Marmion Way at Avenue 57 in January 2000. Photo by Salaam Allah via Flickr.
The photo above is by “West Coast Transitphotography King,” Salaam Allah, who I have to thank in-part for inspiring this Train/Trolley series of posts. When we were stuck behind the wheel on the 110 thinking this is how it would always be, he was out documenting the future of Los Angeles Transit. Like Alan K. Weeks, and other transit geeks before him, Salaam Allah’s photos document the changing landscape of Los Angeles through the lens of public transit.
The photo above comes from his set of photos that documents the construction and operation of the Metro Gold Line. When this photo of Marmion Way in Highland Park was taken, construction in Highland Park had yet to begin. Where the station is today was an empty lot, and the project was still being called the Pasadena Metro Blue Line.
Just like the railroads that created Highland Park over a hundred years ago, since opening in July of 2003 the Gold Line has brought new life into the area and created a better sense of place. Where we were just four exits along the Pasadena Freeway, we became literally a destination on a map. And while drivers are stuck inching along Figueroa Street traffic from being detoured around the 110 ¨Parkway” construction, thankfully we have this close-by alternative serving our community from 4 AM to 1 AM seven days a week.
Marmion Way at Avenue 57 in Highland Park today. Pavement and rail have replaced the dirt path left by the Santa Fe railroad. The convenient street parking is now gone, residents took out many of their trees (to make room for cars?), the pink block wall on the right is now LA City Graffiti Abatement Beige. Other than that, it looks much as it did 11 years ago.
Bonus video!! by Salaam Allah:
