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Red Car Revival -- Port of Los Angeles Heritage Line Opens:
Following the arrival of local dignitaries aboard restored Pacific Electric
"Red Car" 1058, a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Downtown/6th Street station
formally opened the Port of Los Angeles Waterfront Red Car heritage tram line
in the San Pedro district of the city of Los Angeles on July 19th.
The project, four years in the making, runs 2.4 km (1.5 miles) from the Cruise
Ship Terminal on the north to the Cabrillo Marina at 22nd Street on the south
along the tracks of the Harbor Belt Line railway which have been modified for
time-separated freight/tram operation. There are two intermediate stops,
at Downtown/6th Street and at the Ports of Call shopping area along the mostly
single track freight line generally paralleling the former PE passenger line
(most of which has been lifted in the years since passenger service was halted
in 1958). Each station is based on a recreation of that used by Pacific Electric
at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona.
The opening, delayed several times by lack of necessary approvals by the
California Public Utilities Commission, was held across the street from the site
of Pacific Electric's San Pedro station and followed by a day of free rides
and related events.
As part of his remarks at the ceremony, Larry Keller, Executive Director of
the Port, called for further extension of the line north to Wilmington and south
to the Cabrillo Marine Museum and the beach... as well as the addition of two
more cars to the fleet.
Randell Flint
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Service is provided using the restored 1058 along with an accurate replica of
1909-era Pacific Electric 501. A second replica, PE 500, sister to the 501,
is currently being completed in Port's workshop and will replace the 1058 in
regular service when completed later this year. The 1058 is a rather celebrated
survivor having been converted to rubber tyre operation after closure of the PE
and now having been restored again to the rails. In its rubber-typed form,
it was on hand for the first "red car revival" when the Los Angles - Long Beach
"Blue Line" was opened in 1990.
Regular service is currently slated for the extended weekend of Friday through
Monday between 10:00 and 18:00 with the $1 day-ticket fare being collected
on board by the conductor who will also serve as "tour guide" pointing out the
sites of San Pedro and the Port.
22 July 2003
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