PERHYS Monograph No. 9: Alan K. Weeks, “Remembrances of the Pacific Electric Railway”

The Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society, in association with Golden West Books, is pleased to announce the first-time-ever publication of Monograph No. 9, Alan K. Weeks “Remembrances of the Pacific Electric Railway.”

This all-new volume continues on the pioneering work by late PERHYS founder Jack Finn, who studiously and meticulously interviewed dozens of Pacific Electric employees, railfans, photographers, historians and more before his death in July of 2006.

Jack interviewed Alan extensively, and worked with him to select key images from his amazing collection of PE and Los Angeles Railway photographs.

This volume features Alan’s entertaining recollections of riding the PE and LA Railways, his stunning photography, and many inside stories never before told.

As we embark on a new chapter of Monographs, we hope you will purchase “Remembrances of the Pacific Electric Railway” by Alan K. Weeks.

Alan K. 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 (ERHA-SC).

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.