Ride the Pacific Electric in 1939 | Sunday Morning Coffee & Trains

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** About this video: An all-color look at three great California electric system, in the 1950s and ’60s: the Key System; the Sacramento Northern, and the Pacific Electric.
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Oh...and please subscribe! :-)

[@Railfandepot]

We published this late because our internet has been out! Well, I figure it's Sunday Morning somewhere! -DeAnn

[@dannyholt105]

No worries DeAnn! I am in a vacation home while on this week's Railfan Adventure! The internet here was much worse than the owners let on about it. I was several hours late this morning as well. But, we made it anyway, huh? Stay safe! Cheers, Danny

[@cjuuljohnston]

I missed you when your internet was down.. 😳🥴💕

[@Railfandepot]

@@cjuuljohnston Thank you so much! Now I have to get back in the swing of things!! -DeAnn

[@gregorylarson7551]

To the person that thaut is up I say good going and yes you need the red cares back so I say go for it and my time in long Beach Calif I have seen and road the red cares. I also have been on line to the people in charge of the ones in long Beach I now live in AZ and I have b3en at the Paris hard thay also have the red cares

[@buckyc.9069]

The P.E. was an S.P. subsidiary. Purely profit motivated. Sorry, but that's just the way it was/is.

[@charleskesner1302]

80 years ago, fascinating look back.

[@Railfandepot]

Agreed! I loved the footage. -DeAnn

[@johnnyjames7139]

This is fantastic and shows why this was the best place to live in California.

[@michaelgmoore5708]

You have really discovered the great age of rail travel when I was a kid in the 1950s. Most of 1952 still looked a lot like this. The red cars ran until 1961. Love your show Deann, Many of the ladies are interested in railroad model building as well as the early history. The toy and model electric trains of the 1950s were copies of the real thing much more than realized by many. Some models were even before the prototype was built.

[@Railfandepot]

Glad you enjoyed it...I did too. It's really a fascinating look at a time and place many of us could not be! -DeAnn (Sorry for the delay in replying....there is so much to do this time of year. )

[@BretSnyder]

I grew up in Baldwin Park (1960-1990). I never knew of the Crushton spur. But now looking at old maps I know where it used to be. The old Red cars used to go right down Ramona Blvd and at the end of my street. My mom used to tell us stories about riding in LA. Thank you for this video.

[@Railfandepot]

You are most welcome. 👩 I am happy we could help bring back a nice memory. Thank you for watching! -DeAnn

[@markdraper3469]

We were regulars on the Long Beach Line from '58 until the end of operations. At least every Friday Mom and I up to Clifton's for dinner, a little window shopping and then back home. Sometimes we were the last people on at the end in L.B. I'm glad I was old enough to remember it and I remember how vulnerable we felt when we tried to do the same by bus after they stopped running. Left So. Cal. before the Blue Line went in and I've only ridden it once.

[@Railfandepot]

Thanks for sharing the memories! And thanks for watching. -DeAnn

[@jjaagg5050]

Yeah...I was confused! It's almost Monday morning here! LOL!!

[@Railfandepot]

Apparently Comcast was confused too. Confused about supply the internet! Tim doesthe editing and uploading and Comcast left him high and dry. Thanks for waiting Comcast out! :-) -DeAnn

[@jetsons101]

My mom told me so many stories about the P.E. Red Cars, she moved to San Pedro from Maine during WWll. She took them everywhere. Years back I helped I.D. the locations a bunch of old pic's for (PERYHS) for the fun of it. Great content, just subscribed.

[@Railfandepot]

Thank you for subscribing. More video planned in the nearish future! -DeAnn

[@keepindafunk]

The Fontana and Etiwanda depots are still standing. I'm not sure of any others on this line. Really would've liked to see what the region would've looked like if we had advanced this form of transportation and encouraged it as the means to get around. The 91 is a freaking parking lot regardless of how many lanes they add. The 10 and 60 slow to a crawl by 3-4 pm every weekday. The 210 from San Dimas to Rancho feels like hell on earth at 5pm and the 15 gets congested by all of the intersections with the aforementioned freeways. One could only dream...

[@Railfandepot]

Oh yes, just think how the commute would be different - and the culture! Instead of more lanes, we'd just have to ad more trains! Thanks for watching! -DeAnn

[@tomanderson6335]

The Rialto PE depot is still standing and home to a Cuca's Mexican Food restaurant.

