Port of LA Waterfront Red Car
Encyclopedia
The Port of Los Angeles Waterfront Red Cars are a 1.5-mile heritage streetcar
line in San Pedro, Los Angeles, home of the city's port
. Their route runs south over a former Pacific Electric
right-of-way from the World Cruise Center cruise ship terminal under the Vincent Thomas Bridge
to the intersection of 22nd Street and Miner Street, with intermediate stops at downtown San Pedro, the Maritime Museum and the Ports O' Call shopping center. The service operates three days a week (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) with occasional service on other weekdays depending on passenger ship landings. The line uses original and replica rolling stock from the Pacific Electric Railway
, which for over 60 years (until 1961) ran more than 1000 miles of tramways throughout Los Angeles and the surrounding cities and counties.
Today the Waterfront Red Cars comprise three tram cars in the style of the originals. Two of the three Red Cars—the replica cars, numbers 500 and 501—were built from scratch by employees of the port of Los Angeles; the interiors are cooled using the same clerestory-style windows as the original 500-class Red Cars (“The Fives”). The third car, No. #1058, is a vintage Pacific Electric 950-class car, having been assembled from two wrecked 950-class cars, restored and cleverly converted to be steered with the original throttle as a tiller, braked by the original brake handle, the original dead man pedal operated the gasoline engine throttle powering rubber tires for parades, movies, and the like by Richard J. Fellows. The port of Los Angeles bought the car and converted it back for rail operation..
The Waterfront Red Cars are supplemented by two shuttle bus lines
. The Blue line serves downtown San Pedro and Ports O' Call village, whereas the Green line serves the harbor and marina.
Future extensions to Cabrillo Beach
, Harbor Park, the new cruise ship terminal at Berth 46, Pacific Avenue, and Warehouse 1 are all under consideration. In April 2010, a new feasibility report was released, with the first priority to switch much of the existing line to street-running track on Sampson Way.
Heritage streetcar
Heritage streetcars or heritage trams are a development of the heritage railways that are becoming popular across the world. As with modern streetcar systems, the vehicles are referred to as trams or tramcars in the United Kingdom, Australasia and certain other places , but as streetcars or...
line in San Pedro, Los Angeles, home of the city's port
Port of Los Angeles
The Port of Los Angeles, also called Los Angeles Harbor and WORLDPORT L.A, is a port complex that occupies of land and water along of waterfront. The port is located on San Pedro Bay in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, approximately south of downtown...
. Their route runs south over a former Pacific Electric
Pacific Electric Railway
The Pacific Electric Railway , also known as the Red Car system, was a mass transit system in Southern California using streetcars, light rail, and buses...
right-of-way from the World Cruise Center cruise ship terminal under the Vincent Thomas Bridge
Vincent Thomas Bridge
The Vincent Thomas Bridge is a long suspension bridge, opened in 1963, crossing the Los Angeles Harbor in the U.S. state of California, linking San Pedro, Los Angeles, with Terminal Island. The bridge is signed as part of State Route 47. It is named for California Assemblyman Vincent Thomas of San...
to the intersection of 22nd Street and Miner Street, with intermediate stops at downtown San Pedro, the Maritime Museum and the Ports O' Call shopping center. The service operates three days a week (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) with occasional service on other weekdays depending on passenger ship landings. The line uses original and replica rolling stock from the Pacific Electric Railway
Pacific Electric Railway
The Pacific Electric Railway , also known as the Red Car system, was a mass transit system in Southern California using streetcars, light rail, and buses...
, which for over 60 years (until 1961) ran more than 1000 miles of tramways throughout Los Angeles and the surrounding cities and counties.
Today the Waterfront Red Cars comprise three tram cars in the style of the originals. Two of the three Red Cars—the replica cars, numbers 500 and 501—were built from scratch by employees of the port of Los Angeles; the interiors are cooled using the same clerestory-style windows as the original 500-class Red Cars (“The Fives”). The third car, No. #1058, is a vintage Pacific Electric 950-class car, having been assembled from two wrecked 950-class cars, restored and cleverly converted to be steered with the original throttle as a tiller, braked by the original brake handle, the original dead man pedal operated the gasoline engine throttle powering rubber tires for parades, movies, and the like by Richard J. Fellows. The port of Los Angeles bought the car and converted it back for rail operation..
The Waterfront Red Cars are supplemented by two shuttle bus lines
Tourist trolley
A tourist trolley, also called a road trolley, is a rubber-tired bus , which is made to resemble an old-style streetcar or tram....
. The Blue line serves downtown San Pedro and Ports O' Call village, whereas the Green line serves the harbor and marina.
Future extensions to Cabrillo Beach
Cabrillo Beach
Cabrillo Beach is a historic beach located in San Pedro, California.Cabrillo has two separate beach areas.- Lifeguards : and Los Angeles County Lifeguards are responsible for the beach and ocean safety in and around the Cabrillo Beach area....
, Harbor Park, the new cruise ship terminal at Berth 46, Pacific Avenue, and Warehouse 1 are all under consideration. In April 2010, a new feasibility report was released, with the first priority to switch much of the existing line to street-running track on Sampson Way.