Hollywood Boulevard was another great subject of postcards. Unmodernized PE “Hollywood” cars roll along “The Boulevard” in this 1934 hand-tinted view.

From Ralph Cantos:

The PE Red Cars were as much a part of Hollywood, as Grauman’s Chinese Theater and the Hollywood Hotel. Hollywood Blvd. would see the comings and goings of the PE cars until September 24, 1954. After that date, the “Boulevard” started to lose much of its charm, and turn into the ZOO it has become today.

Ralph Cantos Collection

In this 1937 view at Wilcox Avenue in North Hollywood , the crew of westbound Pacific Electric no. 849 take a few minutes before continuing on to Canoga Park. The upgraded “Valley Sevens” would soon bump the 800s from this run, and most of the 800s would be retired.

Al Haij Photo, Ralph Cantos Collection

The seldom seen B-2 truck of PE PCC #5009 undergoes “heavy repairs” at Toluca Yard.

From Ralph Cantos:

After the Hollywood Boulevard-Beverly Hills line was abandoned in Sept of 1954, the repair shops at West Hollywood, such as they were, were closed. Thereafter, all major repairs on the 30 PCCs and 15 Hollywood cars was performed with “modern, up to date” tools as seen here (scrap wood 2x4s, hydraulic hand jacks, and PEP BOYS jack stands) One can only speculate how much longer the dedicated personnel (or person) at Toluca Yard “repair shops” could have kept the PCCs and Hollywood cars in operation which by this time, were on an RTF (run til frailer) “maintenance” program.

Ralph Cantos Collection

The date is July 1959 and Fletcher Trestle – home of thousands of photos capturing the Glendale Line of the Pacific Electric – is about to be no more. From contributor Ralph Cantos:

In what can only be described as a MONUMENTAL ACT OF VANDALISM , Fletcher trestle is just weeks away from destruction in this July 1959 photo. It would be gone by September. The Glendale-Burbank, had it not been destroyed by the moronic thinking of the day, would have been an excellent candidate for up grading to Light Rail Standards. But instead, rubber tires on concrete highways were given preferred treatment over steel wheels on steel rails. Jessie Haugh, Caltrans officials, and LA City politicians should all share the blame for allowing this travesty to be perpetrated on the traveling public!!

Ralph Cantos Collection

The Pacific Electric Fletcher Avenue Bridge in 1959.

From Ralph Cantos:

By 1959, the Fletcher Dr Trestle had become a liability ,young kids throwing rocks off the bridge onto passing autos below, and in some cases, daredevil motorists driving their autos over the bridge itself. The City had enough, and the bridge was taken down. This image shows the bridge in 1959 just before the end. It had been abandoned for almost 4 years.

Ralph Cantos Collection