During the early and mid-1900′s the historic streetcar served as
a popular mode of transportation along Broadway. The Los Angeles
Streetcar system was primarily operated by Pacific Electric
(1901-1961) and developed into the largest trolley system in the
world by the 1920′s. This breath of scale enabled residents and
visitors alike to routinely traverse the Los Angeles region, and
connected many of Southern California’s communities. The system
operated for over half a century, and at its peak traversed over
1,100 miles of track with 900 electric trolley cars; this dense
network produced a rate of public transit usage higher than San
Francisco does today on a per capita basis. For years the system
was considered by many to be “the vital cog in the city’s
transportation system,” and according to author Steven Ealson,
provided transportation for millions who enjoyed the streetcar
so much they would “ride for miles simply for fun or for
transportation to places of amusement.” The demise of the
streetcar began wit