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Cable cars come in two types: one with a turnaround system, one without. All are numbered, have wood and brass fittings in the 19th-century style, and are often painted in differing colors.

During the course of operation up and down the busy hills, the cable car’s bell is used by the grip person like a claxon, to warn other vehicles and pedestrians of imminent stops, starts, and turns.

The grip person must be quick-thinking, and strong to operate the heavy gripping levers and braking mechanisms. The grip is like a huge pair of pliers that clamps onto the cable to pull the car along.

The conductor not only collects fares, but also makes sure that everyone travels safely, and that the grip person has room to do his job.

The underground cables are 1.25 inches (3 cm) in diameter and consist of six steel strands of 19 wires each, wrapped around a rope, which acts as a shock absorber.

There are three braking mechanisms. Wheel brakes press against the wheels; track brakes press against the tracks when the grip person pulls a lever; while the emergency brake is a steel wedge forced into the rail slot.

Downstairs, look at the giant sheaves (wheels), that keep the cables moving throughout the system; upstairs are displays of the earliest cable cars.

There is a choice of sitting inside a glassed-in compartment, sitting on outside wooden benches, or hanging onto poles and standing on the running board. The third gives you the sights, sounds, and smells of San Francisco at their most enticing.

Part of the fun of cable-car lore is being there to watch when the grip person and conductor turn their car around for the return trip. The best view is at Powell and Market streets.

The three existing routes cover the Financial District, Nob Hill, Chinatown, North Beach, Russian Hill, and Fisherman’s Wharf areas. As these are always important destinations for visitors – and for many residents, too – most people find that a cable car ride will be practical as well as pleasurable.