Nostalgia & History > Santa Fe Street Running in Central Los Angeles

The image below was recorded in 1980 when I was working the 201, an afternoon switch engine that did the industry work around central LA.In the view below the 201 is eastbound in the "Patch" after switching A1 Novelty Note the two stuffed toys on the front and Switchman R.LJackson sitting in the left side .Bill Webb

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I remember going in there a few times, great memory. Worked with RL many times.
JB

Great photo, I wouldn't have guessed this was in Los Angeles.

Rich

PasadenaSub Wrote:
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> Great photo, I wouldn't have guessed this was in
> Los Angeles.
>
> Rich

Pre Northridge earthquake Los Angeles. Unreinforced masonary doesn't react well to shake, rattle and roll.

Yeah what a great photo!

Great shot.
I always enjoy in the city industrial switching.
I guess today it is rare.
Gary

gcm Wrote:
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> Great shot.
> I always enjoy in the city industrial switching.
> I guess today it is rare.
> Gary

Many of the large industrial buildings in "The Patch" have either come down or have been re-purposed to other uses.

When I lived in the LA area, I enjoyed driving on surface streets vs. the freeways, and would encounter interesting trackage in and around the city. This would have been in the '80s and '90s. I even recall seeing crossbucks lettered for the Pacific Electric somewhere near downtown LA. There were still some interesting lines in use that were abandoned when I was living there, like the ATSF spur to East Whittier, or the wye at Atwood (a remnant of the spur to Olinda), and some trackage in Olive. One of my favorites was the UP line that crossed Painter (?) in Whittier over a bridge that had the LA&SL logo in the concrete, complete with the arrowhead. I believe it was demolished a few years ago. 

That was an era when it seemed like a fair amount of track was being abandoned, and I guess it has continued. I don't imagine that many scenes like the one pictured here would be found today.

The UP Painter Ave. bridge at Five points in Whittier, CA has been rebuilt and the Arrowhead logo has been placed in the East Abutment as it was before.  It is now named the Whittier Greenway Trail for Walkers and Bike Riders.

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA

JimBaker Wrote:
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> The UP Painter Ave. bridge at Five points in
> Whittier, CA has been rebuilt and the Arrowhead
> logo has been placed in the East Abutment as it
> was before.  It is now named the Whittier
> Greenway Trail for Walkers and Bike Riders.

That's great news!  Thanks for posting it. 
 

There was a packing house next to the UP which was also servied by a PE spur which connected to the PE Whittier depot. That
whole area was pretty cool.

Out 

Check out flickr user emd's photosteam. Some great Los Angeles industrial building shots, plus trains: https://www.flickr.com/photos/emd111/3487510909/in/photostream/

and here's industrial Downtown L.A. album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/emd111/albums/72157629968489213



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/21 15:51 by phthithu.

Yes, agree a very neat scene.

Bob

Love seeing that image of the ATSF industry jobs- it reminds me of the street running a few blocks to the West, over on Alameda St. I would
see the equivalent SP industry switch jobs--- working in the late evening hours, serving the customers along that corridor. I used Alameda
St to drive home from Union Station. There would be 1 or 2 SW1000 Switch engines with 3 or 4 boxcars, rumbling right next to me. It was fun in those days. 

is it possible to post the same location today from say google earth street view  if any one can pinpoint the street name etc etc  thanks ?

JimBaker Wrote:

> The UP Painter Ave. bridge at Five points in
> Whittier, CA has been rebuilt and the Arrowhead
> logo has been placed in the East Abutment as it
> was before. 

Painter Ave. is/was crossed at grade.  Pickering Ave. is where the bridge with the LA&SL emblem was/is.

Old bridge in 2007: https://goo.gl/maps/CByJHRniSBQMHVZq7
Current bridge: https://goo.gl/maps/ud8UqHYqaT6pRvXb6
 
bakersfielddave Wrote:

> is it possible to post the same location today
> from say google earth street view  if any one can
> pinpoint the street name etc etc  thanks ?

He's looking west on Jesse St. between Imperial and Mateo St.  Every building visible in the 1980 view still exists, including A-1 Novelty's old building:  https://goo.gl/maps/mXprKk3EoM8qDpNN7

Evan, surprised I missed that, drove under the bridge every day to work for 3 years!

Out