March 2013 – Page 2 – Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society

LATL 1500s for the Fishes

A former Los Angeles Transit Lines streetcar is craned into position before being placed into the waters off Redondo Beach as an artificial reef in 1956.

From Ralph Cantos:

After LATL abandoned rail lines 5-7-8-9-& F in the big 1955 abandonment, more then 300 LATL cars (all in mint condition) of the 1200, 1300, and 1500 series and the last remaining standards (500s and 1100s plus the #2501 and #2602) were sold for scrap to National Metals and Steel in early 1956. National Metals later either sold or donated about 25 1500s for use as “fish hotels”. The K-4 1500’s were chosen because they were not of heavy steel construction like their H-4 cozens, but rather mostly wood bodies built on a steel frame. The K-4 bodies were not as valuable as the all steel H-4’s. Only the roofs of the H-4’s were wood. The car bodies were transported by NAVY salvage ship to the waters off Redondo Beach without ceremony and DUMPED! A few years later on an 1958 episode of “SEA HUNT” Lloyd Bridges swam with the local fishes in and out of the car bodies. After being in the sea water for more then 2 years, the 1500’s still looked good. Their wood slat walk over seats , less brass handles , looked ready for rush hour passengers on the W & 9 lines. The local “fish passengers” seemed oblivions to the historic nature of their surroundings. On the East Coast, the local fish were treated to more “substation” hotel accommodations. The fish there , were treated to retired all steel New York City RED BIRD subway cars. The body of LATL #2501 was later rescued from National Metals, and moved to OERM. Sadly , the #2602 perished, but its sister #2601, lives on at OERM.

Ralph Cantos Collection

“Crime Wave” (1954) by Alex De Toth

From our friend David Thompson comes a tip to catch “Crime Wave,” a 1954 film noir by Alex De Toth Tuesday, March 26, at 945AM Pacific on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). The film features PE PCC action in Glendale and Burbank.

5167 at Watts Car House

The saga of PE #717 / #5167: PE #5167 is seen here at Watts Car House shortly after its arrival from the Western District in March of 1956. By January of 1955, only about 30 Hollywood cars were still active. About 15 “low 5100’s” were assigned to the Watts line (numbers 5111 to 5125, all older 600s) and the cream of the remaining crop, the “high 5100s,” were assigned to the Glendale / Burbank line (numbers 5153 to 5168 — all Brill 1925 700s).

From Ralph Cantos:

When the Glendale / Burbank lie was abandoned on 6-19-55, all the 30 PCCs and the 15 Hollywood cars were shoved into the Subway tunnel in one continuous 45-car coupled train. The train was now stored on the outbound track. The inbound track was removed within a few months of abandonment. The PCCs were at the “deep end” of the train, with the Hollywood cars located at the front of the line just inside the portal at Toluca Yard. It was reasoned that the Hollywood cars had no future, and were destined for Terminal Island. Hollywood’s #5166 & #5167 were at the head of the line just inside the portal. Whomever was in charge of rail operations for Metropolitan Coach Lines, seeing this last chance to bolster the “fleet” of shabby 5100s on the Watts line, requested that 2 of the “high 5100s” at the Subway be sent over to the Southern District via flatbed truck along with the Western District line car #00164. So it was, that in February of 1956, the first 2 Hollywood cars in the “dead line” — numbers #5166 and #5167 — were winched out of the Subway, and trucked away for continued service on the Watts line. The 2 cars had cheated the scrappers torch , at least for the time being. The remaining 13 mint-condition “high 5100s” were trucked off to Terminal Island and scrapped. When the Watts line was abandoned in November of 1960, rail fan Walter Abbenseth purchased 5 Hollywood cars from the LAMTA. One car, LAMTA #1805 (PE #633 / #5116) was scrapped at OERM for parts to keep the other 4 cars #5112, #5123, #5166, and #5167 in good operating condition . The #5167 would become today’s legendary #717 of OERM. The trucks from #1805 would later find their way under PE #655 now on static display at OERM. And as the late Paul Harvey would say “and now you know the rest of the story.”

Ralph Cantos Collection

Electric Train Arriving at Venice, California (1911)

Wonderful Venice Beach station, about 1911, is seen here as a 4 car train of LAP / PE 700s bound for Santa Monica discharges passengers. The train will enter the “Trolley Way” at this point as it heads north to Santa Monica.

From Ralph Cantos:

Today, the only thing in this post card photo that is recognizable is the beautiful building with its elegant arches. After abandonment in 1950, the “Trolley Way” at this point would become an extension of Pacific Ave. and then become Neilson Way through Ocean Park. PE would later renumber the 700s into the 950 class with the arrival Hollywood cars which became the new 700 class cars. The Venice Short Line was always a money maker for the PE, but by 1948 with its infrastructure nearing 50 years of age, and plans for the Santa Monica Freeway finalized, PE took the easy way out and abandoned the rail service in favor of buses. If the Venice Short Line could have just held out for “a few more years” say to about the year 2000, I think retaining and rebuilding the rail service would have been a better choice. But as the late Paul Harvey would often say, “the view through the rear view mirror, always seems to be clearer, then that through the front windshield.” In the case of the VSL, he got that right!!

Ralph Cantos Collection

2932 at 6th and Main

LAMTA no. 2932 is shown here in 1959 at the “bus layover yard” below the 6th & Main elevated tracks.

From Ralph Cantos:

These buses numbered 2900 to 2934 were very special,as buses go. They were ordered new to replace the rail service on the San Fernando Valley line. These buses were “deluxe” in every respect. They were the FIRST AIR RIDE BUSES built by General Motors in 1953. They were a “California Only” model TDH-4801. GM built buses in 3 lengths for the USA market. GM’s buses came in 30 foot / 35 foot / and 40 foot models. Most big city operators opted for the 40 foot-51 passenger units. PE actually had 200 of the 40 foot models already in service numbered in the 2700 / 2800’s that had been delivered in 1950 / 51. LATL also had a batch of them numbered in the 6400’s. All were spring ride . BUT,the California Division of Streets and Highways felt that the weight over the rear axles exceeded Calif. standards and out lawed the further purchase of any more 40 footers. Well, GM was not about to sit by and lose orders of 100’s of new buses to California operators (LA’s PE and LATL, San Diego Transit System, and Greyhound ) to name a few. So the boys at GM cut 2 and a half feet off their standard 40 foot TDH 5105 model and created the 37 and a half foot “California Only” model TDH 4801 (48 passengers) These 4801’s were sold new only in California. PE got the VERY FIRST 4801’s ever built, which also incorporated GM’s first “AIR RIDE” system. Because the 27’s , 28’s and 2900’s were all used to replace rail lines (the 27 and 2800s were Northern District replacement buses) they were DELUXE all the way with fabric covered seats, forced air ventilation. extra chrome inside and out. Although several 4801’s have been preserved, all 35 of PE’s 2900,s went to MEXICO and were lost. An attempt was made to save 4801-001, but Mexico would not let it go back to the US. As nice as these buses were at the time, they were no match in terms of comfort, speed, and size to the wonderful and magnificent PE rail cars they replaced.

Ralph Cantos Collection

6339 at Exposition Park

Los Angeles Transit Lines bus #6339 poses for the camera at Exposition Park in 1990.

From Ralph Cantos:

It is the last known surviving example of the 300 bus order that NATIONAL CITY LINES / LATL unleashed on the streetcar loving-citizens of Los Angeles. These buses were used to replace streetcars on rail lines A – D – U and all the shuttle car lines. These GM 4506’s were also used to replace older gasoline powered “brand X” buses that LATL inherited from LARY.

Ralph Cantos Collection