Maintenance of Way
Pacific Electric maintenance of way cars (including a flatcar and crane car outfitted with a clamshell, possibly for ballast work) rest on trackage possibly in the Western District (San Fernando Valley). The image is dated May 23, 1953.
Modified based on comment
Alan Weeks Photo, Alan Weeks Collection
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This would not be on the Northern District, which was dismantled in 1951-52. Looks more like the North Hollywood area (I think there was some discussion of this location as depicted in a black & white image. The crane is 00194, a steam-powered Ohio Locomotive Crane product from the 1920’s. The tender appears to be from a scrapped SP locomotive. My guess is Rio Vista, where there was a stretch of single track on either side of a bridge. Also, as I recall, the Edison transmission lines run north and south through that area.
I can only find one crane built by Ohio for Pacific Electric. It is C/N 3546 a 20 ton steam crane shipped 08-17-22 to the Pacific Electric Ry at Torrance, CA.
C/N 3546 agrees with the diagram sheet for 00194 in Interurbans Special 37. My first “railfan” photos were of this crane dismantling the Eaton Wash bridge on the Monrovia-Glendora Line in Dec. 1951.
Bob, the other photo is also in color and appears to be exactly the same photograph but with a different title. Do a search for Removing Rail in Van Nuys and it will appear. It has the discussion about the street names and such. This photo and the other photo were taken at Rio Vista on the San Fernando Valley line on the Western Division. It shows the rail being removed from the line which was abandoned in December 1952