Category Archives: Los Angeles County

Wigwags – Part 4

When you dig deep enough and look hard enough, you’ll find there is far more history left in Southern California than you might think. I have found this to be true when it comes to finding wigwags in the region. This one, in Hawthorne, CA, is along a former Pacific Electric Railway line that headed to Manhattan Beach. Located at Eucalyptus Ave just north of El Segundo Blvd, it still presses on as a lasting tribute to the old railway, now a part of the Union Pacific Railroad.

General view along Eucalyptus Ave showing the crossing.
Closeup of the wigwag.

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New Ridge Route Video, sort of

After finally resolving some software issues, I have finally been able to start editing and posting videos again. My most recent one was taken in November 2015 along the Ridge Route from near Liebre Summit. It shows some of the issues the road is facing presently regarding erosion and a lack of maintenance.

Ridge Route Online Petition

Tumble Inn arch on the Ridge Route
Tumble Inn arch on the Ridge Route

Hello all,

The Ridge Route in Southern California needs your help. The Ridge Route Preservation Organization has put together an online petition to help get the roadway back open and in working order. It has not been fully open to traffic since 2005 and is in need of your support. Please sign this petition to get the legislators and the Angeles National Forest to fix what they did wrong. More details are on the site for the petition.

Thank you for your time and efforts!

https://www.change.org/p/help-save-the-old-ridge-route-road?recruiter=558871232

Image of the Week – 10/18/2016

Looking south toward the south closure on Hwy 39.
Looking south toward the south closure on Hwy 39.

Wigwags – Part 3

Wigwags, or properly Magnetic Flagman, are a rare sight in Southern California. Recently, I found two more located in Gardena, CA along a former Pacific Electric freight spur. Today, the Union Pacific Railroad operates this stretch to service a lumber yard
at Western Ave. Both of these wigwags are just southeast of the intersection of Western Ave and 166th St.

On Denker Ave south of 166th St.
On Denker Ave south of 166th St.
Wigwag on Hobart Blvd south of 166th St.
Wigwag on Hobart Blvd south of 166th St.

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