Bob -

I noticed that, and also a couple of kids running in front of the camera "showing off". Here's what I think. The camera (I don't know how big it was) was on a cable car that was obviously not in regular service. Note that some of the people seem to be waiting for a regular service car and take note that it must have had a sign saying it was "out of service" or something to that effect. It wouldn't have taken long for some folks (the kids; the touring car; etc.) to realize what was going on. I don't think that the film maker needed to add more cars to his film. There were too many other interesting things to occupy his lens.

Les

Another short traction film at the Library of Congress is "A Trip to Berkeley, Cal.", filmed May 24, 1906. Seems like business as usual just a couple of months after the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco.

It has a short sequence (probably staged) of the streetcar crew fighting with a drunk pedestrian who won't get off the tracks.

Technological note - this digital version was made by digitizing every frame of a "deposit print" - at the time, copyright required depositing a book containing positive paper prints of every frame in the film. Even this short film had about 6,000 frames.

Les,
Could well be. Whilst the humans managed to dodge the cable car, there were a few close shaves with motor cars. I doubt they were staged!
Cheers, Bob

From reviewing the film, I'd say it as almost a game of "chicken", where the street car operator was put in the position of "stop and go" by smarmy kids.

Back to the original title, with all the computer, communications, and diagnostic equipment being added to modern locomotives and even rail cars, you can soon take photos of Smart Trains!