[@gregbowen617]

Fascinating look at a system lost to time...

[@Railfandepot]

Yes, the system...and even that time...is now lost to time. Amazing footage. Thanks! -DeAnn

[@keonikaig9247]

What a change over time....classic 4 sure Thank you 4 sharing...😃

[@Railfandepot]

Thank you for watching! :-) -DeAnn

[@awizardalso]

I like watching old electric powered interurban passenger rail cars

[@Railfandepot]

They are fun to watch...it's too bad we don't have them around to watch any more. -DeAnn

[@kentcourtney5535]

I remember being very young and visiting my Uncle Ernie’s farm in the orange empire near Riverside. He lamented that the big red cars no longer went near his property. The rails were still there. Developers urged the local government to tax orange groves at the subdivision rate. That meant my uncle had to pay taxes as if they were 100 homes there. Of course, he could not. He was forced to sell to land developers and his wonderful orange groves were cut down and converted into housing.

[@Railfandepot]

I have heard from so many who miss those orange groves. :-( -DeAnn

[@JayTee0007]

They should have these street cars now; it would be a lot faster than the parking lot that most deal with every day.

[@JanVinding]

Thank you for sharing this amazing video. As a railway enthusiast, these kind of videos put a big smile on my face any day of the week. I am too young to have the pleasure of riding the Pacific Electric myself, but I simply love seeing movies from days back when things was different (and maybe better). You have a new fan in me!

[@Railfandepot]

Thank you very much! I appreciate the sub and can tell you we have more coming. (Videos like this one make me smile too,) -DeAnn

[@anthonycordova1564]

Thank you for sharing

[@Railfandepot]

Thank YOU for watching! - DeAnn

[@user-hn5jg4yy4k]

Wow I never knew the red cars used to go all the way into San Bernardino, now in days Metrolink travels from L.A. Union station to downtown riverside and San Bernardino. Really amazing footage😍

[@dannyholt105]

Very cool being able to look back and see how it was back then DeAnn! Another great Sunday morning Coffee & Trains episode. Stay safe! Cheers, Danny

[@Railfandepot]

My thoughts exactly Danny! Thank you for watching! -DeAnn

[@theoldbayrailfan]

Very neat. Never seen something like that before

[@Railfandepot]

It's amazing to think that is the LA area today. So very much has changed. -DeAnn

[@yetimelly523]

So cool.

[@Railfandepot]

I agree! :-) Thanks for watching. -DeAnn

[@eirugsiongriffiths8563]

We had a similar system in Swansea Wales called the Swansea and Mumbles Railway,which closed on the 5th January 1960.

[@Railfandepot]

Well, your comment caused me to look up the "Swansea and Mumbles Railway". Very interesting - and a familiar story with busses taking over and another line out of business. -DeAnn

[@Eddy63]

Excellent DeAnn ... Better late then never ... Lol ... Got my beverage ...

[@Railfandepot]

Yeah, I told Tim... it has to be Sunday somewhere. :-) He has Comcast as an internet provider and they were down all day Sunday. Tim does the editing and uploading. -DeAnn

[@curailproductions7636]

Nice

[@davidatovar]

My mom, who loved the red cars in Los Angeles, would be incredibly astonished that her favorite place to go now at 91 years old was at the end of this line at Highland and Patton way back then, San Manual casino.

[@Railfandepot]

Awwww.... what a great story. Thanks so much for sharing it. I'm glad our little video could bring back some nice memories. -DeAnn

[@kevincruz4045]

I remember seeing double tracked rail studs in the asphalt at Valley Center in the 1970s where Badillo is now. The right of way was intact between Glendora Ave to Covina Blvd but the double tracks were removed in 1946. It was finally made into a road in the 80s.

[@Railfandepot]

So many changes. This bit of film really brings that out. Thanks for watching. -DeAnn

[@cs975l6]

Another nice video of some history. DeAnn have a nice Thanksgivings.🦃🦃🦃🦃

[@Railfandepot]

IK am sorry I am so late with a reply! We had a nice Thanksgiving. But then my co-worker, Tim, got Covid and that wiped out Christmas - really all of December. But, we're all back working now. -DeAnn

[@traditionallarry5378]

DeAnn thanks so much for this video I always enjoyed videos of electric trolleys and any trolley videos they always take me back to an easier time and place thanks again.

