LAMTA at 6th and Main in Color
Here’s a never-before-seen image of Los Angeles MTA PCC no. 3148 at the 6th and Main Terminal on February 26, 1960, as part of the MTA’s “operational tests” of potentially using PCC cars on the Long Beach Line – then the only remaining major PE artery still in operation.
As noted in this article by transit historian Ralph Cantos, the MTA’s testing was a sham, with line shutdown imminent.
Jack Whitmeyer Collection
READ MORE023 at the San Gabriel Mission
Pausing in front of the old San Gabriel Mission, Pacific Electric no. 023 and several PE tour guides smile for the camera, attributed to Charles Lawrence, PE’s official photographer.
While the Old Mission Trolley Trip was well attended, there were two others that also were well noted; the Orange Empire Trolley Trip and the Mount Lowe Trolley Trip. One reason the Mission trip was unique was the the constant performances of the “Mission Play” by John Steven McGroarty, featuring Frederick Warde and “a cast of over 100 players” every afternoon, evenings (Wednesday and Saturday).
Among the other mentions in the mission area were “The old Grape Vine” and the “Spanish Eating House” all within a few steps of the PE stop.
Mount Lowe Preservation Society Archives, Jack Whitmeyer Collection
READ MOREFair Oaks and Colorado in May of 1946
Standing in the middle of Colorado Boulevard, looking west, just east of Fair Oaks on May 12, 1946, L. T. Gotchy catches the Pacific Electric Railway ticket office on the left and the Owl Drug Store on the right. Note the intersection has not changed immensely, and it is still referred to as Route 66. Also note the bus on the left side, stopped just short of the intersection.
Mount Lowe Preservation Society Archives, Jack Whitmeyer Collection
Here’s a contemporary view of the location:
READ MORE1127 Westbound at Arcadia Tower
Mount Lowe Preservation Society Archives, Jack Whitmeyer Collection
Pacific Electric no. 1127 heads into Los Angeles crossing the Santa Fe line at Arcadia Tower on June 2, 1946 in this L. T. Gotchy photo. In the not too distant future, the Gold Line extension will have cars running close to this same location.
Mount Lowe Preservation Society Archives, Jack Whitmeyer Collection
READ MORE1208 at the Ramona Convent in Alhambra
Mount Lowe Preservation Society Archives, Jack Whitmeyer Collection
Pacific Electric no. 1208 pauses at the Ramona Convent stop in western Alhambra on a morning run to El Monte in this undated, unattributed photo.
Ramona Convent Secondary School was established in 1889 as a private Catholic college prep school and is still around today; existing from before and after the running of the Pacific Electric Railway. One noted alumna was aviatrix Florence “Pancho” Barnes, daughter of Thaddeus Lowe, Jr., construction manager for the Mount Lowe Railway and granddaughter of Thaddeus S. C. Lowe.
Mount Lowe Preservation Society Archives, Jack Whitmeyer Collection
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