LARY 950
Alan Weeks Photo, Alan Weeks Collection
As submitted by Ralph Cantos, this image taken by Alan Weeks shows Los Angeles Railway car no. 950 posing for the camera. Traction historian Duncan Still has pointed out that the 950 sits on the same Brill-77 trucks that later found their way under LARY no. 285.
Alan Weeks Photo, Alan Weeks Collection
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950 was the former LARy funeral car “Descanso” (I). When it was first converted for regular passenger service, the stained glass upper sash and other funeral car features were left in place. Many of LARy’s more superstitious customers would avoid the car, so it went back into the shop for a more thorough make-over. “Descanso” (II) the former “Paraison” served the mortuary trade until the 1920s. Automotive hearses took over and “Descanso” (II) went into “dead storage”. It was rescued by the Railroad Boosters (today’s Pacific RR Society) and moved to Summit on the Santa Fe in Cajon Pass, where it became a clubhouse for weekend train-watching outings. In 1967, when Santa Fe announced the closing of the Summit station, PRS had the car moved to Orange Empire, where it was restored to its original appearance and is now on display with historic information posted.
The colors on the side of 950 are interesting, note that there is a light color between the belt rail and the roof. You might assume this is LARY yellow. However, a photo of a newly delivered H class car taken in the 1920’s also shows this light color between the belt rail and the roof and it seems to be lighter than the LARY yellow at the bottom of the car (given uncertainties due to a 70 year old black and white photo). Might this color have been a lemon yellow as was used on the PCC’s before LATL? Might it have been wite? Or, was it yellow? Or, was it LARY yellow? Of course, even if a color photo turned up, the issue could still be in doubt because of color fading.