[@Railfandepot]

Oh yes, trolleys always harken back to a different time. Thanks for watching! -DeAnn

[@bbartky]

DeAnn, What an awesome video - thank you! I lived in Covina 25 years ago and it was great to see it and the Inland Empire back in the ‘30s. And just based on this video I am now a subscriber. 👍

[@Railfandepot]

Thank you for watching (and subbing). I am sorry for the tardy reply. What a change from "then" to now, right?! -DeAnn

[@mokuu3313]

Seeing Pomona on a rail car is a trip! I’m used to seeing it posted on freeway signs

[@Railfandepot]

Yes, this whole video is a real treat...it's like time traveling! Thanks for watching. -DeAnn

[@adamsmithhammons7546]

Thanks guys love ya'll

[@Bob-ed9tc]

Very cool! I grew up in Lake Arrowhead. It was neat to see Old Waterman Canyon and San Berdoo with Strawberry Peak back in the day.

[@Railfandepot]

Thanks for the memory! And, thanks for watching. -DeAnn

[@robserrano8971]

I wish we never lost PE system.

[@Railfandepot]

Yep. Can you imagine the good that would be doing for traffic and the environment now? Sigh. Thank you for watching! -DeAnn

[@LemonLawAutoExpert]

What a fabulous video. So, so enjoyed it.

[@Railfandepot]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for watching! -DeAnn

[@josephdesilva9400]

That was definitely a fun ride seeing many streets and places I’m very familiar with I had no idea some of the roads I have driven so many times were part of this once so crucial rail system to keep people and Goods moving to there destination 👍 I’ve always heard from people on how many orange farms they were here at one time it was indeed the orange empire thank you for taking the time to put this film together 👍

[@Railfandepot]

I'm so happy you enjoyed the film. It is amazing what the passage of time brings - good and bad. In this case, it is certainly a huge change in scenery. -DeAnn

[@TONYNORTHEASTERN]

Hi DeAnn, i did realise that you were back on the Tube........welcome all the best Tony

[@Railfandepot]

It is good to be back. :-) We've been on twice a week for a couple of months now. Sunday and Wednesday. Thanks so much for watching! -DeAnn

[@ianhelps3749]

These interurban tram lines are amazing . It's shame that they don't exist in L.A anymore, but you can still find them in Germany, though they are converted to light rail .

[@Railfandepot]

Many parts of the world still have trams, and some, as you point out, still have interurban systems. Here in the USA, we let them all go. -DeAnn

[@sneadh1]

@@Railfandepot There's still the South Shore Line out of Chicago, and many interurban -like lines in the wast. The new SMART train in Califonria is much like an od interurban, although the cars are not electric.

[@ct92404]

I love the Pacific Electric! I actually live near the old right-of-way for the Arrowhead Hot Springs Line :) I've been researching it for years and collecting old photos since the early 2000's.

[@Railfandepot]

Very cool! This old footage is right up your alley then! Thanks for watching! -DeAnn

[@ct92404]

@@Railfandepot Yup, I have a VHS tape of it actually! I've been looking for it on DVD, I didn't know that it was available. There is one small mistake though. When the narrator says they're passing the Crusher siding, that's actually a power substation in Waterman Canyon, near the end of the line. The Crusher Siding was farther south, near the corner of Electric Avenue and 40th Street in San Bernardino. The reason why it was called "Crusher siding" is because there was a spur track there at one time, which went to a rock crusher. They hauled gravel with a small freight train for building roads in the city. I think the spur track was removed in 1915. Later on, Pacific Electric added a siding near the same spot where the spur track was, so I guess they just kept the name.

[@christopherorourke6543]

Fantastic historical video. Enjoyed it very much. It’s great Han many metropolitian areas are investing in trolley service, commuter rail. When I go home to the San Diego area 4 to 5 times a year I ride the San Diego MTS trolley on all lines & a few MTS buses. I travel by Amtrak from San Diego to Los Angeles & Oxnard alternating my visits between Los Angeles & Oxnard & I ride on the Antelope Valley line of Metrolink to Sylmar & get the route 224 metro bus to my destination in Los Angeles.

