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Cars of Pacific Electric Interurbans Special 28, Vol 1 City & Suburban Cars
Cars of Pacific Electric Interurbans Special 28, Vol 1
Soft Cover
224 pages
Copyright 1964
CONTENTS
Foreword2
Introduction3
Official Record, Pacific Electric City Cars List5
Photos of Train Cars and Diagram and Description 7
INTRODUCTION
Gone are the big red cars which for many years gridironed the Los Angeles metropolitan area. From Mt. Lowe to the sands of the Pacific, from San Fernando to Redlands, the speedy electric behemoths brought Angelenos the only form of rapid transit they have yet known.
What were the big red cars really like? How many types were there? What were their numbers - their specifications - their histories? To which lines were they assigned? The answers are herein, compiled from official Pacific Electric records.
"Cars of Pacific Electric" follows PE's own roster plan, which was based on the numbering scheme worked out in 1911, following the Great Merger of September 10, 1910; at that time, cars acquired from several component companies were assigned new numbers which were set up in accordance with type of service rendered. In effect, this worked out to an ascending numerical order as follows:
Numbers
ServiceAssigned Remarks
Deluxe01-025Business cars, excursion cars, etc.
City1-399Local service within cities, Mt. Lowe ears
Suburban400-699Light interurban service
Interurban 700-1299 Heavy interurban service
Combination 1300-1399 Passenger and baggage combines Box Motors 1400-1499 Electric LCL, Railway Post Office Light Locos 1500-1599 Switching locomotives
Heavy Locos 1600-1699 Road locomotives
Line Cars1700-1799 Overhead maintenance cars
Miscellaneous 1800-1899 Supply cars, etc.
Wreckers001-0010 Specially equipped box motors
Note that PE did not necessarily expect to fill completely these classes; however, the numbers were reserved "for possible future use," to quote the official roster.
The above numbering scheme remained in force throughout PE's existence as an electric railway. Exceptions did occur:
(1) The suburban class took over the 700 Class when the last 60 Hollywood cars were added; to make room, interurban cars 700-749 were renumbered 950-999 in 1924.
(2) In 1931 the 1700 and 1800 Classes were terminated; their cars were renumbered in the "00" Class: 00150-00199.
(3) In 1940, new PCC cars for suburban service were numbered 5000-5029, marking a major break from the 1911 scheme.
(3A) The 600 Class was one-manned in 1949, and concurrently renumbered into the 5050 Class.
(4) In 1942, nineteen interurban cars acquired from the Northwestern Pacific were numbered 4500-4518 (instead of becoming 1275-1293 as was originally planned).
(5) In 1945, interurban cars acquired from the United States Maritime Commission (which had operated them on PE during 1943, 1944 and 1945 under their original Interurban Electric Railway numbers, with minor exceptions), were renumbered 4600-4647; four combos became 4700-4703.
(6) In 1947, new diesel locomotives were purchased and numbered 1650-1654; acquired gas-electric cars were cut down in length and used as switchers at about this same time, with numbers 1648 and 1649.
(7) The postwar modernization of the 4500, 4600 and 4700 Classes brought about their renumbering into the new 300 and 400 Classes.
Still another renumbering occurred under the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority regime; surviving cars of the suburban type became 1800s, while interurbans were renumbered in the 1500 and 1700 Classes.
Thus the 1911 Numbering Scheme was practically obsolete by the early 1950s, with only a handful of electric locomotives still carrying the flag; however, the 1911 Scheme is the one practical way to gain a comprehensive insight into the FE family of cars, and it is perforce the criterion used herein.
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