[HenryHuntington]

When you see a photo with the P.E. cars in it, how do you know which way/direction they're going?

The end with the raised trolley pole (i.e., contacting the overhead wire) nearly always is the rear end.

I may be wrong but im pretty sure the pe car is going towards the ROW.. so its leaving santa monica bl, and going into the whole foods parking lot.

You're right, unihikid. In this case, the trolley poles aren't visible, but 5145 is using the inbound track to make the left turn onto the private right-of-way. Good observation!