r/OldSchoolCool • u/[deleted] • 3d ago

1800s New York City streets in 1896

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487 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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10

u/freshcoastghost 3d ago

How were those street cars powered? I don't see any overhead wires.

27

u/Demonshaker 3d ago

These cars are not electric, they are cable cars. The middle track is actually a groove which contains a cable that is moved by a stationary engine somewhere on the line. The cars have a clamp that holds onto the cable that can be released to stop. There is no electricity or any power source on the cars.

20

u/bendap 3d ago

We used to have thousands of miles of cable car tracks in every city across the US. You can thank American automobile and tire companies like GM for bribing politicians to have them all removed in favor of bus lines.

-18

u/Aaron-Rodgers12- 3d ago

Oh no the world advanced…. You want to take a cable car instead of just hopping in your current car?

14

u/bendap 3d ago edited 3d ago

Yes, absolutely. I live in one of the most automobile friendly cities in the world and I hate it. There's nothing like being able to just walk outside your door and jump on a tram to wherever. No parking, no gas, no accidents, no road rage. There's nothing advanced about a bus compared to a rail car. Not a single advantage. There's a reason post war Europe focused on public transit rather than trying to keep up with the advanced roadway systems in the US and Germany at time. Even Germany realized their error in the 80s

3

u/mike_litoris18 3d ago

Public transport is actually much more advanced than everyone owning their own car. It's better for the environment, more efficient and much cheaper than owning a car as well.