The 1930's mark the waning years of the Mount Lowe Railway. The glamor and novelty had worn off and all that was left was a quaint little hideaway which could only be enjoyed by a few who could afford it. So it was with any of the trail camps along the Angeles Forest. This type of interest which flourished in the 20's fell off dramatically in the 30's.

In 1925 a concrete block annex had been added to the Mount Lowe Tavern which at least added to the number of guests that could be accommodated at the only lodging available along the line. The ride from downtown cost $2.50, but even the $2.00 discounted rate was more than what people of the depression period could consider as dispensable. This was not a period for such luxury. Even a nickel ride on a street car was considered extravagant. Some even purport that the Tavern was a common place for an unfaithful husband to carry on with his affairs. As one put it, "…the place was practically a bordello."

Realize, too, that the original idea for this type of railway was a scenic ride along the mountain crest, as a Mount Wilson trip would have provided. The MLR just disappeared into an anonymous crease of the canyons. But the attraction did survive 45 years with an impeccable safety record. The beginning of the end came in September 0f 1936 when an electrical fire broke out in the kitchen's refrigeration system and the entire site was set aflame. The Tavern was deemed a total loss, and even though plans were scribbled down to replace it, issues of preparing a new site with ample watershed and fire safety caused them to abandon rebuilding.

All that remained of the Tavern is the shell of the annex (seen left) which was the only concrete structure on the site, and of course the large rock wall which backed the original part of the structure along with its fireplace, kitchen alcove and section of concrete flooring.

The railroad still had its operating franchise, and as long as it kept a regular schedule of trips from top to bottom, it could keep it. Caretakers were housed at the sites and continued to protect what was left of the property. In November of 1937, however, the Pacific Electric Rwy applied for abandonment.

Rushing to be the last of enthusiasts to ride the Mount Lowe Railway, the Railroad Boosters Club (today known as the Pacific Railroad Society), offered to pay for a final excursion run which they made on December 5, 1937. Still the railroad continued to operate through February of 1938.

March 1, 2, and 3 of 1938 saw one of the greatest rainfalls ever to besiege the Greater Los Angeles Area. The ensuing flood caused catastrophic amounts of damage to businesses, residents and unprotected areas of the national forests. The MLR badly fell prey to the torrential downpour washing away trestles and rails and stranding the caretakers on Echo for a good ten days before help could reach them.

After this, everyone was ordered off the hill, and the franchise, as well as everything else that was left standing, was abandoned. Buildings, trains, beds, photo plates, everything was left to the elements–and the vandals.

Above is an aerial shot of the Mount Echo ruins, the most dramatic and interpretive ruin site on the railway. Seen here is closely the condition in which this author first saw the ruins on his hike in 1959. The castleated portion of the Incline Powerhouse tower was plainly visible from down the hill. The photo at the top of the page well depicts how the structures appeared in the late 50's and early 60's. back to top

Note in the photo above the foundations of the Echo Mountain House (upper right section), the stairway which lead up to its porch, and the similar steps next to the Incline rails where passengers could step off. The entire line was contracted out for scrap during World War II. Only that portion of steel or wood that was not easily extracted was left. Slowly the elements and vandalism gnawed away at the site. Fortunately there were some souvenir hunters who had salvaged some materials for posterity, but some materials that would be of particular historic value have been destroyed or lost forever.

In 1940 a retired judge, Sam Merrill, moved to Altadena and in a year had begun blazing a new trail to the Echo promontory. The trail, which originally lead up the hill from a point between the Las Flores and Rubio canyons, was linked with the lower section of the Mount Lowe Eight to become all part of the Sam Merrill trail. The trailhead had been moved over to Lake Avenue near the Cobb Estate gates at the time the Rubio Estates development went in in the 60's.