[@Railfandepot]

You are a true traveler of the rails! Yes, I agree, this is a very interesting and truly historical video. Thanks for watching! -DeAnn

[@randygonzalez7439]

I just Discovered your Channel. I truly ❤ Everything about the History of LA to San Bernardino. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 I'm a Sucker for History of Trains. Any kind. 🚋🚊🚂 Thank You for doing what You do. Keep Up the Great Work and hope to see more interesting Subjects of Trains. 😊

[@Railfandepot]

We're back with more videos! Thank you for watching! -DeAnn

[@MustaAlanko]

The movie named Who framed Roger Rabbit got me excited about the trolleys and especially those trams of the late Pacific Electric Railway (although in real life they weren’t exactly like that in the movie because they were more like train than buses like that though some probably ran that way in the middle of the highway) and maybe just that as those kids and Eddie sat on the wide rear bumper of that tram. I would like to tell you, especially as a Finnish representative, that if I were a multi-billionaire with huge assets like Elon Musk, for example, I would travel to Los Angeles with the person in charge of these deceased companies and buy the traffic and copyrights of Pacific Electric Railway to I could rebuild, repair and thus reopen it, thus bringing back the former "best public transport in the world" back to Los Angeles and bringing it to my home country of Finland, to further improve our public transport even though it is actually the best in the world at the moment, education, health and equality in addition. And I'll set it up so that the trams will be exactly the same as in this movie: similar in shape, size and design, albeit a bit more modern, with wide front and rear bumpers so that kids and adults like the kids and Eddie in that movie can themselves pick up and sit there. on top of them and travel, travel on trolleys in this way for free, and they drive on the rails embedded in the middle of the highway as seen in the film, although the trams also have to be built back, you can buy a ticket on the spot from the ticket seller like Eddie did (pay for it either in cash or by card and I promise the price is nickel) or some kind of Pacific Electric app created for checking schedules and buying a ticket with a smartphone and terminal stations like in a movie, i.e. includes a waiting room and a bar, restaurant, though I'm going to set them up e so that children may also visit them, where snacks, coca-cola and other soft drinks and other delicacies are sold to children and teenagers where restaurant food and beer are sold to adults. And I would invest both millions and billions of dollars and euros in the company's cash and cash equivalents on both the American and Finnish sides so that it would not have to be sold in cash to any company for financial difficulties, at least not immediately or at all if the money is kept as emergency and spent reasonably not almost any of them actually go away. And before my death or possible resignation, I would make sure that the company is never, for whatever reason, or no matter how good the offers made by other companies, sold to any other company or entity so as not to be abused or liquidated again for one reason or another. don't get to repeat yourself. That if I got the Pavific Electric Railway, even after it was liquidated, I would bring it to life, bring it back to the world map and inspired by the film alone :)

[@Railfandepot]

I loved that movie! And yes, it brought awareness to so many people about the days of the "Red Car". Thank you for watching! -DeAnn

[@derekdowns6275]

Thank you for publishing this! I grew up in Glendora and San Dimas in the 60's and 70's while my grandparents lived high up Waterman Canyon in San Bernardino. The "Red Cars" were gone by then, but were a recent memory to many. I guess it's not a total loss, as we traveled to my grandparents house many times via Route 66, before the freeways, so I did get to know many of the landmarks before they were bulldozed over. I've been in Washington State for 35 years now, and sadly watched much of the history and character here unceremoniously erased & replaced as well. :(

[@Railfandepot]

I'm so happy you enjoyed this! Thank you for sharing your memories! -DeAnn

[@olderolderman4603]

Look at all that smog.my 👀 are crys I'm coughing out my lungs.

[@stephenheath8465]

It seems like this PE Line was criss crossing the old ATSF Second District Pasadena Line often

[@WesternRRHistory]

Thank you for posting this. Is there more Pacific Electric content on the DVD?

[@awizardalso]

My real name is Michael McCluskey. I've been subscribed for quite awhile.

[@Railfandepot]

Michael, thanks for watching and for subbing! Glad to have you here. We'll try to find more interurban video. -DeAnn

[@arthurtanguay568]

I was there

[@Railfandepot]

The Red Car era is one that people who were there - really remember fondly! Thanks for watching. -DeAnn

[@asbmp]

I've heard that you can easily stop an electric train as you would do with a model train if you ever get stuck on the railroad track at a railroad crossing. All you need to do is to short circuit the power lines and the track. this would automatically bring the train to a hault in an instant

[@chaosdemonwolf1]

Jumper cables work great.

