August 2026 Version of the Cable Car Home Page -- August 3, 2026

I launched The Cable Car Home Page on AOL thirty years ago in November 1996.

I just put the August 2026 version of my Cable Car Home Page on the server:
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/

It includes some new items:

1. Picture of the Month: Power-House of Sioux City Cable Railway. (Source: Sioux City Journal / 01-January-1891.)
2. On the Other Cities page: A ten year update about the short-lived Sioux City Cable Railway with several contemporary newspaper items.
3. On the Motion Pictures Which Feature Cable Cars page: I added Bullitt
4. On the Horse Car Home Page: King Charles III visited the Isle of Mann and rode on a horse car.
5. Added News items about the Hyde Ride and two stoppages, an interview with gripman Val Lupiz and Cal Cable car 49 arriving at the Colfax Hotel. Also a Chronology item about Car 49

Ten years ago this month (August 2016):

1. Picture of the Month: A Sioux City Cable Railway grip car and two trailer train poses in front of the powerhouse. (Source: "Editorial Correspondence," The Street Railway Journal April, 1888.) On the Other Cities page: A new article about Sioux City Cable Railway On the Who page: Added a profile from the Street Railway Journal about William Phenix, who designed and built the Sioux City Cable Railway On the Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest page: Added two newspaper clippings about Albert E Ward, who won from 1957 through 1959 On the Horse Car Home Page: A reprieve through 2018 for the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway on the Isle of Man. Also News item. Added News item about a new campaign to revive Angels Flight

Twenty years ago this month (August 2006):

1. Picture of the Month: Car 24 was the only piece of California Street rolling stock to survive the earthquake and fire.
2. On the San Francisco in 1906 page, 1906 newspaper articles describing the return of the California Street cable cars:
   CABLE LINE TO OPEN NEXT WEEK/Car Service on California Street to Be Resumed Shortly (San Francisco Chronicle, Wednesday, August 8, 1906) FEW REPAIRS FOR CALIFORNIA LINE/Cable Cars to Operate This Week Over Uninjured Roadbeds (San Francisco Chronicle, Tuesday, August 14, 1906) FIRST CAR RUN ON CALIFORNIA STREET/Successful Test of the Cable Line Which Will Soon Be in Operation (San Francisco Chronicle, Thursday, August 16, 1906)
3. On the Decorated Cable Cars page: Cable cars in the 2006 San Francisco Carnaval Parade.
4. On the New York/New Jersey page: A newspaper article about the second cable car line in Brooklyn, New York, the Brooklyn Heights Railroad. DOWN THE HILL/A Cable Car Breaks Away on Montague Street, which talks about a runaway.
5. Added Bibliography items about the 2006 Bell Ringing contest. The stories have links to a podcast of the event.

In January 2024 I started on a long overdue process of cleaning things up on my site. I started with the development pages. Actually, I guess I started the year before with making most thumbnails 200 pixels instead of 100.

Coming in September 2026: On the Cable Car Lines in Other Cities page: A ten year update about the Valley City Street and Cable Railway in Grand Rapids, Michigan

The Cable Car Home Page now has a Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/CableCarHomePage/

The Cable Car Home Page also has an Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/cable_car_guy/

Joe Thompson
The Cable Car Home Page (updated 01-August-2026)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/
San Francisco Bay Ferryboats (updated 31-October-2024)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ferry/
Park Trains and Tourist Trains (updated 30-June-2026)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ptrain/
The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion (updated spasmodically)
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com
The Big V Riot Squad (updated obsessively)
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/

Vallemar Station Closing -- July 16, 2026

The Ocean Shore Railroad has been gone since 1921, but Pacifica's Vallemar Station has housed many restaurants since then. The latest incarnation, since 1995, Ash's Vallemar Station, closed over the weekend. The food was often good, especially the fried chicken. In later days the service was spotty. I will miss the Ocean Shore photos and the dioramas.

I took the photo on 13-April-2013.

vallemarstation.com

vallemarstation.com

Several proposed closing dates came and went. 

Lindsey Graham -- July 15, 2026

theindy100 (piano.trib.al/theindy100)

By golly, he was right. It seemed like just minutes later before he became one of T***p's most servile lickspittles. 

Bastille Day, 2026 -- July 14, 2026

bbc.com

It was not a happy Bastille Day for the French.

STOP AI -- Protest and March -- July 13, 2026

stopai.info

AI has become a hot topic recently. I worry about the security. Many people are upset that data centers are spring up like mushrooms. Many people worry about privacy and personal freedom. STOP AI Organized a march today in San Francisco.

I don't think I mentioned that I took a series of classes on various AI implementations last summer. I found it interesting. I think I can write good prompts. I let my students know every week that they should not trust that AI's answers are correct.

Misión San Francisco de Asís 250 -- July 12, 2026

sfarch.org

On 29-Jume-2026, we marked the 250th anniversary of the celebration of the first mass Father Francisco Palóu at what became Misión San Francisco de Asís. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone was the principal celebrant at Mission Dolores Basilica, with 15 other priests. Father Jack Clarke Robinson, OFM delivered the homily. I was in the hospital.

Letter to the Faithful -- July 11, 2026

sfarch.org

Letter to the Faithful

June 29, 2026

Dear Faithful of the Archdiocese of San Francisco:

Today, I am informing you that we have reached a settlement agreement in principle associated with the Chapter 11 bankruptcy action in the amount of $395 million.

The proposed financial settlement would resolve all lawsuits related to child sexual abuse brought against the Archdiocese under California Assembly Bill 218 (AB-218).

We recognize that no financial settlement can erase the painful legacy of these past actions. However, we believe this proposal offers a path toward fair compensation for survivors who have carried the burden of this abuse for a lifetime. Sexual abuse of children and young people is a tragedy that has affected many parts of society, including the Church. Although most of the sexual abuse claims brought under AB-218 in the Archdiocese of San Francisco involve incidents dating back many decades and individuals who are deceased or no longer in ministry, we accept responsibility for the failures that allowed this harm to occur. I sincerely apologize to all those who have suffered because of those failures. We remain committed to fostering healing and reconciliation and to accompanying all who deserve our unwavering respect, attention, and prayers.

California has, on more than one occasion, lifted the civil statute of limitations for historical sexual abuse claims, and the real possibility of future legislative changes presents a significant risk to our Archdiocese, parishes, and schools. To address potential liability arising from known and unknown historical claims, the proposed settlement includes a channeling injunction and releases for the Archdiocese and other archdiocesan entities. These protections require that covered claims be resolved through the settlement trust established for that purpose rather than through civil litigation.

Over the past decades, the Archdiocese has absorbed the financial impact of legal expenses and settlements on behalf of parishes, schools and other related entities. The current environment is much more challenging. While parishes and other archdiocesan entities were not included in the Chapter 11 filing, they will need to contribute funds and assets not restricted for specific purposes toward this proposed settlement to secure these legal safeguards and share in the work of making amends for the harm of the past. I want to emphasize that our central archdiocesan chancery office is contributing as much as possible to minimize parish impact, and no donor-restricted donations to parishes, schools, or the Archdiocese, nor donations to the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal, will be used. Each pastor is receiving information about parish contribution amounts, and additional information about channeling injunctions and releases is available in the attached Q&A document.

We want our Catholic family to move forward together and continue to focus on and grow our vital ministries to the faithful and community members who rely on our services and charity. Our faith calls us to maintain strong screening and preventative measures to protect children and eradicate this shameful crime from our midst and from society as a whole. Since the 1980s, the Archdiocese of San Francisco has prioritized training and background screening, and our Office of Child and Youth Protection and Safe Environment Program has an outstanding independent audit record.

I want to express my deepest appreciation to our chancery, parish and other archdiocesan leadership teams who, along with a very capable team of legal professionals, worked tirelessly for more than 30 months to bring about this proposal. Together, they engaged in this very challenging work with the highest integrity, character and authentic care and sensitivity. While there is much work still to be done as we make progress in good faith on the details of a consensual Chapter 11 plan of reorganization, I ask you to join me in prayer for all survivors of sexual abuse, for our Archdiocese, parish communities and schools.

Most Reverend Salvatore J. Cordileone
Archbishop of San Francisco