Orange Empire Trolley Museum

In 1956, a group of young men who had grown up riding trolleys in Los Angeles saw that change was in the air. A rapidly developing freeway system had helped make the personal automobile the preferred method of transportation for an ever-increasing number of Angelenos. Trolleys were fast disappearing, and with them a way of life that Los Angeles had known for more than a half-century. A group of enthusiasts known as the Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California formed an Equipment Committee that set out to preserve some of the trolleys for future generations. In 1956, this group formed the Orange Empire Traction Company and stepped up their preservation efforts even further. Many were still teenagers when the organization was founded, and their youthful enthusiasm was soon put to good use as the club began acquiring trolleys for preservation.

Southern California Railway Museum