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The Readers Take Over
Web Comments on the Red Car, Grand Avenue, the Flea Market and More
Recently, Los Angeles Downtown News began posting readers' comments to stories on our website. The result has been a flurry of activity, with some appreciating what we write, others disagreeing, and many having their own idea on the subject.
In the future, Downtown News will continue to print some of the comments. Many more than appear below are on the website, downtownnews.com.
Additional comments are always welcome.
Regarding the article "Resurrecting the Red Car," by Kathryn Maese, Feb. 11
Why does everything take so long in L.A.? A decade? Are they kidding? Get this funded privately and get it running in three years. This is an essential piece to the Downtown renaissance.
-posted by D, Feb. 8, 4:08 p.m.
No one would love to see a return of the Red Cars more than myself! But times have changed, and the number of cars on streets today do not bode well for running trolley cars on an on-time schedule, to say nothing of the safety of passengers standing out in the street in a painted passenger zone. Still, it would be wonderful to see a few Red Cars running up and down Broadway for the pure ambiance and nostalgia of it all. A fine accompaniment to the soon-to-be-running-again Angels Flight!
-posted by ArchiesBoy, Feb. 8, 9:41 p.m.
I believe it would be a true benefit in so many ways for Los Angeles. I hope it comes to fruition.
-posted by Sonya, Feb. 11, 8:44 a.m.
I would love to see a faux Red Car running down Broadway! It's a shame that we had to lose them in the first place. Family and friends told me how wonderful the system was as well as how the areas surrounding the Subway Terminal Building and the old elevated terminal at Sixth & Main went into total economic ruin after the trains stopped. Perhaps Downtown L.A. will rival downtown San Francisco and downtown Portland someday.
-posted by Bob Zwolinski, Feb. 11, 10:31 a.m.
The article stated, "The growth of the automobile industry caused ridership to wane and finally be replaced by the new network of freeways crisscrossing the region." The true cause was a conspiracy between General Motors, Standard Oil and Goodrich (or Goodyear) to eliminate the Red Cars. Those companies should pay for a new subway/streetcar system today!
-posted by Terry House, Feb. 12, 11:33 a.m.
Yes, General Motors, et. al, did do those things, but their actions were just one of the many causes for the streetcars' disappearance. At that time, the system did not have much popular support. The idea among the public was that the streetcars would not be needed once the freeway system was built out and everybody could drive their own car everywhere. We know how well (not) that worked out.
There were good reasons why the public didn't like the Red Cars and Yellow Cars at the end. The rolling stock was very old and falling apart. The companies were not making a profit and could not upgrade the cars.
The government did take over the Red Cars and Yellow Cars by 1958. At that point about six Yellow Car lines and a few Red Car lines were still running. The government could have kept them going if some tax funds were allocated, but the political will and popular sentiment were just not there. Only a few rail fans and transit riders were sad when they shut everything down in 1961-63.
-posted by Scott Mercer, Feb. 12, 2:33 p.m.
Regarding "Skepticism Trumps Optimism for Grand Avenue Plan," editorial, Jan. 28
I think you were hard enough on the private-sector people and totally pulled your punches on the government side. Remember, this is led by a Joint Powers agreement between L.A. County and L.A. City and the odds of that being successful are historically zero - that is not an exaggeration. Remember the Civic Center Authority.
We are still waiting for the same government authority to develop a plan for the old State Office Building site that was demolished after the 1971 Sylmar earthquake. The same people who have continuously bungled the handling of the old Hall of Justice, abandoned since 1996 or so. The soon-to-be-closed L.A. County hospital will follow the same fate of abandonment and decay.
-posted by Anonymous, Jan. 28, 2:40 p.m.
Regarding the article "Great Dane," about the new South Park Flea Market, by Anna Scott, Jan. 14
I saw a little city built and taken down from my window, a beautiful thing! There was a steady flow of foot traffic all day and even a good number of families at the BBQ tent and inflatable slide. Can't wait for it to get bigger!
-posted by Mandelite, Jan. 20, 7:23 p.m.
I was so happy to see a flea market here. This is such a desolate area during the weekend. It was great to see all the outstanding vendors, hear the ambient music blaring, and smell the barbecue in the air.
-posted by Michelle, Jan. 30, 5:24 p.m.
Regarding the article "The Parties, the Punks and the Past," by Anthea Raymond, Dec. 17, 2007
How could you forget The Olympic? It was the spot for hardcore punk in the '80s. Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks and hundreds of other punk bands played there over many years. We'd all end up at the Atomic Cafe to listen to Decry on the jukebox afterwards.
-posted by Miranda, Dec. 14, 10:14 p.m.
Man, I miss those days! Especially the loading docks gigs by the L.A. River.
-posted by V8, Dec. 17, 11:15 p.m.
All of those places sounded like a lot of fun. Definitely something that could not happen today. I was about 10 years too young to experience those days.
