TIMEPOINTS - Special
Reference Supplement Number One - January 1951 - SO. CAL. ERA
A CHRONOLOGY OF CHANGES IN
RAIL PASSENGER OPERATION ON THE PACIFIC ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM IN CALIFORNIA,
BETWEEN AUGUST 1918 AND DECEMBER 1950
Compiled by L.R. Veysey in Collaboration
with Raymond E. Younghans
All
abandonments and changes recorded herein are of rail passenger services. Continuance of tracks solely for freight
use and replacement of rail passenger service by motor coach service are both
considered irrelevant. Dates given are
those of the last regularly scheduled rail passenger trip to operate before the
described change. Post-mortem franchise
runs or rush-hour only services are indicated where operated. This list does not pretend to be complete,
but it does include all major changes on most major lines. ABBREVIATIONS: ab.=totally abandoned;
disc.=temporarily totally discontinued, but restored later, or another line
still served the trackage after abandonment; ext. =extended; reest
=reestablished after discontinuance; thru-rted.=through-routed, or joined to
form a combined service; auth.=authorized by the California Railroad (Public
Utilities) Commission; denied=refused by the Commission; temp.=temporary;
est.=established as a new service for the first time; franchise=one trip daily
continued to operate after all other service was abandoned; LA=Los Angeles; S
Bdo=San Bernardino; Pas=Pasadena; NptBch=Newport Beach.
1918
6
August - LA: Brush Canyon local line ab.
26
October - S Bdo: Urbita Springs local line disc.
1
November - Pomona - Ontario line split into Pomona-Claremont and Ontario-San
Antonio Heights separate lines.
8
November - LA: Sierra Vista local line absorbed into LA-Alhambra line.
1919
S
Bdo: Urbita Springs local line reest.
1920
1
February - LA: Sierra Vista local line reest. (no night service at first).
1922
Santa
Ana-Huntington Beach line ab.
December
- Beverly Hills - Coldwater Canyon local line ab. (auth. 12-23-22).,
1923
10
February - LA: Watts and South Pas local lines, hitherto thru-rted., are split
into two separate lines.
Redlands:
Olive Av. (San Mateo) line ab.
Pas:
East Washington, North Loop, Tournament Park, and North Orange Grove Ave.
local lines ab. (auth. 5-29-23).
1924
Riverside:
Rubidoux-Evergreen local line ab.
10
March - LA: Laurel Canyon local line ab. (auth. 3-4-24).
16
April – Alhambra-Shorb line ab.
1
June - Cliffton- Manhattan Beach local line disc.
July
- San Dimes local line ab.; Arrowhead Hot Springs- S Bdo line disc.; Long
Wharf - Santa Monica Canyon ab. (auth. 6-11-24): LA: Western-Franklin local
line disc.; Echo Park Avenue
local
line temp. rail shuttle.
3
July - La Cima-San Antonio Heights ab.
October
- Upland-La Cima ab.
3
December - LA: Western-Franklin local line reest.: Echo Park Avenue local line
thru service reest.
December
- Arrowhead Hot Springs-S Bdo line reest.
1925
Pomona:
West Second Street, Ganesha Park via West Holt, Ganesha Park via North Garey,
and East Fifth Street local lines ab. (auth. 8-20-24).
1926
7
February - Subway opens. LA: Hollywood via Subway local line est., Santa
Monica Blvd. - Cahuenga Pass, Santa Monica Blvd.-West Hollywood, San Fernando
Valley, Glendale-Burbank, Glendale-North Glendale, and Glendale-East Broadway
lines rerouted to subway. Hollywood via
Hill St. local line thru-rted. with Venice Blvd. local line.
Huntington
Beach- Long Beach via Seal Beach line disc. (auth. 2-15-26).
1
March - Pas: Arroyo Seco local line ab.
24
May - Redlands: Country Club, East Citrus local lines ab.
16
June - Redlands: Brookside (Terracina) local line ab.
