Nostalgia & History > A Bit Of Traction--PE, SF, Halifax, Cleveland, SEPTA and Some

It was a nice suuny warm day in Ritzville, WA with a high-low of 74-38 so far. Here is a bit of Traction and some.

1. Pacific Electric 1243 and company in 1949. Need location help and any extra info welcomed. Harold Stewart photo, Pinterest collection.
2. Pacific Electric Hollywood cars 5163-5144 on Santa Monica Blvd on last day of service on May 31 1953. Any extra info welcomed. Unknown photographer.
3. Busy Market St. in San Francisco in 1946. Any extra info welcomed. Might be a repeat. Al Schwoerer/Maulin collection.
 

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4. Halifax, NS Canada streetcar 110 in the 1940's/ Any extra info welcomed. Halifax Municipal Archives.
5. A busy Cleveland in the 1940's. Any extra info welomed. Unknown photographer.
6, SEPTA PCC 2741 at York and Erie in 1974. Any extra info welcomed. Mitchell Libby photo, Andy Goddard collection.

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7. OT--Hollywood and Vine in the 1940's. aany extra info welcomed. Unknown photographer.

That's it for today. Hope everyone has a great afternoon, evening and tomorrow. Thanks so much for looking!

Larry
Ritzville, WA

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Photo #1 is looking west on Colorado Boulevard at Madison in Pasadena.

Thanks Larry, all the photos are great to see and I thank you for sharing them with all of us.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

WRT photo #6, a view from last October shows the rails still in the pavement but the trolleys and their wires are gone.  And the neighborhood looks to have gone downhill quite a bit...
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0088181,-75.1476523,3a,50.9y,48.51h,97.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sAu0moYspmSU1ovABG3F0yw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

Wow, 74 degrees?  I think we barely touched 50 here.

mike woodruff
anacortes wa

Thanks PacificElectric1961 for the location on #1. Thanks John for your Nice comments. Thanks Mike for the updated photo in #6. Looks like 1974 looked better. Our warm weather is going South tomorrow with a bit if rain on the way. Much appreciated to you all.

Larry

#3 in interesting to me because of the Muni Jewett car on the J line, a line I have lived a block from for 90 years and counting.  I rode it to.go shopping at The Emporium with my mother and later to work for the SP and the State.  What is also interesting is that the car is running on former Market St. Ry. inner tracks, not on the Muni outer track.  Great photos once again Larry.

Thanks HT6 For your interesting comments. I too was wondering the same thing on that J Car. I too lived off the J Line on 28th St. Having worked the J Line from 1975 to Jan. 1981, I might have picked you up, lol. Much appreciated!

Larry

Photo #7. I think the banner on the cafe is for the 5th War Loan. That would make it June 1944.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/24 15:35 by PacificElectric1961.

PacificElectric1961 Wrote:
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> Photo #7. I think the banner on the cafe is for
> the 5th War Loan. That would make it June 1944.

The traffic lights are without the WWII light shades on #7. Might make difference in dates.

Larry

Yes Larry, you could have easily picked me up.  I think I know why the J was on the inner track.  The roller sign says FERRIES.  Cars going to the East Bay Terminal are probably on the outer tracks and will make the right turn at 1st St.

And behind SEPTA 2741, we have a Flx new look as well

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

PacificElectric1961 Wrote:
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> Photo #1 is looking west on Colorado Boulevard at
> Madison in Pasadena.

The banners going across the street are for the Rose Parade.

Your postings are the next best thing to time travel. The scenes come alive in my mind.
Bob

The Cleveland pic appears to be the northeast corner of Public Square. The building at left still has the arched windows, but the "college" building has lost its arches.

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No 1 is showing an eastward at this point (in PE parlance--'inbound') train on the Pasadena via Oak Knoll
route--destined Los Angeles. This photo has made its appearance in various publications and books, one
of which claims the motorman in the right front window of the 1243 to be Harold Stewart. A bit of background
if I may; Mr Stewart went to work for PE in December 1943 and throughout his career obtained many photos
of not only Pacific Electric but a wide variety of western railroad subjects, electric as well as steam, many of
which have been published. His long career extended for over 59 years, retiring from Union Pacific in 2002.
My late brother Bill, a PE conductor and I presume---although I'm not certain-- was Harold's final conductor,
is pictured along with their brakeman in a photo credited to Gary McClain, marking Harold's retirement appearing
in The Trainline, publication of the SPH&TS. Upon Mr Stewart's retirement, he was UP's oldest locomotive engineer
in point of seniority. The photo is dated December 31, 1948 and Harold has just passed his ​5th year with PE.  
The 1243 will turn off Colorado St at Lake Ave and proceed south to El Molino where it will join PE's 4-Track main
leading to Los Angeles. 

No 2 shows two cars on the Santa Monica Blvd route meeting in the curve leading from Sunset Blvd onto Park Ave.
Some background: Prior to completion of Pacific Electric's Subway on December 1, 1925 the route from PE's existing station
on Hill St led northward, through the two tunnels on Hill St, onto Sunset Blvd where the cars destined to Santa Monica Blvd,
Hollywood Blvd and points in the San Fernando Valley traveled to their destination passing over the Glendale-Burbank line
as it ran beneath, in the pavement, of Glendale Blvd. There was no connection to allow cars from the newly completed Subway
to access points to the west. That changed literally within weeks when on February 7, 1926 a 550 foot long connection was
placed in service connecting the Glendale line at a new location named Park Jct with the existing lines to the west on Sunset Blvd
at Bonnie Brae St. Prior to the construction there was no Park Ave as we know it today and where these two cars are meeting.

Notice these two cars are carrying West Hollywood dash signs--to alert potential passengers headed to points along
Hollywood Blvd or in the San Fernando Valley to not try to board---at least the one headed west. No need to remove
the dash sign from the eastward car---passengers would not see that dash sign. 

Charlie

 
 

awesome images today ritz (as usual).

i am sure glad somebody captured image #2 on the last day of p.e. service............

66

Since there are so many interesting comments this evening, just want to thank so much HT6, GP25, PHall. Bob and halfmoonharold for your interesting comments, info and Google pictures. I'm always amazed at the response to these nostalgic pictures. Thanks Charlie for your always excellent classroom of interesting facts and comments, you're the man with the facts! Thanks 66 for your interest and comments. Those were interesting times, glad I got to observe some of it. Much appreciated to you all!

Larry



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/24 18:47 by Ritzville.

Tornado Tuesday a stormy day with a big tornado, fortunately no major injuries or deaths.
1 - Very nice urban scene. Late 1940's Buick is third car on left of PE train.
      Banners add an interesting dimension especially the one on the right.
2 - Nice color PE scene from early 1950's when color photography wasn't really common.
3 - Super downtown scene with lots of interest and action. 1947 Chevrolet is tutone on right.
5 - Traction dominates this scene that also includes one trolley bus. Station canopy is a classic.
6 - An interesting "back east" urban scene featuring #2741; not sur about the Bar Lounge on right.
7 - Can't find any post-WWII vehicles in scene. Auto on right is a 1941 Ford.
     See a man in winter navy officer uniform crossing street with a lady.
     Believe the banner is an advertisement for 5% interest rate loans.
     My best estimate is that the photo was taken winter 1945/1946.
My apologies for the tardy comments. Was watching weather until 8:00PM.
Thanks for this most interesting and challenging posting.
Always appreciate your time and work.
ALLEN