Pacific Electric Steeplecab 1625, Los Angeles, CA, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley) Pacific Electric Steeplecab 1626, Watts, CA, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley)
Pacific Electric Steeplecab 1627, Los Angeles, CA, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley) Pacific Electric Switcher 1646, Watts, CA, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley)
Could the critter's only pole be swung 180 degrees to reverse direction? Trolleys and interurbans had two poles for return trips.
That I don't know, but I'd assume it was possible as the steeplecab electrics were used in freight service, so I'd think it would be useful for switching, etc. Pacific Electric Line Car 00157, Long Beach, CA, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley) Pacific Electric Relief/Wrecker Car 008, Watts, CA, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley)
The wood cab on 1646 is neat. I wonder if it is a replacement. It is also interesting the front exhaust cover has a squarish hole cut in it and the air horns on the front of the cab point straight up I can't tell if the round rod is comming of the exhaust support or if it is a trolley pole from the car behind 1646. Anybody care to guess?
It looks like it was cobbled together from various parts of other engines. Like the "steam dome" in front of the cab.
Pacific Electric Line Car 00161, Los Angeles, CA, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley) Pacific Electric Line Car 00164, Long Beach, CA, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley)
I assume the wire work platform was isolated from the car. The wireman didn't appear to be glowing. LOL
Pacific Electric Portable Substation 00186, Dominguez, CA, late 1950s (Herb Cearley) Pacific Electric Portable Substation 00187, North Long Beach, CA, late 1950s (Herb Cearley)
1646 was built by Plymouth in 1932, was bought by the Texas & New Orleans in 1935, transferred to the Pacific Electric in 1954, wound up in Torrance in 1956 pulling Hollywood Cars to Terminal Island for scrapping...sold on February 13, 1958 to Berg Metals Company....
She is preserved with her first number, 1734 in Seal Beach, CA. There has been a fight over ownership in the past few years....she wears an incorrect red
Pacific Electric Crane 00191, Los Angeles, CA, circa 1954 (Herb Cearley) Pacific Electric Gondola 0083, Los Angeles, CA, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley)
The Pacific Electric was unique, moved more freight cars in California than the Union Pacific did, yet relied on leasing diesels from the Southern Pacific and couldn't wait to sell off the passenger service... now you guys see why I love it.
Pacific Electric Flatcar 0081, Los Angeles, CA, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley) Pacific Electric Gondola 0092, Los Angeles, mid-1950s (Herb Cearley)
