Passengers are visible through the cable car windows during a close passing view.
1952 · San Francisco, California, United States
Still image · $49
This small preview is for browsing. Your licensed download is the full 4K image.
4K archival still image
Cable car approaches along the tracks, framed from street level with dark film edges — San Francisco, California, 1952
$49 USD Full 4K image license
You’re licensing the 4K image3,840 × 2,160 pixels · JPEG
Extracted from the film scan master, not enlarged from the 256px preview.
- Download
- Full 4K · 3840 × 2160 pixels · JPEG
- Web preview
- 455 × 256 pixels
- Catalog year
- 1952
- Location
- San Francisco, California, United States
- Image
- Still 1 · 0.40s into the source clip
- License
- Editorial only
Editorial use only: documentary, news, educational, internal and organic social use. Not permitted in advertising, sponsored or branded content, broadcast promotion or any paid commercial placement.
One full-resolution still image is included. The source video is licensed separately.
Read the licensing guideAbout this image
1952 San Francisco home-movie frame showing a red and cream cable car traveling along tracks between city buildings.
The source is catalogued as 8mm home movie. This frame appears 0.40 seconds into the clip. Watch the source footage below to see the surrounding action.
Browsing preview455 × 256pixels · shown above
Licensed 4K image3840 × 2160pixels · JPEG download
About 71× as many pixels as the web preview. The master retains the original film’s grain, texture and condition.
Visually similar images
Explore other frames with a similar composition and subject.
Visual matches are temporarily unavailable. Use the subject links below to keep exploring.
Explore the subjects in this image
Other frames from this clip
A brief overexposed cutaway looks past rooftops and utility poles toward a distant ship-like form.
1952 · San Francisco, California, United States
Still image · $49
The clip ends on a hazy city view with wires, rooftops, and a distant waterfront shape.
1952 · San Francisco, California, United States
Still image · $49
Source footage and archive context
San Francisco California-1952: Cable Car on Famous Trolley Tracks
Watch the movement and surrounding scene in the source clip, or license the video separately.
Source format: 8mm.
Browse the collection: 1952 San Francisco California.
Date documentation · estimated
Catalog estimate. A reel-level note shows the same year, but the clip-to-reel link is itself a catalog match, so this is not counted as independent confirmation.
Location documentation · estimated
Catalog estimate. A reel-level location note is linked, but the clip-to-reel link is itself a catalog match, so this is not counted as independent confirmation.
Source reel 1234
Reel label: miss universe
Year note: 1952
Location note: california
Period detail
The red and cream cable car, painted route wording, overhead street setting, and soft 8mm color may show mid-century San Francisco transit as filmed by a visitor or local observer.
Film character
The clip has dense 8mm grain, uneven exposure, saturated reds and creams, handheld framing, slight blur, and dark frame edges that preserve the physical home-movie texture.
Historical context
The footage places public transit, passengers, street infrastructure, and distant waterfront views within a compact visual record of mid-century San Francisco street life.
Research note
People and cable car markings are visible, so likeness, trademark, and location context should be reviewed separately from any copyright or archive license assessment.
Image licensing questions
What resolution will I download?
Your license includes the 3840 × 2160-pixel JPEG in full 4K resolution. The 455 × 256-pixel image on this page is a browsing preview. The licensed image is extracted from the scan master, not enlarged from the preview.
What does the $49 still-image license include?
It covers this one still image. This image is editorial only; commercial advertising and paid placements are not permitted. Choose the usage, territory and term at checkout. The source video is licensed separately.
Can I see the footage this image came from?
Yes. The source clip is “San Francisco California-1952: Cable Car on Famous Trolley Tracks”. Its page includes the video preview and the archive’s source and licensing information.