Streetcars in Long Beach

Unlike other cities where Pacific Electric operated local streetcars, Long Beach's system did not predate the company's services.

The first streetcar line constructed in the city, tracks ran on Ocean as far east as Esperanza Street in 1902, then to Mira Mar Avenue in 1904.

[4] Pacific Electric won the franchise in 1901 to build this line, mostly to deny Los Angeles Traction Company access to the market.

Construction of the concrete channel for the Los Angeles River disrupted service beginning in June 1920.

The service was split from the Seaside Park Line in 1915, instead operating though downtown Long Beach via a loop route.

[12] The second major east–west local line in Long Beach opened on June 17, 1909, along Seventh Street to Alamitos Avenue.

[16] By the following year, cars continued on Redondo and were through-routed with the East First Street Line as a loop service.

It operated until February 24, 1940, when service was reduced to a single daily franchise car and discontinued outright that October.

[10][17] This local line's beginnings are not well documented,[2] but are likely related to Pacific Electric's access to freight operations at the dock.

Cars ran on Pine, Third, Olive, Broadway, a private right-of-way, Livingston, and Second to the Naples Junction of the Newport Beach Line.

[12] Following the success of light rail conversions in the 1980s, the last Pacific Electric corridor to operate was the first to be planned to be rebuilt for a more modern service.