Muni is shutting down the California Street cable car line for an estimated six months starting in January, to replace a variety of mechanical components under the street and do some track work. They’ll apply lessons learned to try to make the next phases — covering the two Powell Street lines — go faster. Makes sense, since the Cal line has very low ridership compared to the Powell lines.
Thanks to cable car gripman (and Market Street Railway member) Val Lupiz, the Cal cable line is getting a spectacular sendoff. With the help of his financee and her daughters, he decorated Cal cable car No. 60 (the newest in the Cal fleet) for the holidays — and what a job they did! Enjoy Val’s photos…or better yet, take a ride on the car before the Cal line goes on hiatus. What could be a more San Francisco holiday trip — and of course, on California Street, no waiting in long lines (for passengers, that is — for the cars themselves at the Market Street end of the line, wellllll…..
