The ghosts of the RED CARS

Pacific Electric

The Pacific Electric Railway (reporting mark PE), also known as the Red Car system, was a mass transit system in Southern California using streetcars, light rail, and buses. At its greatest extent, around 1925, the system interconnected cities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties and also connected to Riverside County and San Bernardino County in the Inland Empire.

The system was divided into three districts:

• Northern District: Pasadena, San Gabriel Valley, San Bernardino.
• Southern District: Long Beach, Newport, San Pedro, Santa Ana.
• Western District: Hollywood, Burbank/Glendale, San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica.

Originally, there was an Eastern District, but this was incorporated into the Northern District early in the company's existence.

The "General Motors conspiracy"

The end of the Red Cars is related to the replacement of streetcar lines with bus lines in at least 45^[ other American cities, including Baltimore, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, and Oakland, CA. American City Lines was one of many consortiums formed and owned by General Motors, Standard Oil of California, and Firestone that bought up private streetcar lines across the country (including the Pacific Electric's "Big Red" trolley line) and systematically dismantled them replacing electric trolley service, sometimes partially, with buses. The move came to be known as the Great American Streetcar Scandal.

Today, little remains of the Red Car line, the tracks have long been removed, streets repaved, new homes built & property converted.

But at lease one tunnel and powerhouse still stand and are visible if you know where to look.

Once abandoned, then used to store Bomb Shelter biscuit's and impounded cars, the Red Car tunnel became a movie location, gang hangout and graffiti target

Today, the power house, once covered in 100 layers of taggers paint:

Has been sandblasted, repainted battle ship gray and overlooks a dog park for a new apartment complex.

Tracks that once carried Angelino's throughout California are gone, railroad ties still stand vigil.

The tunnel stands sealed, a work of art covers the entrance, a reminder of a similar time when public transportation was mightier than the automobile.

This area is on private property, but is visible from a side street