November
- LA: Avenue 64 local line ab. north of Adelaide St. (auth. 10-25-26)
November
- Npt Bch- Long Beach -San Pedro via Naples Junction line est.
December
- Santa Monica: Lincoln Blvd. local line ab. (auth. 11-26-26).
1927
Torrance-San
Pedro via Carson cutoff ab., (auth. 9-30-27).
17
October - S Bdo: Urbita -Springs local line ab.
December
- Long Beach: Seaside Park local line ab. had been daily franchise car only
for some months previous (auth. 12-23-27).
1928
2
April - LA: Avenue 64 local line ab. (auth. 3-12-28).
Long
Beach: Magnolia Avenue local line ab. (auth. 5-29-28).
14
September - Inglewood-Venice line ab.
Had been daily franchise car only since before 1920 (auth. 8-29-28).
6
October - Ontario - Upland line ab. (auth. 7-3, 8-17, and 8-30-28).
November
- Huntington Beach - La Bolsa line ab. (auth. 10-30-28).
1929
Npt
Bch-Long Beach-San Pedro via Naples Junction line disc. (auth. 12-14-28).
13
December - Santa Monica: Third Street local line ab. (auth. 6-14-27).
1930
15
September - Orange - Santa Ana (Southern Pacific Station) line ab.
1931
11
August - Arlington-Corona line ab.
1932
Pomona-Claremont
line ab.
18
January - LA: Echo Park Avenue local line thru-rted. with Venice Blvd. local
line nights and Sundays only; Hollywood via Hill St. local line separated from
Venice Blvd. line nights and Sundays only.
18
January - Venice via Hollywood Blvd. West Los Angeles line rerouted from Hill
Street Station to subway.
3
April - Pas: North lake Avenue local line ab. on Mendocino St. from Lake Ave.
east to Country Club Park.
August
- Arrowhead Hot Springs-S Bdo line ab. north of Highland Avenue and ‘B’ Street,
S Bdo.
1
October - LA: Western-Franklin local line becomes rail shuttle, daily except
during weekday rush hours, when it becomes thru-rted. with Venice Bl.
16
November .- LA: Watts and South Pas local lines again become thru-rted.
1933
22
August - Santa Monica: Santa Monica Canyon local line ab.
16
October - LA - Redondo Beach - Cliffton via Hawthorne, and El Segundo- Hawthorne-South
Los Angeles lines ab.
November
- Culver Jct. local service ab. and only daily franchise left on Santa Monica
Air Line (auth. 11-6-33).
1934
1
October – San Pedro: Point Firmin local line ab.
1935
2
January - LA: South Pas local line ab. north of Mission Rd. (General Hosptl.)
LA:
Western-Franklin local line operates in rush hours to Eleventh and Hill rather
than being thru-rted. with Venice Blvd. local line.
1
September - LA-Stern line ab.; LA-Whittier-Yorba Linda-Fullerton-Laon Jct.-La
Habra lines ab. except two round trips daily except Sundays: LA: Maywood-Bell-Walker
local line est.
1936
1
March - Pas: Lamanda Park to Lamanda Park Junction via Colorado St. ab.
1
June - Riverside: Brockton Ave. local line ab.
12
July - Glendale-North Glendale, Glendale-Burbank combination rail and motor
coach service est.; no rail service nights and Sundays; Glendale: East
Broadway local line disc.; LA :
Edendale
local line ext. from Whitmore Avenue to Monte Sano.
13
July - Lagoon Line (Venice to Playa Del Rey) ab.
20
July - S Bdo- Riverside- Redlands line ab. (except for 1 daily round trip, S
Bdo to Riverside only); Redlands: Smiley Heights local line ab. (auth. 5-2-28);
S Bdo- Highland- Patton franchise ab.
15
September - LA-Echo Mountain-Alpine Tavern (Mount Lowe) line ab., except daily
franchise.
1937
1
May - S Bdo: Service reest. from Highland Ave. and ‘B’ Street to 34th and
Mountain View Ave. on Arrowhead line.
