5021 at Brand and Glendale
Pacific Electric/MCL PCC no. 5021 pauses for passengers at Brand Boulevard and Glendale Avenue in 1954.
Robert T. McVay Photo
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So sad that none of PE’s double-ended PCCs were saved. They were one-of-a-kind and are now lost to history.
I’m puzzled by the location. It sure looks like Brand Blvd, but Brand never intersects Glendale Ave. Also, the overhead doesn’t look right. If I remember right, Brand Blvd had an overhead catenary system, not a single trolley wire.
that IS Brand Blvd. Check out the streetlight on the pole behind the car.
The PE PCC’s are indeed lost to history, and all that is left of them are the images and a few movies. But when one realizes that could have been the fate of all of L.A.’s electric railways, I appreciate how much is left to enjoy because of the people who had the foresight to save so much at Orange Empire Railway Museum.
The forlorn collection of PCCs near Lake Tahoe includes a double ender made from two retired Muni cars (1024 and 1035)–what might be called a “12 inches to the foot kitbash” in model railroad circles. Unlike all existing double ended PCCs, this creation would have center doors like the PE version. But the Muni 1016 class was built by St. Louis and were all-electric. According to the report, the bodies have been spliced together, but modifying the electrical and control systems was never done. A closer replica would call for taking two prewar Boston cars (Pullman air-electrics) and using them as the starting point. Such cars exist, but most of them are heavily rusted.
Glendale Blvd. becomes Brand Blvd. at San Fernando Road. As I recall, my dad (who was with the SP) explained the use of single wire direct suspension at this intersection was due to the power lines on San Fernando Rd. and the excessive weight of the catenary crossing this large intersection. I was always fascinated with the change in the wire over this short stretch (catenary-direct suspension-catenary).
Ed,I think you are right. The car is inbound on Brand at San Fernando Rd.
Does the “herald” (logo) on the side of the car read PE or Metro Coach?
The PCC’s never carried the MCL logo- always PE.
The question about logos on PCCs brings up the case of the “Blimps”–as I recall they did get Metropolitan Coach Lines on the letterboards. Did the PCCs still belong to PE, or did MCL just never bother to relabel them?
Those SOB’s at MCL leased the PCC’s as well as the 15 high numbered Hollywood cars that were used on the G-B Line. Early in 1957, PE forced MCL to purchase all remaining rail cars in use on the Southern District. PE wanted their name OFF the cars.
Another spot close to the lost town of Tropico.