November 2020 – Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society

Los Angeles Transit Lines “Candy Cane Cars & Buses”

Los Angeles Transit Lines no.3010 at South Park Paint Shop

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Ralph Cantos

Starting in November of 1948, The Downtown Business Men’s Association sponsored 2 Los Angeles Transit Lines Candy Cane streetcars, PCC no. 3010 and H-4 no. 1257 to stimulate shopping in Downtown Los Angeles. — the only proviso being that both cars would pass through Downtown along either Broadway or 7th Street no matter what lines they operated on.

The “Candy Cane Car” promotion proved to be an unexpected success. The telephone switch board at LATL headquarters located at 1060 South Broadway was besieged with 50 to 100 phone calls daily from children wanting to know what lines the Candy Cane Cars were operating on, so they could ride them.

So popular was the Candy Cane Car promotion, that 1949 saw five candy cane vehicles on the streets of LA, four streetcars and one diesel bus.. The Candy Cane Bus was driven over to the Paramount lot in East Hollywood where Bing Crosby sang White Christmas on the front steps of the coach.

Christmas 1950 would prove to be the high point of the Candy Cane fleet with an assortment of 15 cars and buses being painted as Candy Cane vehicles. After Christmas in 1950, the number of Candy Cane vehicles diminished until the practice ended at Christmas 1954. It was fun while it lasted.

Ralph Cantos Collection[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/latl-3010-at-so.-park-paint-shop.jpg” lightbox=”true” title=”South Park Paint Shop” desc=”Los Angeles Transit Lines no. 3010 at South Park Paint Shop.” hover_image_overlay=”false” margin_bottom=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/latl-1257-candy-cane-s-line.jpg” lightbox=”true” title=”LATL 1257 on the S Line” desc=”LATL no. 1257 Candy Cane Car rolls along San Pedro Street working the S Line. Notice Pacific Electric catenary and dual-gauge tracks.” hover_image_overlay=”false” margin_bottom=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/latl-3010-p-line.jpg” lightbox=”true” title=”At Rowen Loop, 1948″ desc=”LATL Candy Cane PCC no. 3010 is photographed resting at the P Line’s Rowen Loop in 1948.” hover_image_overlay=”false” margin_bottom=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/latl-3010-ready-to-go.jpg” lightbox=”true” title=”Ready To Go” desc=”LATL Candy Cane PCC no. 3010 is photographed at South Park Shops, ready to go, 1948.” hover_image_overlay=”false” margin_bottom=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/candy-cane-cars-at-civic-center.jpg” lightbox=”true” title=”Candy Cane Car Roll-Out, 1948.” desc=”LATL’s Candy Cane fleet roll-out at Los Angeles Civic Center 1949: two streetcars and one diesel bus.” hover_image_overlay=”false” margin_bottom=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/latl-1318_48th-western-2.jpg” lightbox=”true” title=”LATL 1318 at 48th and Western” desc=”LATL Candy Cane car no. 1318 rolls along West 48th Street at Western working the 9 Line, December 1950.” hover_image_overlay=”false” margin_bottom=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/latl_candy_cane_pcc.jpg” lightbox=”true” title=”Candy Cane PCC 1953″ desc=”Notice that this is not an LATL P-3. It’s a Philadelphia Transportation Co. (PTC) all electric. Notice different windshield configuration and two running lights above the head sign, both features unique to PTC PCCs. For unknown reasons, no LATL P-3 was ever painted as a Candy Cane car. This might be art work for an LATL Weekly Pass.” hover_image_overlay=”false” margin_bottom=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Alan Weeks’ Pacific Electric Railway Macy Street Car House and Shops, 1950-1951

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Alan K. Weeks

Here we have a switch in venue. Shops, Yards and Stored cars. Macy Street was not a heavy shop but did a lot of other types of work. The Main Shops were built in Torrance and were very large. It had many buildings and could even build and re build new cars. In the Western District they had a pretty big shop in West Hollywood (Sherman). A Shop and Yard existed at 7th and Alameda Streets but was replaced by the newer Torrance Shops.

