Nymphomania, explosions and runaway cars: San Francisco's most famous cable car accidents

Photo: Bob Campbell, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car accident at the corner of Powell and Jackson Streets in San Francisco, September 16, 1955.

Cable car accident at the corner of Powell and Jackson Streets in San Francisco, September 16, 1955.

Photo: Bob Campbell, San Francisco Chronicle

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Frayed cable on Powell and Market Streets in San Francisco, January 5, 1960.

Frayed cable on Powell and Market Streets in San Francisco, January 5, 1960.

Photo: Bob Campbell, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car crash at Powell and Pine Streets in San Francisco, March 24, 1950.

Cable car crash at Powell and Pine Streets in San Francisco, March 24, 1950.

Photo: Bill Young, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car accident at Chestnut and Hyde Streets in San Francisco, April 15, 1965.

Cable car accident at Chestnut and Hyde Streets in San Francisco, April 15, 1965.

Photo: Art Frisch, San Francisco Chronicle

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Fiery cable car crash, runaway plunge, pileup on Hyde Street. 39 passengers were injured. From the San Francisco Chronicle archives, December 4, 1967

Fiery cable car crash, runaway plunge, pileup on Hyde Street. 39 passengers were injured. From the San Francisco Chronicle archives, December 4, 1967

Photo: San Francisco Chronicle Archives

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Cable car mishap on Hyde Street, September 23, 1964.

Cable car mishap on Hyde Street, September 23, 1964.

Photo: Chronicle Archives

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Police inspected the battered cable car, set back on rails after it had upset at Powell and Jackson Streets. The splintered car was towed off to the barn, September 16, 1955.

Police inspected the battered cable car, set back on rails after it had upset at Powell and Jackson Streets. The splintered car was towed off to the barn, September 16, 1955.

Photo: Bob Campbell, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car accident on Powell Street, north of Bush Street in San Francisco, November 25, 1960.

Cable car accident on Powell Street, north of Bush Street in San Francisco, November 25, 1960.

Photo: Barney Peterson, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car and bus collide on Powell and Sutter Streets in San Francisco, September 15, 1957.

Cable car and bus collide on Powell and Sutter Streets in San Francisco, September 15, 1957.

Photo: Chronicle Archives

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Hyde Street accident - Two cable cars and three automobiles were involved in an accident on Hyde Street. Three people were sent to the hospital. The photo was taken from the platform of cable car 508 and shows cable car 518 and the vehicles it went into. On the brake lever is the gripman's glove. June 21, 1968. less^[1]

Hyde Street accident - Two cable cars and three automobiles were involved in an accident on Hyde Street. Three people were sent to the hospital. The photo was taken from the platform of cable car 508 and shows ... more^[2]

Photo: Christopher Springman, San Francisco Chronicle

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A Muni bus hit a cable car on Bush at Powell Streets. An elderly woman getting on was injured as the cable car driver tried to grab her as the bus was about to collide, probably saving her life, September 25, 1991. less^[3]

A Muni bus hit a cable car on Bush at Powell Streets. An elderly woman getting on was injured as the cable car driver tried to grab her as the bus was about to collide, probably saving her life, September 25, ... more^[4]

Photo: Liz Hafalia, San Francisco Chronicle

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A Powell-Jackson cable car lost part of its front paneling and a passenger bench in a collision with a city street-cleaning truck at Powell and Pine Streets early the day before. Three passengers suffered minor injuries. less^[5]

A Powell-Jackson cable car lost part of its front paneling and a passenger bench in a collision with a city street-cleaning truck at Powell and Pine Streets early the day before. Three passengers suffered minor ... more^[6]

Photo: Bill Young, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car accident at Hyde and Chestnut Streets in San Francisco, September 21, 1964.

Cable car accident at Hyde and Chestnut Streets in San Francisco, September 21, 1964.

Photo: Art Frisch, San Francisco Chronicle

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Scene of a cable car accident at Bay on Hyde, looking north, toward the bay, May 16, 1988.

Scene of a cable car accident at Bay on Hyde, looking north, toward the bay, May 16, 1988.

Photo: Frederic Larson, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car accident at North Point and Hyde Street in San Francisco, March 19, 1958.

Cable car accident at North Point and Hyde Street in San Francisco, March 19, 1958.

Photo: Duke Downey, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car accident at California and Powell Streets, November 20, 1963.

Cable car accident at California and Powell Streets, November 20, 1963.

Photo: Frederic Larson, San Francisco Chronicle

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Eleven people were injured when this eastbound California Street line cable car came to abrupt stop. Here Muni workers look underneath the car for clues as to its malfunction. A passenger broke the glass of the car in foreground, June 13, 1990. less^[7]

Eleven people were injured when this eastbound California Street line cable car came to abrupt stop. Here Muni workers look underneath the car for clues as to its malfunction. A passenger broke the glass of the ... more^[8]

Photo: Brant Ward, San Francisco Chronicle

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"Cable car runs wild, 12 injured. Twelve person were injured when a Powell Street cable car crowded with Christmas shoppers tore loose from its grip and hurtled downhill into the rear of another on Washington Street between Mason and Powell Streets. Two passengers jumped off before the crash." December 17, 1953. less^[9]

"Cable car runs wild, 12 injured. Twelve person were injured when a Powell Street cable car crowded with Christmas shoppers tore loose from its grip and hurtled downhill into the rear of another on Washington ... more^[10]

Photo: Barney Peterson, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car crash at Washington and Powell Streets in San Francisco, December 17, 1953.

Cable car crash at Washington and Powell Streets in San Francisco, December 17, 1953.

