Category: Primary Resources

Before “Subway To The Sea,” There Was “Streetcar In The Sea”: Creating Artificial Reefs Off The Los Angeles Coast In 1959

The recent photo essays in the New York Times and Fast Company featuring stunning photos of NY MTA subway cars being dumped into the sea

50 Years Ago This Week: Planning The El Monte – Century City Backbone Route (Complete With Nuclear Fallout Shelters, Large-Capacity Helicopters And A Beverly Hills Subway)

In May of 1961, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority unveiled its plans for the Backbone Route — the 22.7-mile-long first leg of yet another rapid transit proposal

Online Access To Environmental Impact Reports & Statements: Metro’s New Digital Library Of Los Angeles Transit Project Documents

Among the most vital core resources that tell the story of how Los Angeles’ transit projects were planned are those contained within our environmental impact report and environmental impact statement documents.

Union Station Is Born: The Story And Photos From The Citywide Fight Over A Central Rail Terminal

Happy Birthday to Los Angeles’ primary passenger rail facility, which celebrates its anniversary today. Union Station is not only a beautiful neighbor of ours here

Jumpstarting The Transit Space Race, Transit Climate Action Strategy & The Next 50 Years

If you’re looking for current information on the state of public transit projects across the United States, there might be no better resource than Jumpstarting

50 Years Ago, This Chick Promoted Easter Shopping Via Public Transit

We couldn’t resist sharing a look back at this newspaper advertisement from April, 1961. This chick with a change belt “posed” as a coach operator

Future Stations Of The Past: Downtown’s 1968 “Metroport” & Express Service To LAX

After profiling past plans for both a subway and aerial station at Wilshire & La Brea earlier this month, we turn our attention to Los

50 Years Ago This Week: The Story And Photos From The Last Day Of Red Car Service & First Day Of Bus Service To Long Beach

This past weekend marked the 50th anniversary of the last “Red Cars” running between Los Angeles and Long Beach. The Los Angeles Times ran an

“Creating Our Own Story”: How Metro Transportation Library & Archive Has Shared Collections And Information Since 1937

April 10-16 marks National Library Week! Every April, The American Library Association sponsors a week-long celebration of libraries. This year’s theme is “Create Your Own Story,”

Future Stations Of The Past: 1980s Plans For A Wilshire / LaBrea Subway Stop & Overhead Metro Rail

This look back at plans for a Wilshire / La Brea Metro Rail station is the first in an occasional series focusing on “future stations of the past.” We want