After September 30, 1951, when all rail service ended in the Northern District, the P.E. made it much larger for bus storage. In 1953 P.E. sold all their passenger service to Metropolitan Coach Lines. MCL leased the last remaining rail lines from the P.E.

The lines were Los Angeles Glendale-Burbank Line using the Hill St. Subway Terminal. Los Angeles West Hollywood Beverly Hills Line. Los Angeles Bellflower Line. Watts Local Line. Los Angeles San Pedro and Los Angeles Long Beach Lines. In 1958 the Los Angels Metropolitan Transit Authority was formed and bought the Los Angeles Transit Lines (Yellow car system) and the MCL to form a Public Agency. They continued to use Macy Street and it became Div. 10. It still belongs to LACMTA who recently mothballed it indefinitely. The Shops and facilities are still usable. It is pretty centrally located. Just East across the Los Angeles River near Mission Rd and Macy Street.

NOTES

Car 969 was a wooden car used in the Western District. Until the Venice Short Line was abandoned in Sept 1950. You can see that it has been modified. The day following this picture the car was used by City and other officials as a farewell trip on the Pasadena Oak Knoll Line the day after it was abandoned. They had a band playing on the car. It was used in a two car train.

Macy St. Car House being dismantled. It is dated 5-16-51. The last lines were yet to be abandoned on Sept. 30, 1951. Assuming my dates were correct they started dismantling it to clear the way and enlarge the bus storage yard for the replacement buses coming four months later.

Car 1299 Was a one of a kind. It was used as an inspection Car for the President and Board Members of the PERY. It had Carpets, leather chairs and working tables. Also a small kitchen and toilet. After all the passenger lines were abandoned we were able to charter this car and make a trip on the 1200-volt line to San Bernardino. It was a great high speed trip because there were mostly farms and open spaces between the small towns. Not long after our last trip they started removing the overhead wire.

Note the 400 class cars. They were steel Railway Post Office cars. If my memory is correct these cars came from the Oregon Electric when it was abandoned.

Note the car number 418. It was sold to the Orange Empire Railway Museum and is still running today.

This track was behind the Shops and was the last remnant of the Original Los Angeles-Highland Park- South Pasadena to Pasadena Line.

# 181 Is a picture of the Final trip of 969.[/vc_column_text][mk_gallery images=”15085,15088,15084,15083,15082,15081,15080,15079,15078,15077,15076,15075,15074,15073,15072,15071,15070″ column=”4″ height=”300″ hover_scenarios=”slow_zoom”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Alan Weeks’ Pacific Electric Railway: More Northern District and Downtown, 1950-1951

Pasadena Short Line, Main Street Station, September 30, 1950

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Alan K. Weeks

This pretty much winds up the Northern District. It only took about one year to completely abandon and tear up this district. These are the lines that were abandoned:

Pasadena Short Line
Pasadena Oak Knoll Line
Sierra Vista Line
Sierra Madre Line
Monrovia-Glendora Line

Sad to see them all go.

It may look like there are duplicate pictures from other batches. Most are different
cars at the same locations.

That huge Rail Viaduct over Mission and Huntington Dr. was converted to a four lane street after abandonment. Surprisingly it was just demolished a couple of years ago.

Alan K. Weeks Photos and Collection[/vc_column_text][mk_gallery images=”15051,15052,15053,15054,15055,15056,15057,15058,15059,15060,15061,15062,15063,15064,15065,15066,15067″ column=”4″ height=”300″ hover_scenarios=”slow_zoom”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

