Thanks for the link, Maggie. I'm glad to see someone pick up on this little-known bit of our country's history—the systematic dismantling of light-rail public transportation, which, in many cities in the Thirties was already in place and functioning cleanly, conveniently, and efficiently.

Although my folks were from Seattle, I spent the first nine years of my life in Pasadena, CA., and we "returned" to Seattle in 1940. During the Thirties, I recall the "streetcar" (trolley) system that ran in Pasadena, Los Angeles, and the surrounding municipalities. My Dad worked in Los Angeles. He took the "interurban" (electric light-rail, two or three cars per train, easily expandable) to and from work. The system connected with each municipality's streetcar system. My aunt, who lived in Los Angeles, visited us every weekend. She took the interurban to and from. Most people commuted on the streetcars and on the interurban light rail system. Believe it or not, not everyone had—or needed—an automobile. And often, their main use was recreational. The "Sunday drive," or going off someplace (e.g., Griffith Park or Lake Arrowhead) for a picnic was generally what we used our car for.

Here's the grabber. In the greater Los Angeles area, you could get around very easily without an automobile. And in the Thirties, there was no smog!!

Oil companies and automobile companies began quietly buying up the light-rail system over a period of years. Their intention was to dismantle them and replace them with a freeway system. Mission accomplished. The benefits? You can't get much of anyplace anymore unless you own an automobile, sometimes due to traffic jams you can't get anyplace anyway, and the gasoline-powered automobile is one of the largest sources of air pollution on the planet.

And in case you missed it in Stilly River Sage's post, here it is again:—   

And i$n't grand how the money change$ hand$?.

Don Firth