The San Francisco cable car system is a cable-car rail network in San Francisco, California. Conceived by Andrew Smith Hallidie, the system's first line was the Clay Street Hill Railroad, which opened on August 2, 1873. By 1890, the system had expanded to twenty-three lines, of which three remain in operation as of 2023. The cars are pulled by a cable running below the street, which is held by a grip that extends from the car through a slit in the street surface, between the rails. This 2016 photograph shows a cable car traveling on Hyde Street, with Alcatraz Island and Fisherman's Wharf visible in the background.Photograph credit: Thomas Wolf