July 7: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History

1940:  Motor coaches replace streetcars on the Pacific Electric Railway’s Los Angeles-Beverly Hills-Santa Monica Line.

The change is in conformity with the recent decision and order of the California Railroad Commission.  Twenty-five new motor coaches were purchased to accommodate the change.

More information can be found in the July, 1940 issue of Pacific Electric Magazine.

2001:  The last day of operation for the last wooden signal tower operating in California.

The Redondo Junction Tower had been in continuous operation, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, since 1906.

The tower was built under an agreement between the Santa Fe Railroad Company and the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad.

By 1913, it reported over 100 train actions per day.

More information can be found in the 2001 Alameda Corridor Project Redondo Junction Tower environmental impact report full-text report.