Pacific Electric / Los Angeles Streetcars Combo - Pentrex

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The Pacific Electric Railway-once the largest interurban railway in the nation-and the unique streetcars of the Los Angeles Transit Lines exist now only in memory and on film. Two outstanding documentaries from Pentrex have been combined on one DVD to let you relive the final years of these two transportation legends.

Pacific Electric - The Twilight Years
After serving Southern California"s transportation needs for over sixty years, by the 1950s the PE"s rail passenger service had been reduced to five lines. View the last of the once-famous Hollywood cars on the Watts Local and the Big Red Cars, often referred to as "blimps," on the Long Beach, San Pedro, Bellflower, and Catalina Lines. You"ll also see memorable railfan trips, the tower cars on the four-track mainline, and the last of the "Juice Jacks" in action on Santa Monica Boulevard and at Butte Street Yard. Filmed by noted rail photographer Bruce Ward, this is an unforgettable journey to enjoy again and again. (30 minutes)

Los Angeles Streetcars - The Final Years
Los Angeles commuters fondly referred to their narrow-gauge streetcars as "Yellow Cars." We"ll take you on an end-to-end tour of the W and S lines, the last to use H-Series standard type streetcars. In 1958, the MTA took over and converted the whole system to streamlined PCC-type cars, most of which were painted two-tone green. You"ll see the entire routes of the five remaining lines: R, S, V, P and J. Then you"ll go to the Georgia Street Car House on the last day of operation and the Vernon Yard as retired cars are placed in storage. It"s a remarkable look at a memorable system. (35 minutes)

DVD Special Feature:

• Chapter Menus provide instant access to program segments.