{{About|the transit agency which existed from 1951 to 1964|the present transit agency|Los Angeles Metro}} {{short description|American government agency from 1951 to 1964}} {{Infobox public transit | name = Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority | image = Logo Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority.svg | imagesize = 168px | locale = Los Angeles | transit_type = Streetcar<br />Interurban<br />Local bus (including trolleybuses) | began_operation = {{start date and age|1951|7|24}} | ended_operation = {{end date and age|1964|11|5}} | system_length = Rail – {{convert|0|mi|km}}<br />Bus – {{convert|0|mi|km}} | lines = 10 Light rail<br />2 Trolley bus<br />-- Bus routes | stations = -- Rail | ridership = -- (Weekdays) | track_gauge = {{RailGauge|4ft8.5in|allk=on}}<br />{{RailGauge|3ft6in|allk=on}} narrow gauge | el = 600 V direct current | operator = Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority | map = | map_name = | map_state = }}
The '''Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority''' (sometimes referred to as '''LAMTA''' or '''MTA I''') was a public agency formed on July 24, 1951.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-15 |title=Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (1951-1964) |url=https://metroprimaryresources.info/hub/lamta/ |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=Metro's Primary Resources |language=en-US}}</ref> Originally tasked with planning for rapid transit in Los Angeles, California, the agency would come to operate the vestiges of defunct private transit companies in the city.
==History== Formed in 1951,<ref name=lat-1951jul25-2>{{cite news |title=Here Are Details On Monorail Plan: Group Believes 44-Mile System Can Carry 30,000,000 a Year in Metropolitan Area |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=July 25, 1951 |page=4 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/166265189 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|166265189}}}}</ref><ref name=lat-1951jul25-1>{{cite news |title=Warren Signs Bill For Monorail Transit |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=July 25, 1951 |page=1 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/166220518 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|166220518}}}}</ref> LAMTA's original mandate was to do a feasibility study for a monorail line which would have connected Long Beach with the Panorama City district in the San Fernando Valley via Downtown Los Angeles.
[[File:Tram Los Angeles Railway Co 3.jpg|thumb|left|Streetcar livery under LAMTA]] The agency's powers were expanded in 1954, authorizing it to study and propose an extensive regional transit system.<ref name=lat-1953jan17>{{cite news |title=Extension of Monorail Act Sought in New Bill |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=January 17, 1953 |page=5 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/166450305 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|166450305}}}}</ref> In 1957, another expansion of the agency's powers authorized it to operate transit lines, and it subsequently purchased the bus and streetcar lines then being operated by Metropolitan Coach Lines, which had taken over passenger service of the Pacific Electric Railway in 1953, as well as the bus and streetcar lines of the Los Angeles Transit Lines, successor to the Los Angeles Railway.<ref name=lat-1955may06>{{cite news |title=Plan for Public Purchase of Transit Lines Revealed: Legislature Will Get Bill to Legalize Agreements on Sale With Metro and LATL |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 6, 1955 |page=1 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/166781491 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|166781491}}}}</ref> Both companies, as well as MCL subsidiary Asbury Rapid Transit System, were acquired for $34 million (equivalent to ${{format price|{{inflation|US|34000000|1953}} }} in {{inflation year|US}}).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hebert |first1=Ray |title=MTA Plans Faster Service, End to Overlapping Routes |url=https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/files/1958_0217_hebert01.jpg |access-date=22 January 2021 |agency=Los Angeles Times |date=17 February 1958}}</ref> The MTA began operating the lines on March 3, 1958,<ref name=lat-1958mar04>{{cite news |title=Transit Authority Begins Operating LATL and Metro: Public Now Owns Big Bus Lines |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=March 4, 1958 |page=B1 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/167260104 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|167260104}}}}</ref> and continued to do so until the agency was taken over by the Southern California Rapid Transit District on November 5, 1964.