Los Angeles Railway – Page 3 – 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]

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]

Keystone Kops on Douglas Street

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The location is at the end of LARy shuttle line on Douglas Street at West Kensington Avenue.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/GCYlYWZ0D_A” custom_thumbnail=”true” thumbnail_image=”15025″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

PE #428-LAMTA #1537: Mayhem on Long Beach Blvd.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1601858137498{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]By Ralph Cantos

Although almost 50 years separate these two photos, the results are the same, the destruction of two Ford vehicles. A wise man once said, “never assume anything.” Such was the case in these two accidents.

The 1959 accident on Long Beach Blvd. near Pacific Coast Highway involving MTA no. 1537 (PE no. 428) happened when northbound 1537 was rolling along at about 35 mph. An 85-year-old lady driving a 1955 Ford Mainline stalled as she was making a left turn in front of the approaching 1537.

Possibly because she was wearing high heal “stilettos”, she “popped the clutch” and came to a stop, across the tracks. The motorman of 1537, seeing the Ford stopped across the tracks ahead of him, “assumed” the Ford would get out of his way.

Unfortunately , that did not happen. By the time the motorman of 1537 realized the Ford was not going to move out of the way of his fast-approaching Blimp, it was too late. He threw the 1537 in emergency braking (The Big Hole) but it was too little, too late.

The 1537 was almost completely stopped when it hit the Ford, but the results speak for themselves. The lady driver was a bit shaken up, but none the worse for what had just happened.

In the end, the MTA and the motorman were found at fault. The 1537’s motorman should not have “assumed” that the Ford would get out of his way in time.

In the case of the Long Beach Police car, the officer driving code 3, “assumed” that the fast-approaching Blue Line train would pull over to the curb and give him the right of way.

Well as can be seen , that did not happen, sending another Ford to Terminal Island. Of interest to car guys, the Ford Mainline was the entry-level model. The only chrome on the car were the bumpers and door handles. No radio, no heater, “dog dish hub caps,” a 6 cylinder inline motor and stick shift trans. were standard.

[/vc_column_text][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/latl-3035-accicent-with-sf-loco-1956.jpg” image_size=”full”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1601858249646{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]In another “never assume anything” incident, , LATL PCC no. 3035 was the victim of this unfortunate encounter with a Santa Fe switcher just outside Vernon Yard.

For an unknown reason, PCC 3035 became inoperable while at Vernon Yard. A “Big Bertha” tow truck was dispatched from South Parks Shops to tow the 3035 back to the repair shop. The Big Bertha began to tow the 3035 back to South Park Shop when the Big Bertha with 3035 in tow, became mired in the gravel right of way at the Santa Fe crossing and stalled. The hapless 3035 was directly in the center of the diamond. The engineer of an approaching Santa Fe local freight saw the 3035 directly in front of his train, but he “assumed” the 3035 would clear the crossing in time.

Well, once again, that did not happen. The Santa Fa switcher “T BONED” the 3035 flipping her on the side and causing extensive damage. Later that day, the 3035 was righted and brought back to Vernon Yard where she was scrapped on the spot. The 3035 was the only LA PCC lost in action.[/vc_column_text][mk_image src=”https://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/latl-3035-at-vernon-yard-rear.jpg” image_size=”full”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1601894850988{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]The 3035 sits in the dirt at Vernon Yard day after the accident. After insurance photos were taken, she was cut up on the spot.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]