noirish Los Angeles v2.0

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

mystery location sort of.

A young lad train spotting near downtown Los Angeles, 1956


eBay

. . at- or near - Union Station.

North end of the platforms at Union Station. The Hydril sign, in the center of the background above, can be seen in next to the left tower on the US Post Office Terminal Annex. This image is from 1950.


LAPL

[ethereal_reality]

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Thanks, Hoss. You explained the location perfectly . . and succinctly.


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[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by HossC

It's at the foot of the 801 Tower on Figueroa.


GSV

Can you believe I've never noticed the 801 Tower - probably because it isn't very tall (381 ft)


I don't usually care for Post Modernism but it's kind of cool looking.

Here are a couple views.



skyscrapercenter



And at night.


skyscrapercenter

ooh-la-la

But I don't care for the strange looking gate at all.
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[Alkapone]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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Thanks, Hoss. You explained the location perfectly . . and succinctly.


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Just to add, the structure on the right past the platforms is Mission Tower, used to control all of the switches of the trackage. In front are the “throat tracks” which consolidate the many into the few and vice versa. Macy Street runs below in the tunnel. At the far right of the platforms, there appears to be one or two diese-electric switch engines, possible Santa Fe colors, which were used to move the passenger cars between the station and the coach yards where all the preparations and cleaning were done. Victualing of dining cars were also done at special buildings in the remote yard locations. The cars on the left are where the postal/baggage cars were stationed after being cut off from the head end of passenger trains. Private and business cars were also stationed over in that area. I think the tracks just in front of our railfan were access for the Railway Express Agency (REA) facility by the south end ramps, where Pacific Electric box motors also used to work off Aliso Street.

[Lwize]

Originally Posted by HossC

It's at the foot of the 801 Tower on Figueroa.


GSV

I saw similar antennae on Tataouine.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by Lwize

I saw similar antennae on Tataouine.

These aren't the antennae you're looking for.

[westcork]

Originally Posted by HossC

It's at the foot of the 801 Tower on Figueroa.


GSV

The opening sequence of Batman Returns was filmed there. They had Figueroa dressed up like Gotham City.

[Lwize]

Originally Posted by HossC

These aren't the antennae you're looking for.

Those aren't the antennae I'm looking for.

[Alkapone]

Originally Posted by Alkapone

Just to add, the structure on the right past the platforms is Mission Tower, used to control all of the switches of the trackage. In front are the “throat tracks” which consolidate the many into the few and vice versa. Macy Street runs below in the tunnel. At the far right of the platforms, there appears to be one or two diese-electric switch engines, possible Santa Fe colors, which were used to move the passenger cars between the station and the coach yards where all the preparations and cleaning were done. Victualing of dining cars were also done at special buildings in the remote yard locations. The cars on the left are where the postal/baggage cars were stationed after being cut off from the head end of passenger trains. Private and business cars were also stationed over in that area. I think the tracks just in front of our railfan were access for the Railway Express Agency (REA) facility by the south end ramps, where Pacific Electric box motors also used to work off Aliso Street.

Looking at the ebay shot there, those are probably Southern Pacific switchers in black with orange safety tiger striping. By Mission Tower a Santa Fe silver sides streamliner is arriving with red/yellow warbonnet EMD F-7 diesel set leading the way. The postal cars are all two-tone gray in what were known as the Overland scheme used by Union & Southern Pacific. (Pullman also used another two tone grey for cars in their passenger pool.) All of which makes it a relatively good slide for someone to have taken as a quickie shot.

[Alkapone]

Originally Posted by Alkapone

Looking at the ebay shot there, those are probably Southern Pacific switchers in black with orange safety tiger striping. By Mission Tower a Santa Fe silver sides streamliner is arriving with red/yellow warbonnet EMD F-7 diesel set leading the way. The postal cars are all two-tone gray in what were known as the Overland scheme used by Union & Southern Pacific. (Pullman also used another two tone grey for cars in their passenger pool.) All of which makes it a relatively good slide for someone to have taken as a quickie shot.