Photo: Barney Peterson, San Francisco Chronicle

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Bill Frost inspects two damaged cable cars at the cable car barn, January 4, 1981.

Bill Frost inspects two damaged cable cars at the cable car barn, January 4, 1981.

Photo: Susan Gilbert, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car accident at Hyde and Bay Streets, May 16, 1988.

Cable car accident at Hyde and Bay Streets, May 16, 1988.

Photo: Deanne Fitzmaurice, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car goes off rails on the Hyde-Beach line. The car struck the wheel of a parked cement truck, causing the derailment, and sending the car skidding about 20 feet down Washington Street hill to the intersection of Taylor Street. One passenger was treated at the hospital. The car was slightly damaged, January 17, 1958. less^[11]

Cable car goes off rails on the Hyde-Beach line. The car struck the wheel of a parked cement truck, causing the derailment, and sending the car skidding about 20 feet down Washington Street hill to the ... more^[12]

Photo: Ken McLaughlin, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable cars in collision, twelve injured. As crowds gather to watch, Municipal Railway workers struggled to clear the tracks of cable car wreckage, December 17, 1953.

Cable cars in collision, twelve injured. As crowds gather to watch, Municipal Railway workers struggled to clear the tracks of cable car wreckage, December 17, 1953.

Photo: Barney Peterson, San Francisco Chronicle

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Mishap on Hyde Street, where cars and a cable car collide, September 23, 1964.

Mishap on Hyde Street, where cars and a cable car collide, September 23, 1964.

Photo: Chronicle Archives

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Cable car accident at Greenwich and Mason Streets, in which 9 people were hurt, August 14, 1958.

Cable car accident at Greenwich and Mason Streets, in which 9 people were hurt, August 14, 1958.

Photo: Bill Young, San Francisco Chronicle

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Fiery cable car crash resulted in 43 injuries, 12 seriously when the cable car lost its grip on the steel cable near Chestnut Street, smashing several autos, some of which exploded, December 10, 1967.

Fiery cable car crash resulted in 43 injuries, 12 seriously when the cable car lost its grip on the steel cable near Chestnut Street, smashing several autos, some of which exploded, December 10, 1967.

Photo: Chronicle Archives

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Car 513 hit cars and house at 1013 Jackson Street in San Francisco, December 27, 1959.

Car 513 hit cars and house at 1013 Jackson Street in San Francisco, December 27, 1959.

Photo: Bill Young, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car accident on Powell Street, north of Bush Street, in San Francisco, with ten injuries, November 25, 1960.

Cable car accident on Powell Street, north of Bush Street, in San Francisco, with ten injuries, November 25, 1960.

Photo: Barney Peterson, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car that ran away down Hyde Street hill, catching fire, December 1967. Photo by Lt. Chet Born, SFFD.

Cable car that ran away down Hyde Street hill, catching fire, December 1967. Photo by Lt. Chet Born, SFFD.

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Cable car wreck front and 2nd handrail broken, June 16, 1971.

Cable car wreck front and 2nd handrail broken, June 16, 1971.

Photo: Peter Breinig, San Francisco Chronicle

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Damaged cable at the Muni cable car barn at Mason and Washington Streets in San Francisco, December 4, 1967.

Damaged cable at the Muni cable car barn at Mason and Washington Streets in San Francisco, December 4, 1967.

Photo: Jerry Telfer, San Francisco Chronicle

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Fiery cable car crash - runaway plunge, pileup. 39 hurt in disaster on Hyde Street. The car was jammed with screaming passengers while the car careened down the steep Hyde Street hill into a car, triggering a fiery explosion that injured 39, three critically, December 4, 1967. less^[13]

Fiery cable car crash - runaway plunge, pileup. 39 hurt in disaster on Hyde Street. The car was jammed with screaming passengers while the car careened down the steep Hyde Street hill into a car, triggering a ... more^[14]

Photo: Art Frisch, San Francisco Chronicle

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Hyde and Washington Streets, near fatal accident with pick-up truck , August 20, 1974.

Hyde and Washington Streets, near fatal accident with pick-up truck , August 20, 1974.

Photo: Barney Peterson, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car and bus accident at Sutter and Powell Streets in San Francisco, Four people were injured, February 1,1974.

Cable car and bus accident at Sutter and Powell Streets in San Francisco, Four people were injured, February 1,1974.

Photo: Art Frisch, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car wreck at Hyde and North Point, in San Francisco. Mechanic peers underneath to try to free it from the jammed slot, June 3, 1976.

Cable car wreck at Hyde and North Point, in San Francisco. Mechanic peers underneath to try to free it from the jammed slot, June 3, 1976.

Photo: Peter Breinig, San Francisco Chronicle

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Damaged cable car on the Powell and Market line, hit by "suicide" auto, August 14, 1984.

Damaged cable car on the Powell and Market line, hit by "suicide" auto, August 14, 1984.

Photo: John O'Hara, San Francisco Chronicle

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Cable car accident at Bay and Hyde Streets in San Francisco, May 16, 1988.

Cable car accident at Bay and Hyde Streets in San Francisco, May 16, 1988.

Photo: Deanne Fitzmaurice, San Francisco Chronicle

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A Muni bus hit a cable car on Bush at Powell Streets. An elderly woman getting on was injured as the cable car driver tried to grab her as the bus was about to collide, probably saving her life, September 25, 1991. less^[15]

A Muni bus hit a cable car on Bush at Powell Streets. An elderly woman getting on was injured as the cable car driver tried to grab her as the bus was about to collide, probably saving her life, September 25, ... more^[16]

Photo: Liz Hafalia, San Francisco Chronicle

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References

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