[@wyndhamcoffman8961]

Yeah if you want to climb up, to reach the overhead wires. Otherwise if you short the tracks anywhere, it will trigger a red signal for your block.

[@olderolderman4603]

Next stop Cucamonga. Jack Benny 🏡 on. Foothill Boulevard I wrote that car many times

[@Railfandepot]

When I was a kid I always wanted to hear the conductor say, "Train leaving on Track 5 for Anaheim, Azusa and Cuuuucamonga." Thank you for watching! -DeAnn

[@Fenix-MU]

I'd look for this DVD in the link for free DVDs, but apparently it's not working. So I want to know, is there a way for me to get this DVD for free outside of the website in the description?

[@williammeszaros1671]

Nice interurbans reminds me of my time volunteering at trolleyville in ohio

[@Railfandepot]

Thank you for your work, William! Volunteers are what makes all this happen. I appreciate you! -DeAnn (Sorry for the delay in replying....there is so much to do this time of year. )

[@scotteakins7203]

Been looking all day for ya. Now I know why. Kinda late for coffee. But. It's all good! Wonder what the fare cost for the exciting bumpy ride.

[@chaosdemonwolf1]

5 cents.

[@Railfandepot]

Sorry for the delay in replying....there is so much to do this time of year. (Merry Christmas!) Maybe a nickel for the fare....but, it would be a priceless ride today! :-) -DeAnn

[@scotteakins7203]

@@Railfandepot no worries. & 🎄🎅 2!

[@buckyc.9069]

I once saw a "Three Stooges" short with those Red cars in the middle of a wide dirt street, dunno where it was. I'm guessing somewhere around Hollywood? Somebody let me know if I'm right.

[@bannedheretic2971]

Just before the dawn of freeways. That ruined everything 😪

[@Railfandepot]

Wouldn't you love to see interurbans again! I know I would!! Thanks for watching (and subscribing!). -DeAnn

[@markcappuccio1147]

Interesting. Kind of wondering why nobody has built something like this to relieve traffic congesting.

[@jackross5179]

Great video, too bad that those transit systems were torn down to be replaced by buses.

[@chaosdemonwolf1]

And magicly coming back in the 90's when they had it to begin with back in the 20's.

[@Railfandepot]

Yep. Once you tear down an electric system, it's just too difficult to get back going again...and then here come the busses. I agree with you. -DeAnn

[@wyndhamcoffman8961]

It's a shame that there isn't a lot of electric lines anywhere in the US anymore. You might have the occasional interurban metro system, or the Northeast corridor system; but nobody really wants to put up new electric wires; and sometime during the deregulation phase, the government levied new taxes on electrical equipment, like substation and traction power plants.

[@Railfandepot]

Yep. It is a heavy infrastructure investment, but it would pay off later. -Tim

[@roachaximus5899]

I just dont understand politicians' obssession with turning railroad right of ways into bike paths, which is what most of the right of way of the PE in SB county was turned into. Thats not to say its fully impossible to restore a what would now be light rail service there, but politicians would most likely use the bike path as an excuse to not allow it. Once the rails are gone, so is the right of way.

[@Railfandepot]

I suppose it is *more* possible to use the right of way after it has been turned into a walk or bike path than what many ROW lines have gone to... buildings and such. But, yes, once the ROW is lost, it is most likely lost forever. -Tim

[@bradhamrick7748]

Brad Train 🚂 Ho N Mark O L Amc Flyer

[@cjuuljohnston]

✅✝️❤️👍

[@Railfandepot]

Awwww...I'd give you two thumbs up and two hearts if I could! Thanks, Christina. -DeAnn

[@jeff.s.7160]

No homeless encampment along the route.

[@marcot3333]

How. Many. Damm. Times. Are. You. Going. To. BEG. For. Subscribers?

[@Railfandepot]

So for anyone who see's Marco's comment, please know that DeAnn mentioned subscribing *ONCE* and there is a small graphic. No begging at all. *Some people just can't handle reality.* -Tim