Talk:Los Angeles and Independence Railroad

A Note On Sources, for anyone who is interested
The three main sources for this article are two scholarly articles on the railroad itself in the journal of the Historical Society of Southern California (Hoyt and Spitzzeri), and the book "City Makers" by Remi Nadeau, which covers the boom period in Los Angeles in the early 1870s, a boom mainly caused by the trade generated by the transport of silver bullion and supplies from and to the silver mining areas in Inyo County (Cerro Gordo and senator Jones' Panamint mines).

I will publish a link to the Hoyt article. At this time I can't seem to make the link to the Spitzzeri article work, but he has written a blog about the line that I will publish a link to, in addition to Nathan Master's KCET article.

Other sources for specific subtopics include Marquez's book "Port Los Angeles", which touches on the LA&I RR, and specifically focuses on the Southern Pacific's Long Wharf, which figured so prominently in the "Free Harbor Fight" of the 1890s, and which was not built until 15 years after the LA&I RR was purchased by the SP, and ceased to exist as a separate entity. it was, however, accessed by the former LA&I tracks, which were extended to the area.

Additionally, when I had questions, I referenced the Los Angeles Herald, published at the time. The site is searchable, and the results are very interesting.

Regarding the Los Angeles Pacific and Pacific Electric Railways, there are a number of books published by Interurbans Press that deal extensively with the histories of the former LA&I route when used by LAP (in their Balloon Excursion) and PE (as the Santa Monica Air Line).

1951bfrj (talk) 18:28, 22 September 2020 (UTC)

Opening Day - will update soon
See the lede - the opening day is quotes as being Oct 17. That date was an excursion over the half of the the line that was built until that time. The tracks had been built from Santa Monica to Cienega, which at the time was in the middle of nowhere. The rest of the excusrion (to LA) was handled by "hacks" - carriages for hire. The Herald of December 2 notes that the actual opening of the line from Santa Monica to Los Angeles happened the previous day, December 1. In addition, both Hoyt and Spitzerri in their scholarly articles confirm that the complete line (as finally decided) from SM to LA opened on December 1.1951bfrj (talk) 19:54, 3 February 2021 (UTC)

A Note on Link to Spitzzeri's Homestead Blog
Paul R. Spitzzeri is the Collections Manager and Museum Director of the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum, City of Industry, CA. His article cited in the Bibliography is from the Southern California Quarterly of the Historical Society of Southern California. His very interesting blog can be accessed at:

The article referenced in the article can be found by searching for "The Los Angeles and Independence Railroad", and then scanning the list for the article, available from UC Press. I can't make the the URL work to include it here. 1951bfrj (talk) 19:11, 22 September 2020 (UTC)