In the Old Days:
Night Scenes
Lagoon and Midway
Arielle Haze
Venice Photos
Arielle Haze views
Beach Art
Scott Shellstrom
Venice art
Dale Hartman
snapshots
Venice
Paintings by
Pat Hartman
Ehrlich buildings
Homage to Old Venice
Unpainting the Town:
lost murals
Helen K. Garber photos
Art at the Rose Cafe'
New Venice Sign
In the Old Days
Miniature Railroad
The live steam Miniature Railroad started at the end of July 1905, not quite in time for the grand opening. Its route went nearly two miles, from Windward Avenue through the canals, Washington Boulevard, Mildred, back to Windward. Its original purpose was to take prospective buyers around to view plots of real estate.
Abbot Kinney's son Carleton was made president of the railway line at the age of 8 or 9. The railway was the object of an ugly fight between Kinney and the builder Mr. Coit. It ceased operations in 1926 or maybe in the 30s.
Each car held 12 passengers, and the first set of 5 cars were painted blue, and the second set painted red. This #2 engine featured in the Harold Lloyd movie Number Please, where at the end he rode away in it. #2 locomotive was eventually sold to a retired engineer in Los Gatos, then went to a park. There was also a third engine.
The #1 locomotive was sold for scrap in 1935, with its track and turntable. Al Smith restored it to working order in the San Gabriel Valley, and eventually it wound up in Pico Rivera, where it was bought by Don McCoy and restored again, to go back into operation in 1972 at another recreational area.
Going over a bridge
Filming the miniature railroad, circa 1918
"Twentieth Century Limited at Full Speed" circa 1908
Near the Lagoon
"Twentieth Century Limited"
