| San Francisco cable cars are a living history and a | | | | Tourists are greeted with a bell ring and early in the |
| convenient mode of transport at a time. These old | | | | morning, when city visitors are still sleeping, |
| cars travel around the city streets, and help create | | | | streetcars are filled with common workers. |
| an exceptional charming atmosphere. That is why city | | | | Sometimes drivers even know some passengers by |
| administration does a lot to renovate old tramlines | | | | their names, remember where to stop and what to |
| and build new ones. | | | | talk with them about. |
| Nowadays trams are the true emblems of San | | | | At daytime the antiquity driver is eager to do the job |
| Francisco, just like the world-known Golden Gate | | | | of a professional guide he is the best person to tell |
| Bridge. They are portrayed on souvenirs, | | | | you how to get to some city stop and where to get |
| advertisement and travel prospects. There were | | | | off. Chatting with drivers is pleasant, if they are |
| some attempts to abolish trams but those were | | | | disposed for it. Most of them are friendly, |
| unsuccessful. Now they are one of the most popular | | | | well-humoured and ready to make comments about |
| travel city attractions. | | | | the trip. |
| The city pays much attention to tram rails and at the | | | | Very often tourists get really amazed when they see |
| same time collects old cars from across the world. | | | | streetcars of their childhood. No, this is not an illusion |
| Thanks to local authorities and enthusiasts there are | | | | trams from different parts of the world do really ride |
| two wonderful railway museums found in San | | | | along the streets of San Francisco. Those are |
| Francisco. Their exhibits can be seen on the city | | | | distinguished veterans. Most of them were built in |
| streets. One of the museums specializes on famous | | | | 1946 1948, however some appeared earlier. The |
| cable cars - small cars crawling along San Francisco | | | | oldest one was born in 1895. Moreover, there are |
| hills. These are often shot in movies. A trip on a cable | | | | about 10 streetcars from Milam riding around the city. |
| car is a real pleasure, especially if you manage to | | | | Those were built in 1928. Sometimes you can also |
| take a seat with a good view over the city. But dont | | | | see cars from England, Portugal, Japan, Australia, |
| just look around, skillful drivers also deserve your | | | | Belgium, Germany and Soviet Union. But these are |
| attention. But, even though cable cars are rather | | | | usually well-kept, they dont work every day. |
| convenient and cheap, local people dont use them | | | | How it all started? In the beginning of the 1980s they |
| that often. The reason is simple: they are too popular | | | | wanted to deconstruct the line. When the first metro |
| with tourists. Nowadays, when travel business in USA | | | | station was opened, they decided to mark the |
| is on the rise, large queues are waiting for their cable | | | | occasion with a tram festival. The festival got very |
| car to arrive. | | | | popular and later on old trams started their regular |
| Catching a simple streetcar is much easier. The only | | | | work. Many tourists think that this is one of the best |
| problem is that all of them are rather old. Streetcars | | | | and cheapest ways to move around the city centre. |
| go along line F, which stretches along the famous | | | | In past you could easily find a seat in a tram or a |
| Embarcadero Freeway in the city centre. | | | | cable car. However, nowadays they are always full of |
| Tram route lies along the central Market Street. | | | | people. |