Tag Archives: Trains and Railways
First Electric Car Line in Los Angeles, circa 1887
Every grand urban public transportation network starts somewhere, and LA’s—once the most extensive in the world (hard to believe now, huh?)—started with this. This photo’s caption was “First Electric Car Line in LA” which puts it circa 1887. Notice how … Continue reading
Interior of Western Pacific observation car
Until I came across this charming photo, I’d never even heard of the Western Pacific Railroad. Perhaps that’s because it went to San Francisco rather than Los Angeles. According to Wikipedia, it was formed in 1903 as an attempt to … Continue reading
Downtown train service to Santa Monica, 1892
This marvelous photo shows the arrival of a train from downtown L.A. into Santa Monica in 1892 (on what would have been the Los Angeles-Santa Monica Railroad, which later merged along with other lines to become the Los Angeles Pacific … Continue reading
Santa Fe Railway station, Pasadena, California, 1961
Here’s a slice of American life that not many of us experience anymore – train travel. This is the Santa Fe railway’s station at Pasadena, California in 1961. The guy in the red cap is a porter to help you … Continue reading
A Southern Pacific night train in Glendale, California, by Richard Steinheimer (1950)
Here’s a film noir shot if ever I saw one, taking us back to the days when train travel was the rule, rather than the exception. This is a Southern Pacific night train in Glendale taken in 1950 by Richard … Continue reading
Union Station at night, downtown Los Angeles, 1956
It’s atmospheric photos like these that makes it easy for us to see how the whole film noir thing came into being. This is Los Angeles’ main railway terminus, Union Station, one foreboding night in 1956. I’m almost surprised we … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Downtown Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Night photo, Trains and Railways
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Advertisement: Introducing the California Zephyr (1949-1970)
The California Zephyr – featuring Vista-Dome cars Daily between Chicago – Denver – Salt Lake City – San Francisco
Advertisement for Pacific Electric Railway’s Trolley Tours through Sunny Southern California, 1914
from the September, 1914 issue of “Sunset” magazine.
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Advertisement, Los Angeles, Streetcars, Trains and Railways
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1925 map of the Pacific Electric public transportation network
Click on the map to get a larger view, then click again for an even larger view.