A Los Angeles native born in 1932, author Alan K. Weeks is a lifelong railfan who was present at the end of the Pacific Electric and Los Angeles Railways, taking photos and building memories of the two historic lines that once crisscrossed Southern California. In this monograph, Weeks shares his memories with a new generation of railfans who actively work to preserve the heritage and legacy of the Pacific Electric and Los Angeles Railways. Alan is a retired Schedule Maker for the Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD), predecessor to today's Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). He shares his photo collection on various websites, including our own PacificElectric.org. From the days when he would frequent the 5 Line with his childhood box camera to today, Alan Weeks is a Southern California treasure, without whose tireless documentary efforts, we would all be much poorer. We hope you enjoy his memories in Monograph No. 9 from the Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society.
About the Author: Alan Weeks was born in Los Angeles in 1932. He has lived most of his life in this city. As a child, he grew up near the Los Angeles Railway 8 Line on 54th Street. From a very early age, his family took him for rides on that line and other LARy lines. From then on, he became quite interested in all of the Los Angeles electric lines and particularly the Pacific Electric Railway. Soon after college he went to work for Socony Mobil Oil Co. here in Los Angeles. It was there that he met well-known railfan Donald Duke. Don got Alan interested in 35mm color photography and they spent many Sundays taking pictures of the PE. Don was willing to pass on photographic advice and techniques. Alan was one of a group of young railfans who would meet at Ira Swett's open house on Sunday nights. They went on to found a Los Angeles chapter of the Electric Railway Association (ERA), which is known today as the Southern California chapter of the Electric Railway Historical Association (SC-ERHA). He was also an early member of the Orange Empire Trolley Museum, today known as OERM. In 1966 Alan changed careers and went to work for the Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD/MTA). He spent twenty-three years in the Schedule Department. Through the urging of the late Edward Vandeventer, Alan joined the Operating Department and operated at the OERM for twenty years. He has retired from the RTD but keeps an active interest in all types of Public Transportation. His last railroading experience was fifteen years as an engineer and Rules Examiner for the Southern California Scenic Railroad Association in Griffith Park.