Donald Duke in a self-portrait before Pacific Electric no. 1001 at Travel Town circa 1955. 1001 now resides at the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris.
Donald Duke Photo, Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society Collection
Los Angeles Transit Lines (ex-Los Angeles Railway) car no. 536 sits peacefully in its final resting place at Los Angeles Travel Town circa 1960. As noted in this post, 536 would suffer an ignoble fate when an adjacent tree would blow over during a windstorm and damage the car irreparably. It was salvaged by member of the Orange Empire Railway Museum.
Donald Duke Photo, Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society Collection
The past comes into view in this blended image of contemporary 6th and Main Streets in Los Angeles with an exact-location match featuring Pacific Electric 1051 from the Jack Finn Collection.
Contemporary photo by Steve Crise, vintage photo Jack Finn Collection, compositing by Jim Bunte
Heading outbound past the Lamanda Park Tower, a hazy day hides the nearby mountains as the PE heads up north Sierra Madre Boulevard past the Santa Fe tracks parallel to Walnut Street on its way to Sierra Madre on Thursday, October 5, 1950.
Ernie M. Leo Photo, Jack Finn Collection, PERYHS Collection
Pacific Electric no. 1121 heads out of Lamanda Park (East Pasadena) toward Sierra Madre from Lamanda Park Junction in March of 1935. Note the penny scale and the PE employee’s phone booth. This is near the intersection of Colorado and north Sierra Madre Boulevard, looking southeast.
Ernie M. Leo Photo, Jack Finn Collection, PERYHS Collection
The City of Long Beach commissioned local artist Patrick Vogel to create this rendition of Pacific Electric no. 1001 as a new installation at the refurbished Orizaba Park, which is bisected by the former Southern District main line. Click here for a news report on the installation and park renovation. Click here for directions to the park.
Michael Patris Photo
Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society Collection
Three scans of a US Maritime Commission Calship Victory Specials Timetable, effective April 30, 1943.
The Pacific Electric operated USMC “blimp” service between downtown Los Angeles and the CalShip yards at Terminal Island during World War II as a way to economically ferry workers between the ship yards and their residences in downtown Los Angeles.
Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society Collection
Two sides of a United States Maritime Commission ridership token for use by CalShip employees to get between downtown Los Angeles and the CalShip yards at Terminal Island.
Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society Collection
Jay Leno, Jim Walker, Steve Crise, Michael Patris at the Pacific Electric Railway: Then & Now book signing at Aerobooks Autobooks (2900 Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506) on December 17, 2011. Jim Walker was there signing his Pacific Electric book from Arcadia’s Images of Rail series. Steve Crise was signing Then & Now with co-author Michael Patris. Michael was also there signing his book Postcards from Mount Lowe, also from Arcadia Publishing.
Steve Crise Photo
Steve Crise Collection
Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society Collection
The City of Rancho Cucamonga, California, celebrated the re-opening of the Pacific Electric Trail (built upon the former PE right-of-way throughout the city) on December 7, 2011, at the trailhead at Foothill Boulevard and Baker Street. A group of local dignitaries appeared for the ribbon cutting as part of the opening of the new pedestrian/bike/horse bridge crossing Foothill Blvd. The old PE bridge and original PE rail have been partially preserved as part of the trailhead park environment.
Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society Photo by Steve Crise