Last Night We Bought A Train Trip For A Penny

In celebration of Angels Flight’s 109th anniversary, fares on The World’s Shortest Railway were rolled back on New Year’s Eve from their present day quarter to 1901 prices: one cent. And since plans were in place to see “Next To Normal” at the Ahmanson, rather than park at the Music Center, I opted to park down at 4th & Hill, the better to ride the historic funicular up to Grand Street and walk the rest of the way.

After arriving at the top and depositing the three pennies in the pay slot (and wondering aloud to the stationmaster what else can be purchased for so little; short answer: nothing) I opted to spend an additional dollar in purchasing a commemorative ticket printed up specifically for the occasion), the front and back of which I scanned in for your commemorating enjoyment (click for the bigger picture):

After the show, Susan and my mom opted to hang around the warmth of the theater while I trekked back to retrieve the car. I could’ve paid with the above ticket for the return trip down to Hill Street, but instead opted to keep it intact and used figuratively the last penny in my possession.

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Will

Will Campbell arrived in town via the maternity ward at Good Sam Hospital way back in OneNineSixFour and has never stopped calling Los Angeles home. Presently he lives in Silver Lake with his wife Susan, their cat Rocky, dogs Terra and Hazel, and a red-eared slider turtle named Mater. Blogging since 2001, Will's web endeavors extend back to 1995 with laonstage.com, a comprehensive theater site that was well received but ever-short on capital (or a business model). The pinnacle of his online success (which speaks volumes) arrived in 1997, when much to his surprise, a hobby site he'd built called VisuaL.A. was named "best website" in Los Angeles magazine's annual "Best of L.A." issue. He enjoys experiencing (and writing about) pretty much anything creative, explorational and/or adventurous, loves his ebike, is a better tennis player than he is horr golfer, and a lover of all creatures great and small -- emphasis on "all."