How does the trolley system in San Francisco work?
The trolley tracks in San Francisco are constantly making noise, even if there is no trolley car nearby. It sounds like there are metal rollers constantly rolling. What is going on, does it have something to do with how the car makes electrical contact?
San Francisco - 3 Answers
People's Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
Answer 1 :
No electricity here! What you hear are the cables. Each Trolley is connected to an underground cable (These trolleys are also known as "cable cars") which pulls it up and down the hilly streets of San Francisco. Check out the link for all the fascinating details.
Answer 2 :
You must be referring to the Cable Car system which is a rare and unique operation. That system uses continuously moving underground cables that the cable car grabs onto as it moves along the tracks. There is an operator in each car known as a gripman who's job it is to work the lever system to grab and let go of the cables in order to move the vehicle. Other systems use either electricity or diesel propulsion to move the vehicles along the track. So, yes the mechanism is always moving!
Answer 3 :
It is a cable car, not a trolley....you are hearing the underground cables working.
