The 5 line was the longest line on LARY, running from Townsend and Colorado in Eagle Rock to Broadway and Hawthorne Blvd in Hawthorne. The line had many miles of private right of way. The northern half of the line, built by Huntington interests in 1907, was entirely on private right of way beyond Ave. 28 in Cypress Park. In the following photo an outbound car is at Elm Street on the right of way along Cypress Avenue.
The next shot looks up Broadway in 1947. The 5 line entered Broadway from South Main using the street curving in from the right -- Broadway Place.
In the next photo, taken in 1955, we are on the southern half of the line. A chartered car, running on the 5 line, has just turned off Santa Barbara Ave. (now M.L. King Jr. Blvd) onto Grand Ave. This scene has been obliterated by the Harbor Freeway. It is no longer possible to turn north onto Grand Ave. at this point.
The next photo shows the landscaped private right of way in the median of Leimert Blvd. in Leimert Park.
When Walter Leimert opened his business center for Leimert Park in 1928, he touted it as the next Miracle Mile. Although Leimert certainly had his eye on the widespread auto ownership of the white professional/business classes, who he targeted for his development, he was also aware that many people still used public transit. Unlike A.W. Ross's Miracle Mile, Leimert also sited his center at a major stop on the Los Angeles Railway, at Vernon Ave. At that time the 5 line was called the "E" line.
The last photo in our tour looks south down the right of way in the median of Crenshaw Blvd. at 54th St. The car in the photo is inbound on the 5 line. The track diverging to the left is a track connection to the 8 line which terminates at this point. As we can see here, a neighborhood commercial center has developed around the streetcar junction.
