When cable cars were hi-tech

Looking west on California Street from Battery Street, 1905. Photo from opensfhistory.org, colorized by Emiliano Echeverria

Most folks see cable cars as quaint antiques now, but 150 years ago they were the “next big thing” - a giant leap forward in urban transportation technology. It’s quite a story: steam engines, horses, Stanford, Edison — all this and Andrew Hallidie too.