More Than Red Cars

and it’s coming out in early November!

Hello everyone,

History Press (Charleston, SC) agreed to publish “Hidden History of Los Angeles Transportation.”* earlier this year. I have now learned that the book will be out November 4.

(It can already be preordered through Amazon or Barnes and Noble by searching for the title:)

This book brings to life lesser-known stories about transportation in the Los Angeles area. Hidden History of Los Angeles Transportation will break new ground by describing people and events such as:

•O.R. Fuller, who turned two repossessed buses into a regional transit system rivaling the Pacific Electric.

•Dr. Thomas Matthew, a black neurosurgeon turned activist who battled the Southern California Rapid Transit District for the right to run buses in Watts.

•22-year-old Mike Kadletz, whose “Pink Buses” provided an alternative for Orange County kids hitch-hiking to the beach.

•A few offbeat, “only-in-Southern-California” items, such as Horace Dobbins’ elevated “Pasadena Cycleway”, Joseph Fawkes’ propeller driven monorail, and California State Assemblyman Richard Katz’ proposed “LA River Freeway.” These unconventional and even bizarre projects have left their mark, each in their own way, on Southern California’s transportation system.

There is still so much to do–make final corrections, select a cover, update blogs and author pages–but I can already see over the top of the hill.

Thank you all for your support during these last seven years!

*-not “More Than Red Cars” as originally thought. MTRC will remain the name of this blog, though,