Glimpses of South Pasadena: A View from Oaklawn Bridge

Sunday, January 30, 2011

A View from Oaklawn Bridge

(Clickety clack. Clickety clack. Clickety clack.)

16 comments:

Mister Earl said...: Very nice photo. Looks old and exotic!; January 30, 2011 at 6:53 AM
Judy Williams said...: Terrific black and white. Timeless.

The first time I ever rode a "rail" like that was in Washington DC. I was afraid it was going to be underground but mostly, we were whizzing through the trees. I've ridden this one as well, finishing my trip with a cupcake at a local bakery (I can't remember where it was - maybe Pasadena).; January 30, 2011 at 7:07 AM
ben wideman said...: I agree with the above comments - the black and white looks really cool with all of the texture and line in this photo. Awesome.; January 30, 2011 at 8:08 AM
Bellis said...: I've a watercolor by Robert Stoddard of a huge Santa Fe freight train coming under this bridge. Got it for a few dollars at the Huntington Collection. I wonder when they stopped running?; January 30, 2011 at 8:39 AM
Mister Earl said...: Santa Fe ran a line from San Bernardino through Pasadena and South Pasadena down to Union Station. When the 210 freeway was built, the Santa Fe track ran right down the middle. The line is the same route now used by the Gold Line. Santa Fe stopped running passenger trains through Pasadena in 1971, freight trains ran until the mid-80s. I used to live on Monterey Road between 1981 and 1986 and the 4 am Santa Fe freight used to wake me up.

Although Santa Fe abandoned the Pasadena route, it still continues to operate in the southern part of LA County. Santa Fe has since merged with Burlington Northern to form the BNSF, whose locos can still be seen in that area.

Here's some footage of some trains in LA in the late 40s- early 50s:
TRAINS IN THE 50s; January 30, 2011 at 9:25 AM
Mister Earl said...: Just found a reference that the Santa Fe freights ran through Pasadena until 1994.

There are some great videos out there of the red and silver Super Chief diesels crossing the bridge between South Pasadena and Highland Park.; January 30, 2011 at 9:42 AM
Johnny Brown said...: Another fantastic shot, Laurie.; January 30, 2011 at 9:52 AM
alex said...: whem i'm on the train, i love it when the train passes under the Oaklawn bridge. seeing the train pass from above is a new perspective. lovely photo!; January 30, 2011 at 9:57 AM
Michelle said...: I've never walked over that bridge. What a great vantage point! This really is a great photo with all that texture and contrast. I like the shiny rails reflecting the sun.; January 30, 2011 at 10:01 AM
Laurie Allee said...: Good morning, everyone!

Earl, I love it that you know all this stuff!; January 30, 2011 at 11:03 AM
TheChieftess said...: Love trains!!!; January 30, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Dixie Jane said...: Me too, Chieftess. I wish we still had them like in the 1940s movies, dining cars, Pullman cars. Thanks, Laurie.; January 30, 2011 at 1:35 PM
Dixie Jane said...: Thanks, Mister Earl, for helping me to get my train fix.; January 30, 2011 at 2:02 PM
Keith said...: Trains and black and white go together so well. Nice shot!; January 30, 2011 at 3:36 PM
Bellis said...: Oh, Mr. Earl - I spent most of the Xmas period watching videos of trains to amuse my 20-month-old choo choo mad grandson - but how I wish I'd seen your link! The train in my painting is a red and silver Chief, and 1994 makes sense as Robert Stoddard (the artist) isn't all that old.

For train fans out there, have you been to the Tehachapi Loop? An internationally famous destination, not very far away. Absolutely worth a visit.; January 30, 2011 at 7:42 PM
Mister Earl said...: The Super Chief was a passenger train Bellis, so likely your painting is a pre-1972 moment.; February 1, 2011 at 6:07 AM