20 Years Ago This Week: Southern California Rapid Transit District Employees’ Heroic Response To The Civil Unrest Of 1992

Pete Wilson Meet

This weekend, the local news will be filled with stories about the long-awaited opening of the Metro Expo Line Phase I running from downtown to La Cienega Boulevard. But another event this week in Los Angeles history is worth noting as…

Rethinking A Lot: The Design And Culture Of Parking

There are an estimated 600,000,000 passenger cars in the world, and that number is increasing every day. So, too, is Earth’s supply of parking spaces. In some cities, parking lots cover more than one-third of the metropolitan footprint. It’s official:…

75 Years Ago This Week: 10,000 Turn Out As Shirley Temple Inaugurates New PCC Streetcar Service In Los Angeles

The third week of March, 1937 had been designated “National Transportation Week” and Los Angeles was ready to roll out its new streetcars. 10,000 cheering spectators celebrated the arrival of two Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) streetcars at City Hall. It…

Los Angeles And The Rise Of The “Super-Commuter”: The Dramatic Increase In Our Long-Distance Workforce

One of the many attributes of libraries and archives is that they provide access to information which might not otherwise be discovered or accessed by those who benefit from it. Even though a standard Google search can return thousands or millions…

How Los Angeles Began Its Experiment With Steam-Powered Buses…Plus, Its Rare Documentary Film

Today marks the anniversary of an important experiment in the history of local transportation and alternative fuels. On this date in 1972, the Southern California Rapid Transit District took delivery of a prototype steam turbine-powered bus for a year-long demonstration…