Thank you for posting the bridge-crossing photo. It is worth noting that vestiges of the Venice and Eastlake Rail works still exist at the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad in Los Gatos.


http://bjwrr.org/wp-content/uploads/...00H267_O60.jpghttp://bjwrr.org/wp-content/uploads/...00H267_O60.jpg

http://bjwrr.org/wp-content/uploads/...00H601_O60.jpghttp://bjwrr.org/wp-content/uploads/...00H601_O60.jpg



Interweb sources describe Jones' i1939-discovery of the Venice Locomotive in San Francisco. He allegedly purchased it for $100 and the rest . . . is history. http://bjwrr.org/about/history/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_%22Billy%22_Jones Not surprisingly, a man named Disney took a keen interest in this miniature train.

A video of the BJWRR offering a taste of the Venice Loco can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_d2VwhnsC8

Intriguing capstand[sic] power. Wonder if all that track didn't have an alternate use :previous:, other than ending up as scrap.

On a remotely related note, I seem to recall several homes and apartment buildings in the Hancock Park area with round platforms, aka automobile turntables, used for moving and parking cars in tight spaces. Obviously borrowed from available railroad technology. Can't recall seeing any images of these devices on NLA. Which brings to mind another circular structure in Eagle Rock.

~1920's Merry-go-round pavillion at intersection of Colorado and Eagle Rock Blvds. "1921 (Approximate date) A circular pavilion (nicknamed "The Merry-Go-Round") was built in the center at the intersection of Colorado and Eagle Rock Blvd. This structure was to shelter and protect streetcar travelers." http://eaglerockhistory.org/timeline.html

http://waterandpower.org/1%20Histori...agle_Rock2.jpg http://waterandpower.org/1%20Histori...agle_Rock2.jpg

:previous:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c...2520AM.bmp.jpgLAT Dec 12, 1932


I got a kick out of this turntable-related story. Edmond F. Ducommun was a member of a family with old ties to LA--a hardware store on Main Street in the 1880s and later a large metal supply firm, among other enterprises.


http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics24/00031894.jpghttp://jpg1.lapl.org/pics24/00031893.jpg


The metal supply factory in a 2011 post:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=2483

I found this map of the Venice Miniature Rail Road in the PDF file posted by Chuckaluck. It's similar to the one posted by Flyingwedge a couple of days ago, but also shows some details of the Lake Avenue station, yards and shops (see Godzilla's previous post for a couple of pictures).

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...6.jpg~original
www.lawesterners.org (PDF file)

This map also contains an area below the Grand Basin/Lagoon marked Midway Plaisance. The postcard below shows the entrance along with a helter skelter and the back of a VMRR train.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...yPlaisance.jpg
eBay

This Aerial view of Venice shows how the canals and Midway Plaisance looked in 1918.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...8.jpg~original
USC Digital Library

The roller coaster in the lower right corner was called 'The Race Thru The Clouds', and promised to be "Exhilarating, Inspiring, Exciting". An article on venicebeachbustours.com says "it opened on July 4, 1911" and "even with only half of its cars on line, over 25,000 people rode it in one day."

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...1.jpg~original
USC Digital Library

There are plenty of colorized postcards of 'The Race Thru The Clouds' entrance on eBay, but the venicebeachbustours article has one of the best side views of the roller coaster (the full version is over 2300 pixels wide). Apparently, it was 90 feet high and had two parallel tracks (hence the 'race' element), each 4000 feet long. The picture above has a big banner proclaiming "The New Race", "Its entirely different from the old one", "All new sensational dips", "Some Thriller", so I'm assuming that it was remodeled at some point.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...2.jpg~original
venicebeachbustours.com

No discussion of miniature railways, particularly miniature live steam railroads, in Los Angeles would be complete without recognition to Walt Disney's Carolwood Pacific Railroad built at his Estate at 355, Carolwood Drive, Holmby Hills in 1950. ( http://la.curbed.com/archives/2013/0...90_million.php ) While his home is sadly gone the barn that was home to the Carolwood Pacific is preserved at the the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum, of which Walt was a founding member.

