The date is February 24, 1957, part of an excursion in the Southern District. The photo was taken at the Lynwood Station with the “PE Café” sign. Car 5166 in the lead of a 3-car train……taken soon after the previously submitted photo of the meet at Socorro.

Stephen Dudley Photo, Stephen Dudley Collection

The date is February 24, 1957, heading southbound but taken somewhere north of Watts as we were underway and were being overtaken
by a faster blimp.

Stephen Dudley Photo, Stephen Dudley Collection

From photographer Stephen Dudley:

Going around the West Basin track – southbound – taken from the front steps of the head car.

On 6-30-1957 I was on a charter with 5 blimps that went from LA to San Pedro, Catalina Terminal and Long Beach. I’ve described the pictures as they attached to this email – obviously their sequence follows the order of the trip. All passengers were in the lead car. This was the first 5 car train in a long time and perhaps the last. Running through downtown Long Beach was an unusual sight.

Stephen Dudley Photo, Stephen Dudley Collection

From photographer Stephen Dudley:

Photo stop on the 4-track main while headed southbound not far north of Watts – running on the local tracks and soon to be passed by a regular train.

On 6-30-1957 I was on a charter with 5 blimps that went from LA to San Pedro, Catalina Terminal and Long Beach. I’ve described the pictures as they attached to this email – obviously their sequence follows the order of the trip. All passengers were in the lead car. This was the first 5 car train in a long time and perhaps the last. Running through downtown Long Beach was an unusual sight.

Stephen Dudley Photo, Stephen Dudley Collection

From photographer Stephen Dudley:

Train stopped just short of the San Pedro Station to let those who wanted to walk up to the station for a photo shot. Car in foreground is a soon to depart train to Los Angeles, other cars laying over for the Monday morning service. In remembering further why the train stopped short of the station, it waited there until the northbound train could depart – so the 5-car could then take the cross-over to the departure track. There is a road crossing near the station and the 5-car would have blocked that if it had come any farther.

On 6-30-1957 I was on a charter with 5 blimps that went from LA to San Pedro, Catalina Terminal and Long Beach. I’ve described the pictures as they attached to this email – obviously their sequence follows the order of the trip. All passengers were in the lead car. This was the first 5 car train in a long time and perhaps the last. Running through downtown Long Beach was an unusual sight.

Stephen Dudley Photo, Stephen Dudley Collection

From photographer Stephen Dudley:

Stopped just south of Dominguez Junction to let people go up the hill for a photo. A car on the Long Beach line can be seen in the right distance.

On 6-30-1957 I was on a charter with 5 blimps that went from LA to San Pedro, Catalina Terminal and Long Beach. I’ve described the pictures as they attached to this email – obviously their sequence follows the order of the trip. All passengers were in the lead car. This was the first 5 car train in a long time and perhaps the last. Running through downtown Long Beach was an unusual sight.

Stephen Dudley Photo, Stephen Dudley Collection

From photographer Stephen Dudley:

Train just south of the Compton station and clear of the crossing. Stopped for photos. Being passed by a northbound train.

On 6-30-1957 I was on a charter with 5 blimps that went from LA to San Pedro, Catalina Terminal and Long Beach. I’ve described the pictures as they attached to this email – obviously their sequence follows the order of the trip. All passengers were in the lead car. This was the first 5 car train in a long time and perhaps the last. Running through downtown Long Beach was an unusual sight.

Stephen Dudley Photo, Stephen Dudley Collection

MTA no. 455 taking a crossover just north of Compton Station – reversing direction to head south to Long Beach. We may have come this far north of Dominguez to let a southbound San Pedro train clear before taking the southbound track.

From photographer Stephen Dudley:

On 6-30-1957 I was on a charter with 5 blimps that went from LA to San Pedro, Catalina Terminal and Long Beach. I’ve described the pictures as they attached to this email – obviously their sequence follows the order of the trip. All passengers were in the lead car. This was the first 5 car train in a long time and perhaps the last. Running through downtown Long Beach was an unusual sight.

In seeing these pictures for the first time in years I am reminded how no one, including LAMTA, in those days seemed to worry about just stopping a train on the line and letting the passengers hop off to take a picture, crossing over the tracks, etc.

Stephen Dudley Photo, Stephen Dudley Collection

The date is June 30, 1957, and MTA (ex-Pacific Electric) blimps nos. 455 and 410 rest at the Catalina Terminal in San Pedro.

From photographer Stephen Dudley:

Here is another set of pictures – I have most photos in color, but thought I’d see how these B&W work. From 60 years ago! Taken with a very old bellows Kodax that was a bit awkward to use for quick shots – I believe 116 size film which doesn’t match current proportions too well.

On 6-30-1957 I was on a charter with 5 blimps that went from LA to San Pedro, Catalina Terminal and Long Beach. I’ve described the pictures as they attached to this email – obviously their sequence follows the order of the trip. All passengers were in the lead car. This was the first 5 car train in a long time and perhaps the last. Running through downtown Long Beach was an unusual sight.

In seeing these pictures for the first time in years I am reminded how no one, including LAMTA, in those days seemed to worry about just stopping a train on the line and letting the passengers hop off to take a picture, crossing over the tracks, etc.

In regard to the 5-car blimp train photo set, I made the comment that the 6-30-57 trip I was on might have been the “first 5-car in some time”. That is in modest error as I note on page 11 a 1-30-11 posting of a NRHS/ERA 5-car charter that was run on 10-28-56. Just a guess, but the 1957 trip might well have been the last 5-car. I received the flyers for the charter trips and would have certainly gone on it if there had been a later such run.

Stephen Dudley Photos, Stephen Dudley Collection

A southbound excursion group (with a three-car train of 5050-series cars, headed up by 5166) waiting at Socorro for the northbound train to clear the single track.

Stephen Dudley Photo, Stephen Dudley Collection