[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Stephen Dudley

December 1960: In this telephoto view taken in December 1960, a Long Beach local train has paused at Los Cerritos for passengers. The merging of the track in the distance for the approach to the Los Angeles River bridge can be seen. The linemen made sure that the two lamps on the poles high above the car were kept functioning so as to illuminate at night this somewhat remote stop. One sign of decline is that in the final years, the cement passenger shelter was gradually being vandalized. Otherwise, it was pretty much business as usual as it had been for close to 60 years.[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/july-1962.jpg” image_size=”full”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1573853423910{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/4-1964-los-cerritos-1.jpg” image_size=”full”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1573853479876{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

By Stephen Dudley

In December 1960 car 1543 leads a two-car Los Angeles train stopped for morning passengers just north of Compton.

Stephen Dudley Photo and Collection

By Stephen Dudley

In this view from December 1960, Green car 1543 heads a northbound train just past the Los Cerritos stop and is seen entering the approach to the single track bridge over the Los Angeles River.  In the final year, this car seemed to get regular use as it was not only distinct, but had been rehabilitated.  It typically was on the north end of any two-car train.

Stephen Dudley Photo and Collection

The interurban era was close to ending in December 1960 but a sign from Pacific Electric days still welcomed patrons to use the parking lot at Dominguez Junction.

Stephen Dudley Photo and Collection

By December of 1960, in this view looking to the north, the exterior of the portable substation (parked in front of the Dominguez Junction powerhouse) had seen better days, but at least it was “rebranded” with a green MTA logo sign.

Sitting on a short spur track with electrified overhead, the car wasn’t in danger of going anywhere as it was supported on jacks, the derail switch was open and grass had completely overgrown a portion of the track.

Stephen Dudley Photo and Collection

View of the Los Angeles River bridge taken in 1958 as a northbound train crosses. As of late 1956 the cement portion of the river channel ended just on the other side of the bridge — by 1958 the work on channel had been completed.

Stephen Dudley Photo and Collection

On the Long Beach line, a southbound limited train is shown just after it had crossed the new bridge over the Los Angeles River. Photo taken 12-27-1956.

Work was underway to cement the river channel which necessitated replacing the existing Pacific Electric bridge. As construction progressed, all rail traffic on the old bridge was routed to the southbound track and the northbound track removed. This created additional room for the new and slightly higher alignment immediately to the east.

By the date of this photo all traces of the old double track bridge (to the left of the train) had been removed and the freshness of the grading and ballast of the new alignment is apparent. Likewise, to the right of the train the cement channel abruptly ends and the original riverbed shows.

Cementing that area would be the next phase of the flood control work. The required replacement of this bridge was likely the last major rail construction project on the electrified system and saw less than five years of use for passenger service.

The relatively short section of single track over the river didn’t seriously constrict the flow of trains, although occasionally a train would have to wait for another train to clear. As a train approached, a block signal prior to the bridge would change from yellow to green if the bridge was clear. If the bridge was occupied, then the signal would stay yellow to warn the motorman to slow as the next signal closer to the switch would be
red.

Stephen Dudley Photo and Collection

Photo taken 12-27-1956 as tower car former PE 00164 proceeds on a routine northbound run at the approach to the Los Angeles River bridge.

Stephen Dudley Photo and Collection