October, 2021 Version of the Cable Car Home Page -- October 1, 2021

 

The Cable Car Home Page will be 25 years old in November.

I just put the October, 2021 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: A map of the Glasgow District Subway, from "Glasgow District Subway", a December 4, 1896 Engineering Magazine article and several new photographs.
2. Added News items about the retirement of Byron Cobb. passing of Carl Payne and Melvin Van Peebles. Also about the extended shutdown caused by an electrical fire.

Ten years ago this month (October, 2011):
1. The picture of the month: A station of the cable-operated Glasgow District Subway. (Source: "Glasgow District Subway", Cassier's Magazine, October, 1898).
2. On the Cable Car Lines in the UK page: An updated article on the Glasgow District Subway, including an 1898 Cassier's Magazine article, The Glasgow District Subway
3. On the Cable Car Models page: A Garden Scale California Street cable car at the 2011 Ardenwood Rail Fair
3. Added News item about talking to schoolkids

Twenty years ago this quarter (Spring, 2001):
1. Picture of the Quarter: Retired Glasgow Subway cars
2. Add articles on Glasgow's Glasgow District Subway and the Liverpool United Tramways to the Cable Car Lines in the UK page.
3. Add Selected articles from Manufacturer and Builder Magazine (1890-1899) to the Miscellany page.
4. Update Other California Cities and Los Angles Area Funiculars pages. Change images to thumbnails. Added more images of Second Street Cable Railway and Knott's Berry Farm cable cars.
5. Added more images of the Fillmore Hill Counterbalance, the Telegraph Hill Railroad, and the California/Powell signal tower to the San Francisco page.
6. Bob Murphy provided photographs of the North Melbourne Winding House, which I added to the Melbourne article.
7. Added article on Charles Smallwood to the Who page.
8. Reorganize Newspaper section of the bibliography by subject.

Coming in November, 2021: On the Cable Car Lines in the UK page: On the Why do I Maintain This Site? page: The Cable Car Home Page turns 25 years old

150 years ago this month (October, 1971):
October 08 - The Great Chicago Fire broke out.

125 years ago this month (October, 1896):
October 04 - The Druid Hill Avenue line of the Baltimore Traction Company was converted to electric traction

100 years ago this month (October, 1921):
October 30 - Engineer Howard C Holmes, who designed and built the Ferries and Cliff House Railway and other cable lines, died

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

Joe Thompson
The Cable Car Home Page (updated 01-October-2021)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/
San Francisco Bay Ferryboats (updated 31-January-2020)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ferry/
Park Trains and Tourist Trains (updated 31-August-2021)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ptrain/
The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion (updated spasmodically)
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com
The Big V Riot Squad (new blog)
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/

Carl Payne, RIP -- August 10, 2021

Carl Payne, 10-time winner of the Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest, transit operator, police officer, San Francisco ambassador and great all-around guy, has died. Above we see him giving an exhibition performance at the 2016 contest. He was born in Pittsburgh, but settled in San Francisco after he served in the Marine Corps. 

He went to work for Muni and stayed for 29 years. He spent 28 years working in the Cable Car Division. The only person who has come close to his record of ten Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest championships is Byron Cobb, who has won eight times. Payne travelled the world, appeared with symphony orchestras, and shared his joy for life with everyone. 

While working on the cable cars, Payne became an expert at spotting pickpockets. When he left Muni, he applied to join the San Francisco Police Department. He passed the test, but was told that he was over the maximum age. He sued the department and eventually won. He spent 25 years with the police. After retiring from the SFPD, he became a Golden Gate Park ranger. He had to give that up when he started to have health issues. 

The image above shows him giving an exhibition at the 2013 Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest. Four former champs gave an exhibition at the 2017 contest: Al Quintana (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994), Ken Lunardi (1997, 2002, 2006), Frank Ware (1999, 2004) and Carl Payne (1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989).