H Line Rails on Heliotrope Boulevard (1996)

Ralph Cantos Photo, Ralph Cantos Collection

By Ralph Cantos

After the very unpopular 1947 Los Angeles Transit Lines abandonment of the H line, the City Of Los Angeles paved over unneeded rails of the well constructed line including Heliotrope Blvd.

Like so much of LA’s vast trolley system, much of PE’s and LARY’s rail lay just a few inches below the asphalt. Back in the summer of 1996, the rails of LARY’s H line saw the light of day along this section of Heliotrope Bl. after being buried for 48 years.

City Street Maintenance crews had already scraped off the 1948 pavement in preparation for repaving. The track was completely intact in both directions, and in excellent condition from Melrose Ave down to Oakwood St. where the H line went into PRW (private right-of-way). I hastily made an H line dash sign out of cardboard, pulled into the car tracks, and snapped this photo.

I may not be around to photograph these rails the next time they make an appearance sometime around 2046.

Ralph Cantos Photo, Ralph Cantos Collection

Here’s a bonus photo of Ralph with his 1978 Ford Fairmont / Pacific Electric Trolley Wire Maintenance Division wagon! Awesome!

Ralph Cantos Collection