Pacific Electric crews working no. 00191 hoist rail during abandonment at Sierra Madre Boulevard and California Street. The date is February 10, 1951.
Here is a contemporary view of the location:
Alan Weeks Photo, Alan Weeks Collection
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Pacific Electric crane no. 00191 hoists a piece of rail onto a waiting flatcar being pulled by box motor no. 1451 at California Street. The date is January 30, 1951.
Alan Weeks Photo, Alan Weeks Collection
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Alan Weeks captures a Pacific Electric worker in an open door on box motor no. 1456 during abandonment work in San Marino. The date is February 8, 1951.
Alan Weeks Photo, Alan Weeks Collection
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Pacific Electric no. 1456 box motor heads up a rail train in San Marino during abandonment. The date is February 8, 1951.
Alan Weeks Photo, Alan Weeks Collection
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Pacific Electric no. 00191 is captured along with her crew removing rail in San Marino on February 8, 1951.
Alan Weeks Photo, Alan Weeks Collection
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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
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:
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
It’s the end of the line – the Sierra Madre Line, that is – in this September 11, 1950, image of Pacific Electric no. 1124 at rest.
Alan Weeks Photo, Alan Weeks Collection
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Pacific Electric no. 1129 sits patiently as it awaits its trip back to Los Angeles from the Mount Wilson Trail head in Sierra Madre. The image is dated September 11, 1950.
Alan Weeks Photo, Alan Weeks Collection
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