And to correct all this, that’s actually Terminal Tower owned by LAUPT. Mission Tower is further along by the LA River bank and was SantaFe owned, used to control the crossings in that sector. This site has a good shot of the City of Los Angeles in the late ‘40’s running out of the terminal just passing the tower: https://victorvillelayout.blogspot.com/2024/09/ups-1947-1950-city-of-la-in-victorville.html

The COLA late ‘40’s…



sourced victorvillelayout as above.

That’s the signal bridge barely visible in the ebay slide framing the trackage.

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by HossC

North end of the platforms at Union Station. The Hydril sign, in the center of the background above, can be seen in next to the left tower on the US Post Office Terminal Annex. This image is from 1950.


LAPL
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That gasometer needs refilling, pronto!

[riichkay]

Jan. 1926....7th and ?


....detail....




A scale has been set up....likely a costermonger's stand.


Photo credited to US Chamber of Commerce, via hagley.org

[Alkapone]

I’m digging up graves here from NLA v.1…..Here’s a shot on ebay (now relisted lower) that ER posted which could not be resolved: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10507101&postcount=63256

The alleged Los Angeles area street view….



old ebay listing linked above via NLA 1.

It’s a pretty low rez snap, but is there a chance in Hades that this could be a section of the old Broadway in Pasadena just down from Colorado well before the Arroyo Parkway project came along? Are the hills in similar formations? I’ve been puzzled for a while because this part of Pasadena is not very easy to explore.

[ethereal_reality]

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mystery location / somewhere along the parade route.


1963 Rose Parade - Pasadena - Los Angeles:35mm Slide


eBay


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[Alkapone]

Originally Posted by riichkay

Jan. 1926....7th and ?


....detail....




A scale has been set up....likely a costermonger's stand.


Photo credited to US Chamber of Commerce, via hagley.org

Take a ride care of LA Railway…looks like an “M” line car heading south on the left, so here’s a street routage by eras: https://erha.org/lary_m.htm

I’d quickly guess S. Broadway but a comparison image might solve it.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

mystery location / somewhere along the parade route.

1963 Rose Parade - Pasadena - Los Angeles:35mm Slide


eBay

We visited Orth's Mayflower Warehouse in NLA V1.0. It was at 238 W Colorado Boulevard, but wiped out by the freeway. See e_r's original post here, and follow-ups by HenryHuntington and Noir_Noir here and here.

[ethereal_reality]

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Thanks, Hoss. Those links were really interesting.

It's too bad the buildings are all gone. I was planning to have lunch at Al's Hamburger Express.
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[ethereal_reality]

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A glimpse inside Clifton's Cafeteria. (1940s?)


Seller's description:.."Vintage Photo Clifton’s Cafeteria Los Angeles Mexican Latino Mother Son Dinner"



There's a lot on their table. ...I wonder what the square thing is on top of the napkin holder / it almost looks like a radio.




Here's a closer look.


detail

It appears that the mother and son are enjoying milk and cookies.


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[Alkapone]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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Thanks, Hoss. Those links were really interesting.

It's too bad the buildings are all gone. I was planning to have lunch at Al's Hamburger Express.
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Kind if an eerie spot though…this is right about where they had that deadly collapse of the viewing stands many years before.

[Alkapone]

Originally Posted by Alkapone

Take a ride care of LA Railway…looks like an “M” line car heading south on the left, so here’s a street routage by eras: https://erha.org/lary_m.htm

I’d quickly guess S. Broadway but a comparison image might solve it.

Best I could get from trying to compare buildings in images, and that would be Loew’s State Theater on the NW corner, was to find those 3 diamond signs did exist in a triangular formation on the SE corner and the curved streetcar track was on the NW corner. Trying to match windows and awnings wasn’t working very well. Can’t quite make out that blade sign either. (It reads like GRAUMANS but that theater was up at the Edison Bldg. nearer 3rd.)