LATL 1419 at 8th Street and Western
Los Angeles Transit Lines no. 1419 on the S Line is photographed circa 1950 at 8th Street and Western (looking west toward Western Avenue).
Image notes: Note the Ben Franks restaurant and American Cancer Society in the background. The ACS building became “Wonderland Studios” owned by recording artist Stevie Wonder.
Unknown photographer, Steve Crise Collection
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There is a ’57 Chevy in the parking lot.
At least two of them, in fact. I wonder if the black 2-door hardtop is the same one my dad and I have been restoring (though ours doesn’t show any evidence of ever having the front bumper overriders the one in this pic does).
Note that the Motorman is behind the car as the trolley pole is being raised to the wire as part of “changing ends”. The other pole always goes up first so the power is continuous to the air compressor and to ensure there is no power surge in case the main power breakers are on to the controllers. (Standard procedure is to cut out the controllers with the main switches when no one is in the car and when changing ends, even if you take the reverser handle and controller handle out of the controller. Safety First!)
“8th Avenue” should be “8th Street” in title.
Wow! This really is a classic scene…everything from Chevron/Standard sign left to Bell Telephone right. Newsracks, wrapped tire for sale, Merc, Buick, Chev., Ford (far down). Stop sign with reflectors. And a streetcar centered for the bang! All that might be missing would be a low flying Western Air Lines prop. plane dropping in across the open sky spaces…photoshop anyone?
The gas station and the two residential buildings still are standing. The parking lot on the right is now the Pollo allá Brasa restaurant. Ben Franks and the ACS are long gone.