Here’s a sentence that makes you think: Los Angeles used to have one of the best mass transit systems in the world. But today, the city of Angels is known for its terrible traffic and poor public transit. In the early 20th century, LA relied on streetcars: trolleys with stops throughout Southern California. But in 1961 the last passenger streetcar took its final ride. Why? Well a popular conspiracy theory blames GM. But is that true? Cheddar explains.
Further Reading:
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/apr/25/story-cities-los-angeles-great-american-streetcar-scandal
Los Angeles Times
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-11-02/explaining-la-with-patt-morrison-who-killed-la-streetcars
Curbed (LA)
https://la.curbed.com/2017/9/20/16340038/los-angeles-streetcar-conspiracy-theory-general-motors
https://la.curbed.com/2018/9/6/17825186/los-angeles-streetcar-map-red-pacific-electric
Southern California Railway Museum
https://socalrailway.org/collections/pacific-electric/#:~:text=Pacific%20Electric%20(PE)%20was%20America's,connecting%20Los%20Angeles%20with%20Pasadena.
Connect with Cheddar!
On Facebook: https://chddr.tv/3JmGgBe
On Twitter: https://chddr.tv/3qaYQog
On Instagram: https://chddr.tv/36u8tqY
On Cheddar.com: https://chddr.tv/37GycgL