<ref name=lat-1964may14>{{cite news |title=Brown Signs Bill Creating New Rapid Transit District: Steps to Replace MTA Will Start Aug. 18; Board to Study Early Bond lssue |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 14, 1964 |page=A1 |last=Hebert |first=Ray |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/168614081 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|168614081}}}}</ref><ref name=lat-1964may17>{{cite news |title=MTA Will Reach End of the Line in August: Transit Authority Will Waddle Along as Lame Duck Until New District Takes Over |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 17, 1964 |page=B7 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/168587486 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|168587486}}}}</ref><ref name=lat-1964oct01>{{cite news |title=Pomona Mayor Named Rapid Transit Leader: New District Board Starts Organizational Groundwork Prior to MTA Takeover Nov. 5 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=October 1, 1964 |page=A12 |last=Hebert |first=Ray |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/155035503 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|155035503}}}}</ref><ref name=lat-1964nov06>{{cite news |title=New Agency Takes Over From MTA: Rapid Transit Planners Pledge Solution to Crisis |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=November 6, 1964 |page=OC1 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/155065465 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|155065465}}}}</ref>
During the MTA's tenure, the last remaining rail transit lines in Los Angeles were abandoned and replaced with bus service, the last former Pacific Electric line in April 1961,<ref name=lat-1960dec12>{{cite news |title=Big Red Cars to Hoot Final Farewell: Pacific Electric Trains Will Make Last Run April 1 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=December 12, 1960 |page=B1 |last=Hillinger |first=Charles |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/167787338 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|167787338}}}}</ref><ref name=lat-1961apr06>{{cite news |title=Long Beach Loses Plea for Red Cars: Injunction Denied to Halt MTA Bus Substitution |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=April 6, 1961 |page=B1 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/167864287 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|167864287}}}}</ref><ref name=lat-1961apr10>{{cite news |title=Passengers in Last Ride on Red Cars: Saddened Patrons Pay $4 Each for Sentimental Trip |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=April 10, 1961 |page=B1 |last=Hale |first=Bill |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/167886553 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|167886553}}}}</ref> and the last former Los Angeles Railway lines in 1963.<ref name=lat-1963mar31>{{cite news |title=Streetcars Go for Last Ride |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=March 31, 1963 |page=N5 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=https://documents.latimes.com/1948-1963-los-angeles-streetcar-coverage/ |id={{ProQuest|168255116}}}}</ref>
==Services== ===Rail lines=== {| class="wikitable" ! Name !! Original company !! Abandoned |- | Bellflower || Pacific Electric || 1958 |- | Catalina Dock || Pacific Electric || 1958 |- | Long Beach || Pacific Electric || 1961 |- | San Pedro via Dominguez || Pacific Electric || 1958 |- | Watts Local || Pacific Electric || 1959 |- | J || Los Angeles Railway || 1963 |- | P || Los Angeles Railway || 1963 |- | R || Los Angeles Railway || 1963 |- | S || Los Angeles Railway || 1963 |- | V || Los Angeles Railway || 1963 |}
===Trolley bus=== {| class="wikitable" ! Name !! Original company !! Converted to<br />trolley bus |- |- | 2 || Los Angeles Railway || 1948 |- | 3 || Los Angeles Railway || 1947 |}
===Bus=== {{expand section|date=January 2021}}
==See also== * Jim Wilson (Los Angeles), MTA secretary
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.metro.net/images/HuntingtonLibrary.pdf Mass transit plans in Los Angeles since 1951 (2.6MB PDF file)] *[https://www.pacificelectric.org/pacific-electric/southern-district/mta-1543-north-of-compton/ Photo of MTA 1543 in Compon, 1960]
{{Los Angeles Railway}} {{Pacific Electric Railway}}
Category:1951 establishments in California Category:1964 disestablishments in California Category:Government of Los Angeles Category:History of Los Angeles Category:Transportation in Los Angeles Category:Defunct public transport operators in the United States Category:Public transportation in Los Angeles County, California Category:Passenger rail transportation in California Category:Electric railways in California Category:Bus transportation in California Category:Transit agencies in California