Pacific Electric Inglewood Line

Introduction:
W INGLEWOOD LINE ROUTE: From Inglewood PE Station the line ran on single track, private right of way via Mesmer(2.81 miles), Alsace(3.65), Alla(4.57, crossing of Redondo via Del Rey Line), Machado(5.19), Milwood Junction. (6.59, crossing of Venice Short Line), to Ocean Park Carhouse(7.23) where it joined the Santa Monica Air Line. Mileages in reverse direction were: Ocean Park (19.20), Milwood Junction.(19.84), Machado(21.24), Alla(21.86), Alsace(22.78), Mesmer(23.62), and Inglewood(26.43). HISTORY: This line was built as the Santa Fe branch line to serve Santa Monica. It opened in June, 1887 from Inglewood to Port Ballona(Playa del Rey); in 1892 it was rerouted, its tidewater terminus becoming South Santa Monica(Ocean Park). On March 21, 1902, LAP purchased this line and electrified it; it entered service as an electric railway line on or about October 18, 1902. OPERATION: Until LAP took away all the business, this line carried a fairly heavy passenger load from Los Angeles to the beach. By 1901, so little business remained that Santa Fe obtained permission to abandon it completely from Inglewood to Ocean Park. After LAP got control, a single passenger car making one round trip daily sufficed; freight business was little better, consisting almost entirely of produce from farms along the way. PE took over in 1911 and operated a mixed passenger & express car daily except Sunday, leaving Ocean Park(Second & Hill Streets.) at 3:55 PM and leaving Inglewood at 4:40 PM. The one daily round trip except Sundays continued until abandonment in late 1928. Venice-Inglewood Line: Direct service from Inglewood to Venice was operated in the Teens "on Bright Sundays"---according to contemporary public timetables. In the timetable dated July 11, 1914, this service was listed thusly: Leave Venice 8:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 4:30 PM, 5:30 PM; leave Inglewood at 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 1:00PM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM, and 6:00 PM. We have been unable to ascertain the date of discontinuance of this service but it was gone entirely by 1922. EQUIPMENT: A 400 or 500 Class car. FREIGHT: This line was a better freight line than might be supposed; in 1935-36-37 it returned an average revenue of $4,453 per mile of line. Source of greatest revenue was farm produce, with Machado Station, producing 511 carloads, Mesmer 137, and Inglewood 72, the latter general merchandise. ELECTRICAL FACILITIES: Power for this line was obtained from Ocean Park, Culver City and Del Rey substations. Chronic low power obtained at Inglewood.

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