The Los Angeles subway does not get much respect, especially when compared to more popular systems around the world.

But while the current setup isn't too impressive, it does have some noble ancestry: the Pacific Electric Red Car and Los Angeles Railway Yellow Car lines, which ran from the end of the 19th century until the 1960s.

Those systems aren't running anymore, but much of the underground infrastructure hasn't been touched. Last year, Alissa Walker, who writes the blog Gelatobaby, took a tour of LA's original subway, and shared some of her photos with us.

The platforms and tunnels may be damp, dark, and very dirty, but they offer a remarkable glimpse at the past of the City of Angels.