The fantastic footage (with ambient-only sound) and trivia, combined with an infusion of pride for San Francisco's past and present, make this segment, called simply, "Cable Cars," a great way to spend 5 minutes of computer time. Along the way, you'll meet: Ken Lunardi, operator; Norm Feyling, mechanic; and Bob Harris, carpenter.

Produced by Greg Burk for SFGTV's award-wining magazine series "City In Focus."

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My favorite bit from this scan of an original flyer in support of Proposition "A": "All statements in this leaflet are accurate and factual." That reassuring disclaimer apparently made this passage adequately persuasive:

Who endorsed Proposition "A"? Taxpayer's groups... labor... doctors, lawyers, merchants, housewives, educators, Republicans, Democrats - everybody who wants a prosperous Bay Area. Opposition? Scattered, local, self-interested.

Indeeeed. The proposition required a district-wide 60% "yes" to pass; it got 61.2%, with the help of folks who cynically voted for it even though they wanted, and expected, it to fail. More after the jump...

As johnny0 over at Burrito Justice put it, "I’m constantly amazed that BART got built at all given the 50s freeway push."

One thing is for sure. There's no way something of that size and complexity could ever pass today. No matter how much you loathe BART for fare increases, declining service, and perpetual deficits - and I've probably got you all beat on the hate front - we almost ended up with nothing at all. It's hard to imagine how that would have been better for San Francisco.

BART's own website, after telling about the retreat of Marin and San Mateo counties from the plan, puts it like this:

The total cost of the system, as of 1962, was projected at $996 million. It would be the largest single public works project ever undertaken in the U.S. by the local citizenry.

After the election, engineers immediately started work on the final system designs, only to be halted by a taxpayer's suit filed against the District a month later. The validity of the bond election, and the legality of the District itself, were challenged. While the court ruled in favor of the District on both counts, six months of litigation cost $12 million in construction delays. This would be the first of many delays from litigation and time-consuming negotiations involving 166 separate agreements reached with on-line cities, counties, and other special districts. The democratic processes of building a new transit system would prove to be major cost factors that, however necessary, were not foreseen.

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That's right, the original plans recommended "first stage" service past Palo Alto to the south, and across the Bay to San Rafael to the north! I wonder how many stages ago that was?

Maybe they should have drafted up some counterfeit money with which to pay for this pipe dream. (Even a tiny fraction of this fantastical scheme is itself worth much higher fares year after year, it seems.)

(via)

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Came across this file randomly while browsing the Prelinger Archive, which I haven't done in a while. The footage of longshoremen jockeying cargo on and off ships is a swift check on romanticism and a concrete reminder that, even long ago, industry on a mass scale was what drove almost all of our activity.

I logged a few of the bits that really stood out to me:

• 3:00 - Steam locomotives navigating Market Street, and cruising along the Embarcardero.
• 5:00 - Cool aerial footage; Ferry Building with street cars on a circular track in front and a heavy rail locomotive waiting (loading?) on the left; Golden Gate Ferries.
• 6:50 - I believe this is a quick shot of Dolores Street.
• 7:40 - Funky, animated relief maps of the area and trade routes, points of interest.
• 8:55 - Aerial footage of downtown, City Hall and Golden Gate Park.
• 10:45 - Aerial of the western side of the city; Golden Gate Park, including the bandshell area.

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