Railways of San Francisco by Paul C Trimble

Railways of San Francisco by Paul C Trimble

It may be hard to believe now, but San Francisco was once dominated by railways. Before private cars crowded this hemmed-in city, rail was the only way to get around the challenging terrain, and the rail industry rose to the task with many innovative systems. Some of these were herculean, with massive bores through rocky hills, or elaborate cable and counterweight systems to handle steep inclines. Others were simpler, horse-drawn affairs that took passengers from the downtown and waterfront areas to outlying districts. The distinct flavor of San Francisco's neighborhoods owes much to the early rails, as these cars enabled residents to form their own enclaves and still interact with the commercial heart of the city. Some rail systems presaged today's commuter lifestyle-one even ran all the way down Mission Street to far-off San Mateo. Only a few of the many rail systems that once served this city remain.

Trimble, Paul C.: - Transport historian Paul C. Trimble, author of Arcadia s Ferries of San Francisco Bay, expounds herein on the roles played by these mighty vessels in developing the state. Through vintage images from the California State Library, Sacramento City Library, Western Railway Museum Archives, J. Porter Shaw Library at the National Maritime Museum, and other collections, these stories tell of a developing California long before the rail and automobile eras girdled the landscape with roads and rails. The last boat sailed in 1950, but the legacy of these steamers will live forever.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780738528878
ISBN 10	0738528870
Title	Railways of San Francisco
Author	Paul C Trimble
Series	Images Of Rail
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Arcadia Publishing
Year published	2004-10-01
Number of pages	128
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.