1992 California Trip: San Francisco Cable Cars

Photo by Cliff West

The first cable car system was built in San Francisco in 1873. Cable car systems continued to grow until the 1890s, when electric streetcars began to arrive. The 1906 earthquake damaged many of the cable car systems, and they were replaced with streetcars. The city tried to eliminate all cable car systems in 1947, however the issue went to public referendum, and the people overwhelmingly supported the cable cars. Over the coming years, cable car lines were shut down one by one, until October 1, 1964, when the San Francisco cable cars became a National Historic Landmark. They are operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway.

Photo by Cliff West

There are three operational cable car lines in San Francisco: the Powell & Mason line, the Powell & Hyde line, and the California Street line. These pictures were taken on the Powell & Mason line, at the turntable at the end of the line at Taylor Street. Though the cable cars look historic, they have all been extensively rebuilt in the late 20th century, though some original components are retained. Beginning in the 1960s, some entirely new streetcars have been built for the system, following the original designs.

Portland Transit Mall

TriMet MAX LRV #421 on the Transit Mall on February 15, 2010

In front of the Portland Building runs the southbound side of the Portland Transit Mall down SW Fifth Avenue.

TriMet MAX LRV #402 on the Transit Mall on February 15, 2010

Northbound traffic uses the other side of the Portland Transit Mall on SW Sixth Avenue.

TriMet MAX LRV #241 on the Transit Mall on February 15, 2010

The Portland Transit Mall opened on December 11, 1977, and was dedicated in March 1978. Originally, the transit mall was served only by TriMet buses.

TriMet MAX LRV #208 on the Transit Mall on February 15, 2010

Since August 30, 2009, the Portland Transit Mall now also features MAX light rail service.

Continue to Multnomah County Courthouse…

MAX Light Rail at Ankeny Square

…Continued from Historic Old Town Buildings.

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #207 on September 10, 2008

TriMet's MAX Light Rail runs down First Avenue, so Light Rail Vehicles, or LRVs, pass through often. A MAX stop is under the Burnside Bridge at Portland's Saturday Market, with another a few blocks to the south at Oak Street. These photos show MAX LRVs in the area.

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #222 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #223 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 3 Siemens SD660 LRV #308 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 1 Bombardier LRV #108 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 1 Bombardier LRV #116 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #230 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #246 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #216 on September 10, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #232 on September 10, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #250 on September 10, 2008

MAX Type 3 Siemens SD660 LRV #310 on September 10, 2008

MAX Type 1 Bombardier LRV #101 on September 10, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #202 on September 10, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #230 on September 10, 2008

MAX Type 3 Siemens SD660 LRV #318 on September 10, 2008

This concludes the original content of my PORTLAND PLACES: Ankeny Square & Skidmore Fountain page. To see additional blog entries about Portland, click on the Portland label.

MAX Light Rail at Pioneer Courthouse Square

…Continued from Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Since 1986, Pioneer Courthouse Square has been on TriMet's MAX light rail system. It is currently served by the Blue, Red and Yellow Lines. The Banfield Light Rail Transitway Project was awarded Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement in the Pacific Northwest in 1986 by the Pacific Northwest Council of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Plaque at Pioneer Courthouse Square on September 7, 2008

Here are some photographs of MAX Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) around Pioneer Courthouse Square.

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #238 on August 19, 2007

MAX Type 1 Bombardier LRV #125 on August 19, 2007

MAX Type 3 Siemens SD660 LRV #303 on August 19, 2007

MAX Type 3 Siemens SD660 LRV #323 on August 19, 2007

MAX Type 3 Siemens SD660 LRV #323 on August 19, 2007

MAX Type 1 Bombardier LRV #105 on August 19, 2007

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #211 on August 19, 2007

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #224 on August 19, 2007

MAX Type 3 Siemens SD660 LRV #305 on August 19, 2007

MAX Type 3 Siemens SD660 LRV #326 on August 19, 2007

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #251 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 3 Siemens SD660 LRV #308 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #249 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #249 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #249 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #246 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 2 Siemens SD660 LRV #246 on September 7, 2008

MAX Type 1 Bombardier LRV #108 on September 7, 2008

Continue to Buildings Around Pioneer Courthouse Square…

Oregon Convention Center: Light Rail Trains & Stations

I originally posted the PORTLAND PLACES: Oregon Convention Center page on my old website on October 10, 2008.

…Continued from Oregon Convention Center.

MAX Train at the Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

The Oregon Convention Center is served by its own stop on the Red and Blue lines of TriMet's MAX light rail system, at the corner of NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and NE Holladay Street. The Convention Center was also served by the new MAX Green Line, which opened in September, 2009.

MAX Train at the Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Train at the Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Train at the Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Train at the Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Train at the Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Trains at the Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Train at the Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Train at the Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Train at Rose Quarter Transit Center on August 31, 2008

The Convention Center's Holladay Street Entrance is about halfway between this stop and the stop for the Rose Quarter Transit Center. The Rose Garden is in the background.

MAX Train at Rose Quarter Transit Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Train at Rose Quarter Transit Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Trains at Rose Quarter Transit Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Trains at Rose Quarter Transit Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Train at Rose Quarter Transit Center on August 31, 2008

MAX Train at Rose Quarter Transit Center on August 31, 2008

Vintage Trolley at Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

These stops were also served by the Portland Vintage Trolley on Sundays from March to December, until the MAX Green Line opened in September 2009 and the Vintage Trolley route was changed.

Vintage Trolley at Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

Vintage Trolley at Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

Vintage Trolley at Oregon Convention Center on August 31, 2008

Continue to Bell Circles…