P (Los Angeles Railway)

History

Pico Street Electric Railway (1887–90)

The first streetcar line on Pico Boulevard was short lived, running from an orange grove at Lorde Street (present-day Harvard Boulevard) to the Plaza de Los Angeles by way of Pico, Maple Avenue, 7th Street, San Julian Street, 3rd Street, and Los Angeles Street. The company began running cars in January 1887 as the first electrified streetcar in the western United States, but went under within a few years.

The modern route

The Pico and First Street Line was one of the first routes built by the new Los Angeles Railway in 1895. Its route lay between Pico and Van Ness Avenue on the west and Brooklyn and Rowan avenues on the east, via Pico Boulevard, Main Street, Broadway, 1st Street, and Rowan Avenue. In 1919, Broadway was extended south from 11th and Main to Pico Boulevard, removing the line from Main Street entirely.

In the 1920 service rerouting, the western end of the West Pico and Santa Fe Station Line was combined with the eastern portion of the Boyle Heights and West 7th Street Line to form the West Pico & East First Street Line. It was assigned the letter designation P in 1921. While the route was unchanged for the rest of its existence, the Rimpau Loop and Dozier loop were added in 1935 and 1936, respectively.

The line was commuted to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1958. Service was converted to motor coach operation on March 31, 1963.

{{anchor|34}} Gage Street Shuttle Line

As part of the Los Angeles Railway's expansion, a shuttle line was built north from Rowan and Dozier along Rowan, Hammel and Gage to Blanchard Street, at the foot of what is now City Terrace. This service was designated as route 34. Ridership was very low and the route was discontinued by LATL.

Rolling stock

In 1947, Los Angeles Railway purchased 40 PCC streetcars to replace the old rolling stock on the line.

Partial restoration

The Gold Line Eastside Extension was a project by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (successor to LARy services) to establish a light rail line to East Los Angeles. From the previous terminus at Union Station, trains operate primarily via 1st Street to Indiana, though the majority of the line is in a tunnel.

Sources

References

1. (2021). "Los Angeles Railway". Arcadia Publishing.
2. (January 4, 1887). "The Electric Road". Los Angeles Times.
3. (October 8, 1890). "The Pico Street Road". [[Los Angeles Herald]].
4. (May 5, 1920). "Street Car Rerouting". [[Los Angeles Evening Post-Record]].
5. "May 1: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
6. (May 2, 1921). "Cars To Have Letter Signs". Los Angeles Railway.
7. "‘P’".
8. "March 31: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
9. (May 9, 1920). "Street Car Rerouting In Effect Here Today".
10. H.P. Noordwal. (1938). "Route Map Los Angeles Railway Electric Car and Bus Routes". Los Angeles Railway.
11. "‘34’-GAGE STREET SHUTTLE (1920-1946)".
12. "No.1080 Los Angeles Transit Lines". [[Market Street Railway (nonprofit).