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Pomona Upland Line
Pomona Claremont Line

Introduction:
POMONA-UPLAND LINE
 The Pomona-Claremont-Upland Line was acquired by PE on 13 April 1912 when PE purchased the Ontario & San Antonio Heights Railway Company from the Pacific Light & Power Corporation (now Southern California Edison). This line was one of two owned and operated by O&SA, the other being the route due north out of Ontario via Euclid Avenue to San Antonio Heights; the latter was the original line of O&SA and ran from 1887 until 1909 as that railway's only line.

 On 31 July 1909, work began on O&SA's extension from Upland to Claremont, about three miles. A franchise was secured in Pomona, and O&SA built onto that city, although its route was extremely circuitous.

 At this time, PE was busy building and extending its city lines in Pomona; among Mr. Huntington's many plans was one for a direct line to Ontario; this would have cut O&SA's patronage almost to zero, as well as discouraging bus competition, but before Huntington could extend his E. 5th Street Line in Pomona, the Great Merger occurred and all talk of the direct Pomona-Ontario Line was dropped until 1914.

 To return, President William G. Kerckhoff of PL&P-O&SA pushed construction and on the first day of 1911, O&SA cars began running between Upland and Pomona. O&SA then turned its attention to its original line on Euclid Avenue from Upland to Ontario, rebuilding it with heavier rails to accommodate heavier cars. These cars were built by Kuhlman and became PE 152"-1"57; they were the first California cars to have the Brill 39-E truck and two 65-hp motors were considered sufficient to buck the severe grades to San Antonio as well as to make good time on the level run to Pomona. The rebuilt Euclid Avenue track was placed in service about the first of May in 1911, and through service between Ontario and Pomona was immediately established.

 President Kerckhoff then looked about for more worlds to conquer. In July 1911 he made a public statement to the effect that if the O&SA received free right of way to San Bernardino, it would build at once the 22-odd miles necessary to complete a through line to Los Angeles What the Southern Pacific thought of this was made clear on 13 April 1912, when it announced it had acquired the O&SA.
 The through service between Ontario and Pomona had not long to live under PE. 1914 saw a competing bus service established on the direct highway route, and the PE had to withdraw. The line was divided into two separate lines:

  1. Ontario-San Antonio Heights Line
  2. Pomona-Claremont Line. Service between Claremont and Upland was provided by main line trains.

POMONA-CLAREMONT LINE:
Route: From Pomona Pacific Electric Station (Third & Garey), north on Garey to Walnut St. (Pomona Junction.), then on private way to North Pomona where it joined the main line; then east on private way to Pacific Electric Station in Claremont (College Ave.).

History: Built 1910 by O&SA. Acquired by PE 1912. Service abandoned on 1 Jan 1933.

Operation: As of 1927, service was provided by two 170 Class cars. Two crews of two men each were required, with headquarters at Pomona. Approximately an hour headway was maintained from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM during which time 34 trips were made. There were also operated 18 additional trips between Pomona and North Pomona for connection with main line trains by other crews. Running times: Pomona-North Pomona: 12 minutes (2.78 miles); North Pomona-Claremont: 7 minutes (1.99 miles), making a total of 19 minutes for 4.77 miles. Financial results of this operation for 1926:
Revenue, $12,989; expenses, $15,600; taxes, $700. Loss: $3,300.
How passenger totals declined on this line may be clearly understood by a study of the official figures:
YearPassengersCar MilesRevenue
1914264,86381,782$23,237
1916631,978217,68551,200
1918493,069199,29242,272
1920302,03885,51820,542
1922186,72386,51019,013
1924149,82081,25214,514
1926140,67577,86012,989
1915*732,979241,437$63,851
*Best Year
Miscellany: Due to 1200-Volt operation on the main line, 170 Class cars were required. These cars were not capable of modification to one-man operation, hence while car miles operated annually remained nearly constant down the years, revenue per car mile greatly decreased. ($0.284 (1915) and $0.167 in 1926).
 Cars operating on this line were listed in PE employees Timetables as second class trains (they were listed in the main line timetable). These second class trains were required to register at Claremont. Cars on this line were governed by light circuit between Pomona Junction. and North Pomona and by staff machines between North Pomona and Claremont.
 PE public timetables effective 1 February 1924 listed 19 daily trips from Pomona to Claremont and 20 in the reverse direction. Of the 19 trips to Claremont, 2 continued on to Upland, while 3 of the 20 in the reverse direction originated at Upland; this Upland service was provided very early in the morning and very late at night.
 O&SA track terminated at Walnut St. (Pomona Junction.), and from there to 5th & Garey, O&SA had trackage rights over PE.
 Changeover to 1200 volts was made at North Pomona.



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