1240 and 1222 in Long Beach
Charles D. Savage Photo, Donald Duke Collection
Pacific Electric interurbans nos. 1240 and 1222 are captured in Long Beach in this image from March of 1938.
Charles D. Savage Photo
Donald Duke Collection
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There something about vintage-era traction that draws me to it. I often find myself wishing I had been around to see the PERy’s famed “Tens” and the steel 1200s (and the other sub-groups) trundling down an urban street. They had to be awesome sights for people who lived during those days.
1222 was the “class unit” of the Long Beach Twelves, although I remember seeing it on the Monrovia line. Why PE ordered dual voltage cars for a 600-volt service is a mystery, although they may have wanted to use them on Baldwin Park and El Monte trains.
The reason PE gave the 1222 class 1200 volt capability is that in addition to the regular service on the 1200 volt lines, PE also ran special services on the 1200 volt lines such as trains to the LA County Fair and the Orange Show. The 1222’s were compatible with the 1200’s used in such service and ensured there was no car shortage for such service. Interestingly, while the 1200’s were equipped with toilets for passenger comfort on longer trips, the 1222’s had no toilets since their normal service was for shorter runs.
I remember seeing the “Butterfly Twelves” as a boy in the late 1940s and marveling that there was a PE trip long enough to require an on-board restroom. Since the histories of the PE hadn’t been written yet, I didn’t know that such extended journeys were, except for special moves, a thing of the past.
One of the high points of rush hours on the Monrovia Line was a three-car train of 1200s that would come through around 6 PM. Any combination of San Berdoos, Butterflies, Long Beach and/or Portlands might be seen and it would add much variety to the usual parade of 1100s. Sometimes I would get up early enough to see the return trip in the morning; at either time of day, lighting would not be favorable for photography, considering the slow films of those days.