PE Cars on Hollywood Boulevard
By Ralph Cantos
PE’s “Hollywood Cars” were the dominant class of cars that operated along the famous boulevard until September of 1954.
But in this remarkable photograph taken around 1927, among the Hollywood cars is a lone 950, taking on passengers at Highland Avenue. That 950-class car was operating on the HOLLYWOOD-VENICE local line. From about 1918 until late 1928, wood cars of the 500 class handled most runs on that line, with 950s occasionally assigned to the service.
As more and more Hollywood cars were placed into service, the sight of a big 950- or 500-class cars began to diminish. By late 1928, all runs on the Hollywood-Venice were operated by Hollywood cars. Rail service to Venice was provided by the “Venice Short Line” and the Hollywood-Venice Line. Both lines started at the Subway Terminal. However, the running time for the Hollywood-Venice service took about 90 minutes as compared to the VSL running time of about 55 minutes. So, it came with little surprise that PE abandoned Hollywood-Venice rail service in mid-1940. For the next 14 years, the sight of a wood-bodied PE interurban on Hollywood Boulevard was usually a fan trip using a 950- or 1000-class car.
Every now and then, trolley wire greasier no. 00150 would appear on the boulevard, a sight truly to behold.
Ralph Cantos Collection
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I’m noticing a turnout in this intersection that I’ve never seen before. It runs from the northbound San Fernando Line on Highland Ave and makes a right turn onto Hollywood Blvds eastbound track. What part did this single turnout play in the operations in that area? I don’t recall see this turnout in later photos of that area.
I don’t think that turnout was used in regular service. It was removed around 1948.
I would guess that this singular curve was possibly related to the freight service operations that still remained from the days when LAP had a freight house & yard between Weyse/Vine and Cahuenga, along with the ticket office. (The new freight station was opened down on Santa Monica & Highland as a result of the area being developed around 1921.) The crossover tracks west of Cahuenga could have been used to re-route freights onto the correct tracks for directional movements? The Franklin shuttle line also once was connected onto Hollywood Blvd. at Vine, which could have allowed freight movements down from the Brush Canyon quarry site to get out to the Sherman yards. Since most of this activity would have been during overnight hours, we’ll never see many related photos in that era.