The Descanso
The Los Angeles Railway’s Descanso, a specialized funeral car which operated from 1909-1924. Note the hatch opening underneath the oval window for the stowing of a casket. The Descanso survives as part of the OERM collection.
Philipott and Baldridge Collection
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1962—“On July 4th, the Society celebrated the 22nd anniversary of the placing of the former Los Angeles Railway funeral car Descanso on leased Santa Fe ground at the small railroad town of Summit in Cajon Pass. Highlight of the day was the unveiling of a rebuilt locomotive headlight atop a three-foot-high monument constructed of field boulders. With attached veil, the Descanso trolley pole was allowed to rise slowly to contact position, thus revealing the monument. Cement mason Dick Donat and metalsmith Jim Hanson were the artisans. [Photo with caption]: Guardians of the “Descanso”, L.T. Gotchy and Mart Sabransky, pose by the monument after the unveiling ceremony. With them is Jim Hanson who rebuilt the old locomotive headlight and did much of the other work preparing for the occasion. Ralph Melching”
Source: PRS 40 Compendium 1977 pgs. 13-14 (story of the big move on 30 April 1977 to OERM found on pg. 17).