This photo shows us the end of an era: the removal of the Red Car streetcars tracks along the Hollywood Freeway in 1953. We’re facing north heading into the Cahuenga Pass and I suspect that offramp on the left leads to the Hollywood Bowl. The dismantling of the streetcar network was a long, drawn-out event that reshaped Los Angeles. In a number of ways it was inevitable—the system had been very unprofitable for years—but it’s still rather sad to see the long, wide scar where those tracks had been for decades. (Source: Water & Power Associates)
** UPDATE ** – Kevin W. on Facebook said: “It’s probably looking north from Pilgrimage Bridge. Those weren’t just streetcars; they were interurban trains.”
It’s very sad to see the Pacific Electric’s right of way being obliterated. PE laid the tracks through the Cahuenga Pass in 1911. Around 1947, when the State was planing the Hollywood Freeway extension to DTLA, PE requested that the Cahuenga Pass right of way be extended to downtown as part of the freeway construction, as we know, it never happened. It would have cost 20 million dollars to build. As a result, PE abandoned all Red Car rail service in the San Fernando Valley in 1953 and replacing it with diesel buses.
Martin, amazing snapshot! It all comes down to profit, and the system was losing money. And remember, you could only go as far as the tracks went. Simple Simon. So busses took over. ALSO… we were long out of the Depression, hence, more cars. To have a car in LA was a sign of status, even if you had a clunker! Put a Dodge in your garage, remember??? We are a city on wheels, perhaps next best to Detroit. Yes, it looks like the cutoff to the Hollywood Bowl. An incredible pix from the early years. These photos speak volumes. Thank U Martin for the memories.
My Dad said he took the red line from Pasadena to the beach (Santa Monica) as a kid. He was a man of few words when I grew up (because my mother’s voice filled every space) so I’m lucky to have that – hope it’s accurate. The red line really should have been kept as a public service. Thanks for all the historical work you do, Martin. I know it’s a lot. We all appreciate you.
Interesting comment, but there was no such thing as the “red line” back then. Pacific Electric streetcars were painted various shades of red over the years and they advertised by calling for the public to “Ride The Big Red Cars”. Most people would refer to them as the “Red Cars”. Your Dad probably took the Red Car from Pasadena to Downtown and transferred to the Venice Short Line, which ran along Hill St. to Venice Blvd., then all the way to Santa Monica, it was quite a ride.
Thanks Ron! He called it red train or red trolley or red line(?). I don’t remember him calling it a car unless he said train car. He passed away in 1979 (in Northridge) and his remark about it was short and long ago. It sounded like he had good memories of it. I do remember him loving Lionel trains. Thanks again!