Cable cars first appeared in 19th century Victorian San Francisco. The car operates through the use of a pulley and sheave system created by the father of the cable car, Andrew Hallidie. According to cablecarmuseum.org, the original cable car used a dummy car, housing the grip and brake mechanisms, to pull a passenger car.
The cable car connects to moving cables with the help of vice-like mechanisms called grips that are located underneath the street. The cables operate with the help of a powerhouse. The powerhouse pulls cable loops with 510 horsepower consistently at 9.5 miles per hour.
Cable cars operate on steel tracks that enclose the cables. A gripman starts the cable car by pulling a lever that operates the grip. The grip then closes around the cable and begins its movement. When the gripman needs to stop the car he only needs to release the grip from the cables and apply the brake.
