Pacific Electric Railway Company Records, 1908-1964, bulk 1940-1950

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Summary

Creators:
Pacific Electric Railway Company
Abstract:
The Pacific Electric Railway Company, established by Henry Huntington, connected cities across the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The records in this collection consist of information about rules and regulations governing employees, timetables and vehicle information, financial, operation, and service reports, as well as contracts and agreements made during the sale of Pacific Electric Railway Company property and stock to Metropolitan Coach Lines.
Extent:
4.80 linear feet 14 boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Pacific Electric Railway Company Records, 70-DPGTL. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Research Library and Archive.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of records created during the operation of the Pacific Electric Railway Company. Such records include examinations, application materials, and rules and regulations for employees, time tables, vehicle specifications, fare information, and service announcements, 26 issues of “Pacific Electric Magazine,” reports on accidents, finances, operations, and service, correspondence and interlining arrangements between the Pacific Electric Railway Company, Motor Transit Company, and Pacific Greyhound Lines, contract containing the agreements made in the sell of Pacific Electric Railway Company rail passenger cars to Metropolitan Coach Lines.

Biographical / historical:

Pacific Electric Railway (PERy) was created in 1901 with Henry Edwards Huntington as principal stockholder. Huntington completed the first PE line in 1902 which ran from Los Angeles to Long Beach. He later sold his shares to Southern Pacific in 1910.

In 1911 the “Great Merger” took place. Although continuing to operate under the Pacific Electric name, Southern Pacific Railway merged PERy with nearly all of the interurban railways in a four-county region of Southern California. PERy grew to connect various cities across the Los Angeles metropolitan area. PERy vehicles were commonly known as the Red Cars, the most obvious feature distinguishing PERy cars from the "Yellow Car" vehicles operated by the Los Angeles Railway.

As patronage on passenger rail lines declined after the second World War, PERy began converting rail routes to bus service. Eventually, in 1953, PERy sold its passenger operations to the Metropolitan Coach Lines. Metropolitan Coach Lines continued the conversion from rail passenger service to bus passenger service and the final former Pacific Electric Railway passenger rail line was converted to bus service in 1961. Southern Pacific Railway eventually abolished the Pacific Electric Railway Company in 1965, folding what little mileage remained of PERy’s freight operation into Southern Pacific’s own operation.

Acquisition information:
The Pacific Electric Railway Company was sold to the Metropolitan Coach Lines bus company, which was later acquired by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (LAMTA). LAMTA was superseded by the Southern California Rapid Transit District (SCRTD) in 1964. SCRTD’s library and its materials were retained by the successor agency, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, also known as Metro.
Processing information:

Processed by Denise Villegas, 2012.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in the following series:

  1. Reports, 1906-1954
  2. Employees, 1908-1953
  3. Vehicles and Line Locations, circa 1910-1950
  4. Maps and Routes, 1915-1957
  5. Public Relations, circa 1915-1950
  6. Corporate Culture, circa 1920 - circa 1940
  7. Facilities, 1940-1950
  8. Correspondence, 1952-1954
  9. Contracts and Agreements, 1953-1956
  10. Small Books, 1905-1951
  11. Miscellaneous, 1945-1964
Physical location:
LACMTA Research Library and Archive
Physical description:
,
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. Digitized copies of selected photographs available online. Advance notice required for physical access to collection. Contact LACMTA Research Library and Archive to make an appointment.

Terms of access:

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the LACMTA Research Library and Archive. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the LACMTA Research Library and Archive as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement that may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the LACMTA Research Library and Archive collections.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Pacific Electric Railway Company Records, 70-DPGTL. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Research Library and Archive.

Location of this collection:
One Gateway Plaza, Mail Stop: 99-15-1
Los Angeles, CA 90012, US
Contact:
213.922.4859
kennedyc@metro.net
Website