February 23: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History

1888:  The city of Monrovia begins operating its first street railway transportation.

The mule-powered Myrtle and Ivy Avenue Line continues operation until 1896, when it is sold to L. Barnes and operated until 1917 when it became part of Pacific Electric Railway.

The 1.5-mile line went from the Santa Fe depot on South Myrtle Avenue north to Lemon Avenue and east to California Street.

More information can be found in the May 10, 1929 issue of Pacific Electric Magazine.

1973:  Southern California Rapid Transit District staff deliver a report on “Alternate Fuels for Automobiles, Light Trucks and Minibuses”

The report recommends that all future purchases of automobiles and light trucks be specially equipped to utilize gasoline in a low emission engine package.

It is further recommended that the current order of Minibuses be equipped to utilize propane as the fuel source.

More information can be found in the Alternate Fuels for Automobiles, Light Trucks, and Minibuses staff report.

2006:  Tunneling begins on Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension.

Two tunnel boring machines start boring through 1.7 miles of earth between Union Station and Boyle Heights.

Narrow streets in the area make tunnels a requirement for this section of the Gold Line, rather than street-level rail.

We have put hundreds of photographs online which document Gold Line Eastside Extension construction.

In addition to tunneling and tunnel boring machinery, they include underground photos, rail cars, trackwork, street preparation, deck work, signage and aerial photographs.

More information can be found in the February 24, 2006 MyMetro employee news digest

2018:  Metro breaks ground on Phase Two of the Purple Line subway along Wilshire Boulevard.

Local, state, and federal officials join Metro for the project’s groundbreaking which will add 2.6-miles of new subway service to downtown Beverly Hills and Century City.

More information can be found in the February 23, 2018 post on Metro’s The Source.