-posted by Robert, Dec. 20, 9:18 p.m.
page 5, 2/18/2008
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
In the future, Downtown News will continue to print some of the comments. Many more than appear below are on the website, downtownnews.com.
Additional comments are always welcome.
Regarding the article "Resurrecting the Red Car," by Kathryn Maese, Feb. 11
Why does everything take so long in L.A.? A decade? Are they kidding? Get this funded privately and get it running in three years. This is an essential piece to the Downtown renaissance.
-posted by D, Feb. 8, 4:08 p.m.
No one would love to see a return of the Red Cars more than myself! But times have changed, and the number of cars on streets today do not bode well for running trolley cars on an on-time schedule, to say nothing of the safety of passengers standing out in the street in a painted passenger zone. Still, it would be wonderful to see a few Red Cars running up and down Broadway for the pure ambiance and nostalgia of it all. A fine accompaniment to the soon-to-be-running-again Angels Flight!
-posted by ArchiesBoy, Feb. 8, 9:41 p.m.
I believe it would be a true benefit in so many ways for Los Angeles. I hope it comes to fruition.
-posted by Sonya, Feb. 11, 8:44 a.m.
I would love to see a faux Red Car running down Broadway! It's a shame that we had to lose them in the first place. Family and friends told me how wonderful the system was as well as how the areas surrounding the Subway Terminal Building and the old elevated terminal at Sixth & Main went into total economic ruin after the trains stopped. Perhaps Downtown L.A. will rival downtown San Francisco and downtown Portland someday.
-posted by Bob Zwolinski, Feb. 11, 10:31 a.m.
The article stated, "The growth of the automobile industry caused ridership to wane and finally be replaced by the new network of freeways crisscrossing the region." The true cause was a conspiracy between General Motors, Standard Oil and Goodrich (or Goodyear) to eliminate the Red Cars. Those companies should pay for a new subway/streetcar system today!
-posted by Terry House, Feb. 12, 11:33 a.m.
Yes, General Motors, et. al, did do those things, but their actions were just one of the many causes for the streetcars' disappearance. At that time, the system did not have much popular support. The idea among the public was that the streetcars would not be needed once the freeway system was built out and everybody could drive their own car everywhere. We know how well (not) that worked out.
There were good reasons why the public didn't like the Red Cars and Yellow Cars at the end. The rolling stock was very old and falling apart. The companies were not making a profit and could not upgrade the cars.
The government did take over the Red Cars and Yellow Cars by 1958. At that point about six Yellow Car lines and a few Red Car lines were still running. The government could have kept them going if some tax funds were allocated, but the political will and popular sentiment were just not there. Only a few rail fans and transit riders were sad when they shut everything down in 1961-63.
-posted by Scott Mercer, Feb. 12, 2:33 p.m.
Regarding "Skepticism Trumps Optimism for Grand Avenue Plan," editorial, Jan. 28
I think you were hard enough on the private-sector people and totally pulled your punches on the government side. Remember, this is led by a Joint Powers agreement between L.A. County and L.A. City and the odds of that being successful are historically zero - that is not an exaggeration. Remember the Civic Center Authority.
We are still waiting for the same government authority to develop a plan for the old State Office Building site that was demolished after the 1971 Sylmar earthquake. The same people who have continuously bungled the handling of the old Hall of Justice, abandoned since 1996 or so. The soon-to-be-closed L.A. County hospital will follow the same fate of abandonment and decay.
-posted by Anonymous, Jan. 28, 2:40 p.m.
Regarding the article "Great Dane," about the new South Park Flea Market, by Anna Scott, Jan. 14
I saw a little city built and taken down from my window, a beautiful thing! There was a steady flow of foot traffic all day and even a good number of families at the BBQ tent and inflatable slide. Can't wait for it to get bigger!
-posted by Mandelite, Jan. 20, 7:23 p.m.
I was so happy to see a flea market here. This is such a desolate area during the weekend. It was great to see all the outstanding vendors, hear the ambient music blaring, and smell the barbecue in the air.
-posted by Michelle, Jan. 30, 5:24 p.m.
Regarding the article "The Parties, the Punks and the Past," by Anthea Raymond, Dec. 17, 2007
How could you forget The Olympic? It was the spot for hardcore punk in the '80s. Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks and hundreds of other punk bands played there over many years. We'd all end up at the Atomic Cafe to listen to Decry on the jukebox afterwards.
-posted by Miranda, Dec. 14, 10:14 p.m.
Man, I miss those days! Especially the loading docks gigs by the L.A. River.
-posted by V8, Dec. 17, 11:15 p.m.
All of those places sounded like a lot of fun. Definitely something that could not happen today. I was about 10 years too young to experience those days.
-posted by Robert, Dec. 20, 9:18 p.m.
page 5, 2/18/2008
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
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