18 Hours to Los Angeles -- January 15, 2015

The Harvard and the Yale were fast turbine steamers brought from the east coast by the Pacific Navigation Company to operate between San Francisco and San Pedro, the port of Los Angeles. They sailed the route from 1911 until World War One and from 1921 until 1931 (by the Los Angeles-San Francisco Steamship Company), when Harvard hit rocks near Point Arguello and sank. The effects of the Great Depression and competition from autos and railroads caused LASSCO to stop service with the Yale after 1936. Both ships carried troops to Europe during World War One and Yale served the Navy during World War Two.

This advertisement, from the 07-January-1911 San Francisco Call, advertises 18 hour overnight service between San Francisco and Los Angeles.  That would beat the heck out of driving I-5.