From the time it was established in 1911, Van Nuys was connected to the rest of greater Los Angeles by the Pacific Electric Streetcars that ran up and down Van Nuys Boulevard and traversed Chandler Blvd. to connect to North Hollywood.

The entire apparatus of light rail cars was dismantled by the late 1950s, and Van Nuys was wiped clean of these in 1956. Before the streetcars were taken out, Van Nuys had a thriving business district with diagonal parking, many vibrant stores, clean streets and a congenial sense of optimism and orderliness.

On September 20, 1951, five years before their demise, an unlucky mother and son were involved in a collision with their car and one of the streetcars. It seems both mother and son survived.

Photos are from the USC Archives. Here is their original text:

“Pacific Electric versus auto (Van Nuys Boulevard and Hatteras Street, Van Nuys), 20 September 1951. Jimmy Quigley; Ann Quigley (mother); E.T. Ophus (motorman).; Caption slip reads: “Photographer: Glickman. Date: 1951-09-20. Reporter: Glickman. Assignment: Pacific Electric versus auto. Van Nuys Boulevard and Hatteras Street, Van Nuys. Passersby comfort Jimmy Quigley as his mother, Ann stands along side of him (in torn skirt). Motorman in picture is E.T. Ophus, who piloted Pacific Electric that hit Quigley’s car”.”