Oakland Cable Railway

The Oakland Cable Railway was a cable car line in Oakland and Emeryville, California. It was promoted by James G. Fair,^[1] who acquired the rights to the Oakland Railroad Company horsecar lines on San Pablo Avenue and Telegraph Avenue and converted tracks on San Pablo to cable operation.^[2] The line opened for service on November 19, 1886,^[3][4] running from 7th and Broadway to Emery via Broadway and San Pablo.^[5] The fare was reduced to 5¢ from the 25¢ that the horsecar line had charged (equivalent to $1.75 and $8.75 in 2024 after inflation), making the service instantly more popular and resulting in record returns from the line.^[2]

Fair would go on to sell his streetcar operations to the Southern Pacific Company, which would in turn transfer operations to their subsidiary: the Pacific Improvement Company.^[2] Tracks between 7th and Broadway were electrified in 1892.^[6] The San Pablo line was double tracked in 1896.^[7] Cable operations ceased after May 31, 1899, and the road was quickly rebuilt for electric traction,^[2] which began on July 3.^[8]

The cable power house was located at San Pablo and 22nd Street, which was converted to an electrical substation after cable operations ended.^[9]