The Carolwood Pacific Railroad led to the creation of Disneyland and is considered the birthplace of "imagineering."

http://carolwood.org/images/cp_logo.png
Walt Disney assembling the locomotive for the Carolwood Pacific
http://www.waltdisney.org/sites/defa...ad_walt1_1.jpg
From
http://www.waltdisney.org/storyboard...ls-walt-disney
http://media.designingdisney.com/sit...lts-barn/1.jpg
Walt Disney working on his steam locomotive
http://www.designingdisney.com/conte...ing-walts-barn
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...0685_001sm.jpg
Walt Disney and friends on the Carolwood Pacific. Walt is the Engineer.
http://burnsland.com/disneyrailroads...php?f=7&t=2897


Note: The Disney Estate in Holmby Hills should not be confused with his residence in Los Feliz hills
http://cdn.cstatic.net/cache/gallery...b3937432_o.jpg
http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/0..._los_feliz.php

Thank you for the post. Any idea about the posted sign? I can't read it and was unable to locate an improved image.


GW: Thanks for the interesting Ducommun follow-up. Makes me want to get a quote for the renewal of my clairvoyant insurance. If any company could fabricate auto turntables or furnish the materials, it would be Ducommun. I recall their older catalogs were incredibly thick and various sources mention that they furnished materials for Lindy's Spirit, Lockheed's Lodestar and Constellation.

NLA followers might recognize the Ducommun name not only from the hardware trade, but also because of the street bearing that name. It has been a publicly traded company and lays claim to being the oldest company in CA. "Since 1849." http://www.ducommun.com/dco/overview.aspx (If it is the oldest, does that also make it chronologically the first to apply for and receive a corporate charter? Or is it possible that it is the longest still-functioning business in CA? Either way, its longevity is impressive.)

http://www.scripophily.com/webcart/v...&supplyvig.jpghttp://www.scripophily.com/webcart/v...&supplyvig.jpg

Today's L.A. Times

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps8194711a.jpg
L.A. Times

First car through Hill Street tunnel

Posted By: Scott Harrison
Posted On: 12:04 a.m. | May 28, 2014

March 22, 1913: Contractors drive a car out of the Hill Street tunnel at 1st Street, a few minutes after a steam shovel had removed the last foot of dirt.

This tunnel was the second of twin bores through the northeastern section of Bunker Hill. The hill was also referred to as Court Hill. The tunnel connected Temple St. with 1st Street.

This photo accompanied a story in the March 23, 1913, Los Angeles Times that reported:

The industrious steam shovel which for almost eight months has been steadily eating into the vitals of Bunker Hill removed the last of 40,000 cubic yards of earth from the new Hill-street tunnel yesterday afternoon and the first automobile went through. The 550-foot bore will be opened to traffic within sixty days. When completed this tunnel will be one of the finest in the country, the contract calling for walls lined with white enamel tile similar to that used in bathrooms, and will cost $135,000.

H.A. Wattson and C.A. Spicer, the contractors, climbed into the company automobile and made the maiden trip through the new bore. The first vehicle to pass through encountered difficulties that will not face others upon completion. …

The new tunnel parallels the Hill Street tunnel constructed and used by the Pacific Electric Railway and will mean much to traffic inasmuch as it saves the long climb up Broadway to reach Temple street and points west of Broadway.

The Hill Street tunnels and the hill above them were removed in 1955 to make way for the current Los Angeles Civic Center.

Hollywood Hotel interior
 

We've seen any number of photos of the exterior of the Hollywood Hotel so I was pleased to see this rare interior shot. The rugs rather surprised me - they look more like something out of Santa Fe.

http://www.martinturnbull.com/wp-con...l-interior.jpg

Three more VMRR photos, undated
 

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...0.jpg~original
Seaver Center, LA County Natural History Museum -- http://collections.nhm.org/seaver-ce....php?irn=25473

I'm guessing this is further back up the line (east) from the previous photo:
http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...a.jpg~original
Seaver Center, LA County Natural History Museum -- http://collections.nhm.org/seaver-ce...php?irn=509566

VMRR at the Windward Avenue loop:
http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...8.jpg~original
Seaver Center, LA County Natural History Museum -- http://collections.nhm.org/seaver-ce....php?irn=81363

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d...2520AM.bmp.jpg

I know other states allowed it in the era, but I hadn't before seen a California car with the license number (and "CAL") stenciled on the radiator. This was sometimes done to keep a plate from blocking the airflow. The car is a circa 1912 Studebaker.

More detail...

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-x...2520AM.bmp.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-S...2520AM.bmp.jpg


We've seen what are apparently lighted stop signs before, but I hadn't seen the backside of one with the intersection spelled out before...


http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/t...ightedstop.jpg
From prior post http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=11288


Also
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=11938


The sign is at the SE corner of Wilshire and Catalina; at the SW corner until just recently (in the photo) was the Marco Hellman house, demolished in 1954...

