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Pacific Electric
Western and Franklin Avenue Line
Introduction:
WESTERN AND FRANKLIN AVENUE LINE
ROUTE: As of 1927, this line operated from a downtown terminus at 11th & Hill Streets. via Hill, Sunset, Santa Monica Boulevard, Western Avenue, Franklin Avenue,
Argyle Avenue, Yucca Street, and Vine Street to a terminus at Vine and Hollywood Boulevard. The line was 9.08 miles in length and was double track throughout.
HISTORY: For history of this line east of intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard. & Western, see South Hollywood Line. This line's own trackage ran from that intersection to Hollywood & Vine, 2.18 miles, all in city streets.
This line was built by LAP early in 1908 as a narrow gauge line; it was single track on Western Avenue but double track from Western & Franklin to Hollywood & Vine. This trackage was standard gauged a month after it was built! A second standard gauge track was built on Western Avenue in early 1910.
PE took over this line in 1911 and ran it until abandonment on March 17, 1940.
OPERATION: As of July, 1911, cars left Hill Street Station at 6:49 AM and every 30 minutes to 6:19 PM, apparently with comparable returns. The last three outbound trips only continued west on Hollywood Boulevard. to Sherman. During evening hours, shuttle service was provided from Santa Monica Boulevard. & Western to Hollywood & Vine on 30 minute headway to 10:51 PM.
As of April 1, 1922, all service was performed by Shuttle cars from Santa Monica & Western. Shuttles left at 6:15 AM and every 15 minutes to 7:00 AM, then every 10 minutes to 9:00 PM, every 15 minutes to 4:00 PM, every 10 minutes to 6:00 PM, and every 15 minutes to 6:45 PM; then every 30 minutes to 11:45 PM. Sunday service was on a daylong 30 minute basic.
On July 4, 1924, this line was suspended, due to a power shortage; a temporary bus operation took over a portion of the route. Rail service resumed on January 2, 1925 with thru service downtown except nights and Sundays.
As of November, 1926, through service to 11th & Hill Streets. ran every 12 minutes in the morning rush, 15 minutes in base hours, and 10 minutes in the evening rush. Shuttle service was 15 minutes nights and Sundays. Last through car left 11th & Hill at 6:36 PM, last shuttle left Santa Monica & Western at 12:02 AM.
On October 1, 1932, shuttle service was provided except during morning and evening rush hours, when service was through-routed with the Venice Boulevard. local line. A 15 minutes shuttle service was now provided during midday, night and Sunday hours, and but 6 inbound through morning trips and 6 outbound through evening trips were scheduled. During 1935 the through trips were changed to terminate at 11th & Hill.
On March 25, 1938, this line was temporarily suspended as a result of street repairs but was reestablished on April 12, 1938. The June 1, 1938 schedule called for complete shuttle operation, 12 minutes in base hours and 15 minutes nights and Sundays.
Average running time was 12 minutes for shuttle cars and from 50 to 53 minutes for through cars to 11 & Hill.
Power came from the Olive and Hollywood Substation. Cars used were 600 Class in latter years, 200s and 400s earlier. Birney cars were used in shuttle service but never ran downtown. Cars were stored at Sherman. As of 1927, 11 600s were assigned; these met the 58 through trips and 21 shuttles then in effect.
TRACK: For the most part, track was 128 lb. girder rail, as required by LA city ordinance. Some T-rail remained on Western Avenue until the end, however. Girder rail was laid on treated ties and concrete and asphalt paving then applied.
PASSENGERS: (Fare & Transfer)
Year Passengers Car Miles Revenue
1917 748,128 244,760 $31,969
1918 517,175 182,081 21,412
1920 249,937 63,087 8,951
1922 816,043 120,592 33,538
1923 1,104,252 173,123 45,664
1924 453,909 84,109 18,341
1926 1,935,583 395,661 118,315
MISCELLANEOUS: Great traffic congestion was caused in later years by the turning back of cars of this line at two of the city's busiest intersections; Western & Santa Monica, and Hollywood & Vine. It was especially bad at the former location due to LARy's "S" Line turning back on the opposite side of the intersection: truly, Western & Santa Monica was a trolley fan's paradisethere could be seen PE interurbans, suburbans, and city cars (down to Birneys), plus LARy's steel city cars of the H type. As if this was not enough, busses of LA Motor Coach's Western Avenue Line plunged into the maelstrom.
BRUSH CANYON LINE: Branching from this line at the intersection of Franklin & Bronson was the Brush Canyon Line, running north on Bronson and private way to the Brush Canyon Quarry. The line was 1.56 miles in length, plus .95 mile of trackage at the quarry site.
The Brush Canyon Line was built by LAP in 1908 as a single track, narrow gauge line; it was standard gauged later that same year.
A single shuttle car was operated over this line, connecting with Franklin Avenue cars; as of 1913, service was on a 30 minutes headway from 5:55 AM to 10:55 PM. The line was abandoned on August 6, 1918.
If the Brush Canyon Line was unimportant as a passenger carrier, it was quite important as a freight line in early years. Rock from its quarry rolled down Bronson in wooden gondolas to pave Sunset Boulevard, Highland Avenue, Adams Boulevard, W. 6th Street, and even Wilshire Boulevard. Ballast for virtually every Western District line came from this quarry.
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