Rumbling Through Playa Del Rey
An unidentified Pacific Electric interurban rumbles through the sleepy town of Playa Del Rey as a classic PE wig-wag tolls on the same street as the Del Rey Market and Del Rey Drugs. The PE station is visible just up ahead to the right, in this view looking north toward Venice. The date is December 24, 1939 and the image is by the incomparable Ralph Melching.
Ralph Melching Photo, Pacific Railroad Society Collection
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According to Google Street view imagery, dated 8-2012, the buildings for the former Del Rey Market-179 Culver, in addition to the building to its left with the tile roof- 177 Culver, and the Del Rey Drugs-200 Culver, still exist.
I’m old enough to have ridden the red car from Eagle Rock to downtown Los Angeles, USC district, as a child, and still young enough to have hiked the remnants of the old Mt Lowe trail within the last five years. My best friend, as did my Uncle 40 years ago, owns a home in Playa. Small world! These pictures spoke to me on a very intimate level. They chronicled my life!
You must have ridden a yellow car, or else went over to Glendale or Pasadena to hop a red car. Whichever – I envy you!
The good old days indeed
Another famous PE location which was re-used to film an episode of Highway Patrol during the ’50’s. (And the later home of The Shack).
Today, as you drive north up this location (Vista Del Mar), and turn East on Culver, as soon as you clear all of the buildings on the left at Nicholson St. you can still discern the mounds that were the right of way and the pilings that were once part of a bridge that carried that red car over what is now the Ballona wetlands preserve.
Site listing Espee in films and television but including PE Ry.: http://coscia-espee.info/sp_hollywood.html
What year was the last one for the tracks along Culver Bl between Culver City and Playa del Rey?