I think we have improved.

[RAM]

1906 San Francisco Street Car film - AMAZING

This film was "lost" for many years. It was the first 35mm film ever.
It was taken by camera mounted on the front of a cable car.

The amount of auto-mobiles <WBR>is staggering for 1906. Absolutely amazing
The clock tower at the end of Market Street at the Embarcadero
wharf is still there. (I'm also wondering ... how many "street cleaning"

people were employed to pick up after the horses? Talk about going green!)

Great historical film worth watching.
_http://www.youtube.http://wwwhttp://www.youtuhtt_
(http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NINOxRxze9k)
This film, originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with
the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly
when it was shot. From New York trade papers announcing the film
showing to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows
indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical
record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who
owned them and when the plates were issued!).. It was filmed only
four days before the quake and shipped by train to NY for processing.
Amazing but true!

[Colorado_Mac]

That was fascinating!  Even though I am "working" , I couldn't take my eyes off it.  The total lack of any traffic etiquette was amazing.  Thanks so much for sharing.

[poliss]

Great film. I've seen it before and did a little research. It seems that lots of the automobiles were specially hired for the film to make Market Street look modern and busy. Note that the same cars appear quite a few times.
Did you also notice that most of the automobiles are right hand drive? It appears that this was because in the early days of motoring, before most roads had a tarmac surface, drivers could get into cars without getting their shoes and trousers covered in mud. In later years, as road traffic increased, the driving position was moved to the left as it was safer.
You can see the restored film, without the 'film roll' faults here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oubsaFBUcTc

[pdlethbridge]

it reminds me of how they drive in Boston.

[jonathan]

RAM,

Finally got a chance to watch the film.  Hard to imagine it's 104 years old! Thanks for sharing.  Enjoyed it.

Regards,

Jonathan

[pcctrolleyII]

Very Very nice i loved it and i noticed two horse drown trolleys in there too. I have to say i thought a fews times the some one was going to get hit either by the cable car or by the cars. I expected a cash a few times seeing how those cars were driving.

[Craig]

Great film. I've seen it before and did a little research. It seems that lots of the automobiles were specially hired for the film to make Market Street look modern and busy. Note that the same cars appear quite a few times.

The majority of the vehicles seem to have no purpose whatsoever, and their frequent, random U-turns are very suspect. It looks as if someone deliberately flooded the area with traffic but without first choreographing said traffic. Most of the vehicles seem to be there solely for the purpose of being there.

Here's a 1941 film of the same street. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzqs6DF_wGE&NR=1

And this one has 100 year's worth. I enjoyed watching the evolution of transportation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaXyxht-yCA&feature=fvw

[az2rail]

Is it just me, or did the last car in the film have one of those donut spare tires on it?

Bruce

Oh. And thanks. I enjoyed watching that.