1039 Accident on the Santa Ana Line
Ralph Cantos Collection
Pacific Electric interurban no. 1039 and its train await the repair crew after they hit a hay truck at high speed on the Santa Ana Line in July 1927 with spectacular results.
Ralph Cantos Collection
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I couldn’t help but wonder why that truck carrying hay was on the track in the first place. From looking at the photo, the double track is situated on a fairly high embankment. Is there a grade crossing that is leveled with the tracks? From the look of that spectacular wreck in 1927, there had to some casualties.
The Pacific Electric Ry had many grade crossings, I can’t help but wonder how many train/car collisions at these crossings the railway had to endure.
Its weird history, but the new OC streetcar terminus will be located within 50 feet of that horrible accident site, but with crossing gates, lights, horns, etc. Lets hope we have no accidents there.
I will self-correct. This location is just northwest of 17th street/ Westminister, in Garden Grove.OCTA has built a bridge over 17th street, eliminating this grade crossing that took so many lives so long ago.The terminus of the new OC streetcar is very close to where the train is sitting.The streetcar is projected to open March 2022.