HISTORY:
This was LAP's first line, being built in 1895 and opened through to the beach at Santa Monica on April 1, 1896. Starting at the downtown terminus and tracing the line outward:
That segment from Subway Terminal to its western portal was constructed by PE in 1925 with this line first using it in February 7, 1926.
From Beverly & Glendale Boulevard this line followed the Glendale Line to Park Avenue, the Glendale Line was built in 1904. The Park Avenue segment connecting the Glendale Line with trackage on Sunset Boulevard was built in 1925-26 by PE.
Trackage on Sunset Boulevard from Broadway to Sanborn Junction. was built in 1895 by Pasadena & Pacific. This was double track, 3'-6" gauge.
Santa Monica Boulevard trackage began at Sanborn Junction and continued (for the purposes of this line's history) to Sherman. This was also built by Pasadena & Pacific in 1895; it was 3'-6" gauge, and double track from Sanborn to Hoover Street, single track west of there. In 1898 a second track was added from Hoover Street to Sherman, also through to Beverly Hills.
The entire line was standard gauged in 1908-1909.
PE took over the line in 1911 and operated it until abandonment on May 31, 1953.
OPERATION:
As of July, 1911, a 30 minute base headway was operated throughout the entire length of this line from Hill St. Station to Sherman; 15 minute service was operated as far west as Crescent Junction, where the Hollywood Boulevard Line joined. The Crescent turnbacks ran daily except Sunday.
As of November 1, 1913, a 40 minute base service ran daily except Sunday to Sherman, with 20 minute evening service; also a 20 minute service to Crescent Junction, in base service hours only, daily except Sunday. On Sundays a 30 minute service ran to Sherman all day, with no turnbacks.
As of April 1, 1922, a 30 minute service was operated to Sherman all day and evening, with some extra rush hour service. To Crescent, there was 5 minute rush hour service, 15 minute base, and 30 minute evening service. One round trip daily except Sunday was extended to run to and from Ocean Park, leaving Hill Street Station at 8:43 AM, Ocean Park at 3:42 PM; this trip remained on the schedule for many years.
As of November, 1926, Fairfax Ave. had been established as a new turnback point. A 15 minute base, and 30 minute evening service to Sherman. A 5-10 minute rush hour service was run. Cars ran every 20 minutes nights and Sundays to Sherman (West Hollywood).
About August 1, 1934, Fairfax Ave. was discontinued as a turnback point, and all service ran through to West Hollywood. The headway was 20 minutes during base, night, and Sunday hours, with an approximate 10 minute weekday rush hour service.
On or shortly before June 1, 1938, rush hour service was changed to a 15 minute interval, but now included all service from 3:00 to 7:00 PM.
Despite World War II's heavily increased passenger travel, this line's schedules remained virtually unchanged between 1938 and 1948; apparently second cars were added to handle the bigger loads. Several owl hourly trips were added as shuttles between Santa Monica & Highland and West Hollywood.
On May 1, 1948, service after 10:00 PM was changed to shuttle west of Highland Ave. Base headway was still 20 minute, as was evening-Sunday headway, while rush hour service was 15 minutes.
On August 13, 1950, one-man operation was begun on this line and shuttle operation was extended to all cars after 8:00 PM daily and Sunday.
Rush hour service was reduced to 20 minute frequency on July 21, 1952, thus providing 20 minute service all day long; Sunday service was a shuttle after the 7:14 PM car from Subway Terminal.
On December 28, 1952, rush hour service was increased to a 10-12 minute headway to help busses which took over the San Fernando Valley Line that day. Last through car left Subway Terminal at 7:11 PM daily except Sunday; the evening shuttle was on a 30 minute headway.
The last car left Santa Monica & Highland for West Hollywood at 12:55 AM May 31, 1952.
ELECTRICAL FACILITIES:
Substations furnishing power for this line were:
Toluca (No. 51)
Olive (No. 35)
Hollywood (No. 46)
West Hollywood (No. 38)
CAR STORAGE:
Out of service cars assigned to this line were stored at Subway Terminal (36 cars), Toluca Yard (33 cars) and West Hollywood (190) cars. 17 cars were required.
FREIGHT:
Considerable freight was hauled over this line; as a matter of fact, as of 1935-36-37, Hollywood Freight Station produced more business than any other station on the Western District. The average annual business turned in by Hollywood at that time amounted to 2,310 cars which brought in $121,9890—far more than the second best station which was Beverly Hills with 1,130 cars and $48,737. West Hollywood turned in 477 cars and $13,560.
Freight cars carded to Western District points were received from connecting roads at Butte St. Yard(Southern District). At 1:00 AM they left Butte St. for Culver Junction. via the Air LIne. Another crew picked up the Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Hollywood loads at Culver Junction. at 2:45 AM and handled them to destinations.
As the Western District was primarily a consumption territory rather than a production territory, freight tended to flow into the area with little leaving.
MISCELLANEOUS:
This line's only trackage not used also by other lines was the portion on Santa Monica Boulevard between Highland and Fairfax, 1.53 miles.
LAP called this line its "Colegrove-Sherman Line". Colegrove was an early day settlement located at approximately Santa Monica Boulevard and Western Avenue.
This line, or a portion of it, had the distinction of being the last remaining electric railway line of the Western District: a city ordinance forbad the use of diesel locomotives, so two electric locomotives, 1622 and 1624, were saved to perform nightly switching chores between Seward Street and West Hollywood Carhouse. Both tracks remained in service until the end, the only tracks west of Main Street Station on the PE which still had trolley wire hanging over them as late as 1957.
PASSENGERS (Fare & Transfer): | |||
Year | Passengers | Car Miles | Revenue |
1917 | 2,054,815 | 593,858 | $104,161 |
1918 | 2,134,014 | 638,137 | 105,950 |
1920 | 3,945,198 | 801,652 | 201,139 |
1922 | 4,785,541 | 896,314 | 373,433 |
1924 | 6,410,709 | 1,154,592 | 469,192 |
1926 | 5,314,149 | 920,082 | 380,093 |
CARS:
Prior to 1923, cars were of the 400 Class, aided by 200 and 100 Class equipment. The steel 600 Class arrived on this line in 1923 and remained until abandonment.
TRACK:
128 lb. girder rail on treated ties and rock ballast, in concrete and asphalt pavement were used in city streets. Rail on private way west of Hacienda Drive was 70 lb. on outbound track, 75 lb. on inbound; both tracks used redwood ties and gravel ballast.