What would you do if you found out that the train you took from downtown LA to Santa Monica was going to take 60 years to travel? That’s exactly what happened to a group of passengers who boarded the Pacific Electric Railway (PECO) train at Union Station in Los Angeles. The PECO train ran between Downtown LA and Santa Monica until 1959.
In the early 1900s, the PECO line connected LA to San Francisco via Pasadena. It later became part of the Southern Pacific Railroad. When the railroad company decided to discontinue passenger service, they sold the tracks to the city of LA. Over time, the rails deteriorated and the trains stopped running altogether.
Fortunately, the city of LA has plans to restore the PECO line. The project will include restoring the track and adding new stations along the route. Once completed, the restored PECO line will run from Union Station to the Port of Long Beach.
The first passenger train is expected to arrive in December 2017. Until then, we’ll have to make due with vintage photos like this one, which shows the original PECO station in Hollywood.
Get ready for an epic journey to discover the secrets behind the history of rail transport! This fascinating documentary takes us on a journey into the past as it tells the story of the first ever passenger train to travel from downtown LA to Santa Moni.