How Do San Francisco's Cable Cars Work Mechanically?

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San Francisco's cable cars operate using an underground steel cable that moves at 9.5 mph, driven by large motors from a central power station. This cable system extends several miles beneath the city and can stretch up to 100 ft over time. To maintain constant tension, the cable runs around a 1.5-meter diameter tensioning pulley that rolls on rails. A 2000 kg block is connected to the tensioning pulley to help manage the cable's tension. The mechanical design ensures the efficient operation of the iconic cable car system.
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The cable cars in San Francisco are pulled along their tracks by an underground steel cable that moves along at 9.5 mph. The cable is driven by large motors at a central power station and extends, via an intricate pulley arrangement, for several miles beneath the city streets. The length of a cable stretches by up to 100 ft during its lifetime. To keep the tension constant, the cable passes around a 1.5-m-diameter "tensioning pulley" that rolls back and forth on rails, as shown in the figure. A 2000 kg block is attached to the tensioning pulley's cart, via a rope and pulley, and is suspended in a deep hole.
 

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