Shadows of the Pacific Electric: Former Pacific Electric Rail Lines and Modern California Transit

In the Spring of 1961, the last train of the Pacific Electric Railway left from the Huntington Building on the Pacific Electric Long Beach Line. The former railway has since become the point of focus for transportation planners, historians, and commuters. The Pacific Electric Railway in the 21st century has been the subject of significant romanticization and mythologizing by Californians. In an era where the challenges of daily commutes are becoming increasingly prescient, the Pacific Electric is a reflection of modern desires for modern regional public transit. This story map, maps the former lines of the Pacific Electric and compares them with existing modern public transit connections to visualize the continuity of services between modern transit and the former regional PE. From these comparisons, we can reevaulate the value of the Pacific Electric as a regional connectro and contextualize transit planning in the 21st century.