PE and LARy Cars Under Flapping Banners

PE and LARy Cars Under Flapping Banners

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By Ralph Cantos

This wonderful photo shows LARY cars on Broadway at 7th in the glory days of Downtown Los Angeles. Car lines of both systems blanked the City and with it, miles of trolley wire span wires, The span wires beckoning their use for cloth banners of all manor and messages. The Pomona Fair was always sure to use span wires to advertise the grand exposition. In 1932, the coming of the Olympic Games made liberal use of span wires of both systems. In this photo, its difficult to tell what the banners were advertising, but one this is for sure, Broadway and Downtown LA was a festive place thanks to the abundance banners hanging from trolley span wires. When the last of LA’s streetcar system was abandoned in March 1963, the heart and soul of Downtown was ripped away. Downtown LA would never be the same. The beautiful sounds of ringing bells echoing of the tall buildings, and steel wheels hitting the diamond at 7th & Broadway, are now just pleasant distant memories.

lary-pcc-at-on-broadway-at-8th-1942
LARy PCC at Broadway and 8th, 1942Here, an LARy PCC is stopped on Broadway at 8th. World War II patriotic banners hang from just about every span wire as far as can be seen.
LARy J Line Car no. 645 at 7th and Broadway
LARy J Line Car no. 645 at 7th and BroadwayLARy car no. 645 working the J Line hits the diamond on 7th at Broadway. Flapping banners advertise LA Angels baseball.
LARy L Line tracks at W. 10th & Crenshaw, 1939
LARy L Line tracks at W. 10th & Crenshaw, 1939This rare photo looking west on Olympic Blvd. (formerly W 10th Street) at Crenshaw Blvd. The rails are for the soon to be abandoned L line. Banners advertising the grand opening of a new VONS Super Market to the left of this photo, hang from span wires. Olympic Blvd. has just been cut through west of Crenshaw, rails of the L line not included in the new roadway. The L line cars had to make a ZIG-SAG detour to return to Olympic Bl. at Country Club Drive. In the distant haze, the LA High School bell tower can be seen.
Pacific Electric no. 655 on Hollywood Blvd., 1941
Pacific Electric no. 655 on Hollywood Blvd., 1941In this beautiful 1941 night photo taken on Hollywood Blvd., PE car #655 is stopped in front of the WARNER Theater. Banners hand from span wires advertising the new GARY COPPER-BARBARA STANWYCK movie, Meet John Doe. What makes this photo so unusual, is that car #655 has defied all odds and survived the mass extinction of all but a handful of PE cars. Almost eighty years after this photo was taken, today the 655 survives at OERM. A true survivor.
Pacific Electric no. 719 at Vineyard Junction, 1939
Pacific Electric no. 719 at Vineyard Junction, 1939In this 1939 photo, car no, 719 is stopped at Vineyard Jct. under the West Blvd. Bridge. Although not hanging from a span wire, a large banner is handing from the next best thing, the bridge. The banner is advertising the grand opening of SEARS PICO.
pe-965-and-train-at-7th-hill
Pacific Electric no. 965 and train at 7th & HillEver handsome car 965 and train take on passengers by the score at Hill St and 7th. Banners hang from the trusty span wires above the train.
Pacific Electric no. 5161 on Highland at Hollywood Boulevard, 1951
Pacific Electric no. 5161 on Highland at Hollywood Boulevard, 1951Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave. Flapping banners hang over the intersection thanks to PE overhead as a Northbound SF Valley car pounds the diamond. A west bound Beverly Hills car awaits it turn to clear the intersection.
Pacific Electric 1213 on Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena
Pacific Electric 1213 on Colorado Boulevard, PasadenaPE car 1213 and train head east along Colorado Blvd. under banners hanging from PE taught span wires. The 1200s were not often seen on the streets of Pasadena, truly a impressive sight.
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PE PCC 5024 northbound on Brand Boulevard, GlendaleBeautiful Pacific Electric PCC 5024 heads northbound along Brand Blvd. on this horrible last day of service for the Glendale-Burbank Line. Festive banners hand from PE's magnificent catenary overhead all along the boulevard. This will be the last time banners of any type will hang from PE overhead in the City of Glendale.
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Showing 2 comments
  • Steve Crise
    Reply

    The 4th photo down showing W 10th Street at Crenshaw Blvd appears to be advertising an opening of a Vons market. There was a Vons market at the southeast corner of Olympic Blvd (W 20th Street) and Crenshaw Blvd. The store would be just out of frame on the left. I’m sure it was not the same building I remember from the 1960’s since I recall that Vons being a very modern store.

  • Charles Brown
    Reply

    Great photos! Would love to take the trolley out to Wrigley Field and catch the Angels in action. The Tower Theater in the second photo appears to be showing “Having Wonderful Crime” which came out in 1945. The “Tokyo Next” on the war bond banner suggests that the war in Europe is over which would further date this as being around the summer of 1945.

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