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-z...2520AM.bmp.jpg

... the full story of which can be read here:

http://wilshireboulevardhouses.blogs...e-see-our.html

I originally thought the picture showed a section of double track, which would limit the possible locations. The following is from the PDF file posted by Chuckaluck.

"The Venice Miniature Railway operated every 20 minutes, running in one direction only. This was done to prevent any head-on collisions when more than one train was in service since the railroad was not signalled and had no passing sidings."

It continues ...

"Train service began at 6:00 a.m. and ran until 11:00 p.m. every day, rain or shine, seven days a week. Each train carried an engineer who ran the locomotive, and a conductor who walked along a running board of the passenger cars to collect tickets. If you wanted off at a specific spot, you would tell the engineer in advance."

When I looked again at the picture above, the track on the right appears to be a wider gauge, possibly for streetcars. It could've been taken next to "The Midway". It looks like 'The Race Thru The Clouds' roller coaster replaced Midway Plaisance in 1911. The quote below is from the same PDF file.

"[Abbot] Kinney quickly realized that to keep people coming to Venice they would have to be entertained. Consequently, a contract was let in November 1904 for a Pleasure Pier. A Midway Plaisance was built, consisting of eleven structures which were devoted to amusements, sideshows, shops and restaurants. This would be the Coney Island of the West with a carnival-like atmosphere."

Here are some pictures of "The Midway".

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...iceLagoon1.jpg
eBay

I hope the lagoon was deeper than the rest of the canals if people were diving from this tower.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...iceLagoon2.jpg
eBay

I only found this night shot at the last minute, but I thought it was worth including.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...iceLagoon5.jpg
Natural History Museum

The diving tower can also be seen in this wider view that's dated circa 1910.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...3.jpg~original
USC Digital Library

This later shot (USC dates it at 1924) shows the view looking north up the Coral Canal from the roller coaster. I wonder if the structure in the middle is the base of the diving tower.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...4.jpg~original
USC Digital Library


I don't want to overload this post with too many similar pictures, but there are a few more at USC:

Venice Lagoon with beach front businesses, ca.1910

Pedestrians enjoying the sideshows along the Midway by the Venice Lagoon, 1910

Rollercoaster next to a lagoon in Venice

View of the Venice Midway and Lagoon, showing amusment rides and gondolas, ca.1920 (There's no roller coaster, so I'd date this as pre-1911)

Understandable why the practice of marking the reverse of traffic sign was not particularly popular. Little benefit to oncoming auto or pedestrian traffic.

Looks like the two intersecting streets are spelled out, but what is after the streets? Compass directions, identifying numbers, some unknown measurement?

:previous:

Actually, street markings--the small high signs on the Wilshire Specials--were notoriously hard to read back in the day. Any additional intersection ID would have been appreciated by motorists.


http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics35/00067266.jpgLAPL

From 18 blocks west of Wilshire & Catalina...

That sign still exist, it was at a drive way out of the Ambasador Hotel. It is for sale but is outrageously over priced by at least $3000.00.

[IMG]http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps0183a741.jpg[/IMG]


[IMG]http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps23b907d5.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks for sharing. Nice to see an illuminated version.

http://cf.collectorsweekly.com/stori...0sGxoOTGhA.jpghttp://cf.collectorsweekly.com/stori...0sGxoOTGhA.jpg

http://cf.collectorsweekly.com/stori...V2Q-smallw.jpghttp://cf.collectorsweekly.com/stori...V2Q-smallw.jpg

An interesting bit of memorabilia from the roaring twenties.


http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/839/w2st.jpgebay
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/320...0/837/yawh.jpg
The reverse side of the gambling chip is the same.


...of course we've seen the Jonathon Club numerous times on NLA.

545 S. Figueroa Street
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/844/1bp9.jpg
ebay
__

Betty & Myrna.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/837/hy84.jpg
ebay

So what is that fake hill below the Examiner sign?


Here's the realtor's cottage (and Myrna). I'm pretty sure we've seen the cottage before.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/839/0tni.jpg
detail
__

I think it's just the end of the Wilshire Arts Building with the sign painted out. Here's a 1927 picture I posted about a month ago:

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...reWestern3.jpg
USC Digital Library

The rest of the post can be found here