill, at Francisco Street, 2022

Though Carter Brothers built sturdy cable cars, all wooden vehicles have a limited life. The strains of operation eventually loosen the joints between wooden pieces; water gets in, and rot follows. In 1957, Muni workers extensively rebuilt this car after 64 years of life. Today, more time than that has passed since the rebuild. There are frequent touchups and spot repairs performed on the cable car fleet by Muni’s very capable team of carpenters, metal workers, painters and other craft workers, but eventually Car 7’s time will come for another rails to roof overhaul.

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

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