PE and LARy Cars Under Flapping Banners

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Ralph Cantos

This wonderful photo shows LARY cars on Broadway at 7th in the glory days of Downtown Los Angeles. Car lines of both systems blanked the City and with it, miles of trolley wire span wires, The span wires beckoning their use for cloth banners of all manor and messages. The Pomona Fair was always sure to use span wires to advertise the grand exposition. In 1932, the coming of the Olympic Games made liberal use of span wires of both systems. In this photo, its difficult to tell what the banners were advertising, but one this is for sure, Broadway and Downtown LA was a festive place thanks to the abundance banners hanging from trolley span wires. When the last of LA’s streetcar system was abandoned in March 1963, the heart and soul of Downtown was ripped away. Downtown LA would never be the same. The beautiful sounds of ringing bells echoing of the tall buildings, and steel wheels hitting the diamond at 7th & Broadway, are now just pleasant distant memories.[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/lary-pcc-at-on-broadway-at-8th-1942.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”LARy PCC at Broadway and 8th, 1942″ desc=”Here, an LARy PCC is stopped on Broadway at 8th. World War II patriotic banners hang from just about every span wire as far as can be seen.”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/lary-j-line-car-645-at-7th-broadway.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”LARy J Line Car no. 645 at 7th and Broadway” desc=”LARy car no. 645 working the J Line hits the diamond on 7th at Broadway. Flapping banners advertise LA Angels baseball.”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/lary-l-line-tracks-at-w.10th-crenshaw-1939.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”LARy L Line tracks at W. 10th & Crenshaw, 1939″ desc=”This rare photo looking west on Olympic Blvd. (formerly W 10th Street) at Crenshaw Blvd. The rails are for the soon to be abandoned L line. Banners advertising the grand opening of a new VONS Super Market to the left of this photo, hang from span wires. Olympic Blvd. has just been cut through west of Crenshaw, rails of the L line not included in the new roadway. The L line cars had to make a ZIG-SAG detour to return to Olympic Bl. at Country Club Drive. In the distant haze, the LA High School bell tower can be seen.”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pe-655-on-hollywood-blvd.-1941.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Pacific Electric no. 655 on Hollywood Blvd., 1941″ desc=”In this beautiful 1941 night photo taken on Hollywood Blvd., PE car #655 is stopped in front of the WARNER Theater. Banners hand from span wires advertising the new GARY COPPER-BARBARA STANWYCK movie, Meet John Doe. What makes this photo so unusual, is that car #655 has defied all odds and survived the mass extinction of all but a handful of PE cars. Almost eighty years after this photo was taken, today the 655 survives at OERM. A true survivor.”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pe-719-vineyard-jct.1939.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Pacific Electric no. 719 at Vineyard Junction, 1939″ desc=”In this 1939 photo, car no, 719 is stopped at Vineyard Jct. under the West Blvd. Bridge. Although not hanging from a span wire, a large banner is handing from the next best thing, the bridge. The banner is advertising the grand opening of SEARS PICO.”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pe-965-and-train-at-7th-hill.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Pacific Electric no. 965 and train at 7th & Hill” desc=”Ever handsome car 965 and train take on passengers by the score at Hill St and 7th. Banners hang from the trusty span wires above the train.”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pe-5161-on-highland-at-hollywood-bl-1951.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Pacific Electric no. 5161 on Highland at Hollywood Boulevard, 1951″ desc=”Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave. Flapping banners hang over the intersection thanks to PE overhead as a Northbound SF Valley car pounds the diamond. A west bound Beverly Hills car awaits it turn to clear the intersection.”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pe-1213-on-colorado-bl.-pasadena.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Pacific Electric 1213 on Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena” desc=”PE car 1213 and train head east along Colorado Blvd. under banners hanging from PE taught span wires. The 1200s were not often seen on the streets of Pasadena, truly a impressive sight.”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/img016.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”PE PCC 5024 northbound on Brand Boulevard, Glendale” desc=”Beautiful Pacific Electric PCC 5024 heads northbound along Brand Blvd. on this horrible last day of service for the Glendale-Burbank Line. Festive banners hand from PE’s magnificent catenary overhead all along the boulevard. This will be the last time banners of any type will hang from PE overhead in the City of Glendale.”][/vc_column][/vc_row]