Visual Materials

Pacific Electric Railway Lines Photographs, (bulk 1938-1950)

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Description: The collection contains a manuscript mock-up and photographs for a special supplement to Interurban Electric Railway Publications, "The Pacific Electric Southern District - Supplement 6 to Special 16." The photographs include images along the Balboa Line, Newport Line, La Bolsa Line, Bellflower Line, Whittier-Yorba Linda Line, and the Santa Ana-Orange Line. Aside from many views of Pacific Electric cars, tracks, and stations, scenes along the lines include Bolsa Chica, Balboa, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach, Socorro, Fullerton, and Yorba Linda. Photographs also depict the final day of passenger service on the Whittier-Yorba Linda line, January 22, 1938. The collection also includes xerox copies of the following: a publication called "The Life and Times of the Pacific Electric, The World's Greatest Interurban (Orange Empire Railway Museum, 1983); an article by Jane Wilson entitled "Who Killed Mr. Red Car?" (Buzz Magazine, 1994)
Type: Visual Materials(Opens in new tab)
Production date: 1918-1958.

Pacific Electric Railway Company Photographs

Visual Materials

The collection consists of 3396 black and white photographs (many with corresponding original and copy negatives), 116 unprinted glass plate negatives, memos, correspondence, press releases, and notes related to the Pacific Electric Railway, ca. 1870s-1950s. The collection provides a comprehensive overview of the routes and areas served by the Railway during the years of its operation, and thus a picture of the growth of Southern California during the first half of the twentieth century. The images include views of landscape along, and towns served by, the Pacific Electric routes, including Central Los Angeles; Pacific Electric track and stations; Pacific Electric advertising, publicity, and public relations photographs; Los Angeles and surrounding area parks; Pacific Electric employees and employee activities; construction of Pacific Electric facilities, such as the Hollywood subway, the 6th and Main Street terminal, and the Subway Terminal Building; and Pacific Electric trolley cars and buses. The views along the Pacific Electric routes include beach communities such as San Pedro, Long Beach, Newport Beach, Redondo Beach, Laguna Beach, Venice, Ocean Park and Santa Monica. These images include views of the coastline, the towns, and the amusement areas of Long Beach, Redondo Beach, Venice, and Ocean Park. Also included are many photographs of Mount Lowe—the cable incline railway, the trolley up to Ye Alpine Tavern, the Tavern itself, and the Mount Lowe Tavern. The Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange County views document the landscape and popular sites in and around the towns served by the Railway; these include the Glenwood Mission Inn and Rubidoux Drive summit. Also of note are the photographs documenting activities of Pacific Electric employees, including construction of and activities in the Pacific Electric Club and outings sponsored by the Railway; and the construction of the Pacific Electric and Subway Terminal Buildings.

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Photograph album of the Pacific Electric Railway, Southern California

Visual Materials

A presentation album with 77 photographs taken along the Pacific Electric Railway lines in Southern California, especially in Los Angeles County and Orange County. The images primarily document street scenes, train stations, and local attractions along the railway lines. Includes the Whittier Line; La Habra Line; Santa Ana-Huntington Beach line; Glendale Line; Pasadena Line; Monrovia Line; Glendora; Covina Line; El Monte; San Gabriel Line; Sierra Madre Line; and many of the Mount Lowe Division. Some of the locations shown are Echo Mountain and Mount Lowe, Rubio Canyon, Covina, and Sierra Madre. Local businesses and attractions that are featured include Echo Park in Los Angeles; the Shorb Ranch in San Marino; Cawston Ostrich Farm in South Pasadena; Casa Verdugo in Glendale; and Busch Gardens in Pasadena. More than a third of the images were taken in and around Mount Lowe, showing the observatory, inclined railway, circular bridge, granite gate, search light, and Ye Alpine Tavern. Two photographs show Mount Lowe with snow and another shows the smoke of a brush fire. There is a view of the moon taken through the Mount Lowe telescope, and a photograph of Dr. Edgar Lucien Larkin, director of the Mount Lowe Observatory, in the observatory room. There are several photographs of orange groves taken from various locations along the railway.

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Album of views of Pacific Electric Railway Company and various Southern California sites

Visual Materials

An album with 50 photographs of Pacific Electric Railway trains and scenic views of Southern California, including Dominguez Hills, Long Beach, San Pedro, San Pedro Harbor, Santa Catalina Island, Watts, and Whittier. Many of the photographs are taken along the railway and at railroad stations, but some focus on buildings such as the Carnegie Library and Hotel Virginia in Long Beach and city hall and the public library in San Pedro; views of the harbors in San Pedro, Long Beach, and Avalon; ships in the harbors like the SS Queen of the Pacific Coast line and the USS Hopkins; and the adobe ruins of the Old Dominguez Ranch House. Other images from Long Beach feature Pacific Park, the mammoth hot salt plunge, and a winter scene in Alamitos Park. Most of the photographs are unsigned, but one is stamped by Reyes Photo.

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Photograph albums of Pacific Electric Railway Company employees and advertising

Visual Materials

Two photograph albums compiled by the Pacific Electric Railway Company featuring employees, offices and publicity scenes of Southern California tourist destinations. Views include individual and group portraits of employees (some named); offices, workers and ticket office at the downtown Los Angeles headquarters; substations; streetcars and working equipment. There are numerous views of Mount Lowe and Echo Mountain showing people in the tavern and bungalows reached by the Mount Lowe Railway; crowds on the beaches and piers of Venice, Santa Monica and Ocean Park; the Redondo Beach Bath House; street scenes in Balboa at a crowded ceremony, and the Mission Inn, Riverside. Other views include posed scenes with models or "bathing beauties"; company exhibits at citrus fairs; a group of clowning men in "drag" (possibly employees), and a group portrait of Mexican American children and company nurses at one of Pacific Electric's section camps for Mexican American employees.

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Pacific Electric Railway cars on the Van Nuys line

Visual Materials

Pacific Electric Railway streetcars no. 5120 and no. 5112 on the Van Nuys line in the San Fernando Valley. The signs on the front of the cars say "Los Angeles" and there are stop signs and two people standing nearby.

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Pacific Electric Railway cars at North Hollywood station on the Van Nuys line

Visual Materials

Pacific Electric streetcars no. 5150 and 5132 stopped at North Hollywood Station on the Van Nuys line, in the San Fernando Valley. People are seen walking near the station, which says "Southern Pacific - Pacific Electric Station" across the top. The signs on the front of the streetcars say "Los Angeles."

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Pacific Electric Railway Lines Photographs, (bulk 1938-1950)

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Pacific Electric Railway Company Photographs

Photograph album of the Pacific Electric Railway, Southern California

Album of views of Pacific Electric Railway Company and various Southern California sites

Photograph albums of Pacific Electric Railway Company employees and advertising

Pacific Electric Railway cars on the Van Nuys line

Pacific Electric Railway cars at North Hollywood station on the Van Nuys line