1938
1
January - Riverside-San Bernardino (one trip daily) ab. (auth. 12-20-37).
23
January - LA - Whittier - Yorba Linda-Fullerton-Laon Jct.- La Habra line (two
trips daily except Sunday) ab. (auth. 1-3-38).
23
January - San Pedro: La Rambla local line ab. (auth. 1-10-38).
6
March - LA: Maywood-Bell-Walker local line ab. (auth. 2-21-38).
March
- Mt Lowe line franchise ab. (auth. 3-14-38).
25
March - LA: Western-Franklin avenues local line temp. disc.
30
May - Van Nuys-Canoga Park, Van Nuys San Fernando ab. (auth. 2-7-38); LA:
Santa
Monica Blvd.-Cahuenga Pass local line absorbed into LA-Van Nuys.
1
June - LA: Watts and Sierra Vista local lines thru-rted.: Echandia Jct. Mission
Road (General Hospital) line est. as shuttle service.
18
September - LA: Echo Park Avenue local line temp. disc.
LA:
Western-Franklin local line reest.
1939
LA:Echo
Park Avenue local line reest.;
Hollywood
via Hill St. and Venice Bl. local lines thru-rted. at all times.
26
February - LA- Redondo Beach-Cliffton via Delta ab. (auth. 10-17-38); Hermosillo-Torrance-San
Pedro line ab. south of Torrance (auth. 10-24-38).
Los
Angeles - Long Beach-San Pedro (Central Station) line disc.
July-LA:
Echo Park Avenue local line disc. nights and Sundays (auth. 6.20-39).
5
December - Santa Monica Air Line ab. auth. by commission.
1940
14
January - LA- Redondo Beach- Cliffton via Athens - Gardena ab.; Hermosillo-Torrance
ab.. (auth. 12-5-39).
24
February - Long Beach: Pine Ave. and American Ave. local lines ab., and Willow
St. via Redondo Ave. local line ab. north of East Long Beach except for
franchises (auth. 2-20-40).
5
March - Permission to ab. Venice Short Line denied by commission.
17
March - LA: Western-Franklin Avenues local line ab. (auth. 12-5-39).
15
May - LA - Redondo Beach - Cliffton via Playa Del Roy ab., except for daily
franchise (auth. 12-5-39).
21
May - Permission to ab. Pas Oak Knoll line and Pas Short Line denied.
9
June - LA- Huntington Beach- Npt Bch Balboa line disc., except franchise to
Npt Bch (auth. 12-5-39).
9
June - Riverside - Rialto line ab. except daily franchise; LA - S Bdo service
reduced from 8 to 4 round trips daily (auth. 5-21-40).
30
June-Santa Monica: Brentwood local line, LA - Santa Monica via Brentwood line,
ab. except daily franchise trip (auth. 3-5-40).
7
July - LA- Santa Monica via Vineyard-Beverly Hills line ab., except partial
daily franchise; LA: Venice Bl. local line ext. to San Vicente Blvd. and
Genessee St. (auth. 3-5-40).
8
September - LA: Edendale local line rerouted into subway; Sixth St.-Central
Station end ab. (auth. 5-21-40).
30
September – Pas: Loop via California St. and Raymond Avenue used by Pas Short
Line ab.
22
October - Long Beach: East Long Beach via Redondo Ave., East Seventh St.,
Naples Junction, and Seal Beach local lines ab., except for daily franchise
operating over all lines (auth. 2-20-40).
18
November - Franchise trips ab. on the following lines: San Vicente and Genessee
to Beverly Hills, Redondo Beach via Playa Del Ray, Brentwood, Riverside-Rialto,
North Long Beach-Balboa.
24
November - Burbank (Cypress Ave.) to Benmar Hills (Eton Dr.) ab.; full rail
service restored to Glendale-Burbank.
Glendale-North Glendale lines; Edendale local line absorbed into Glendale
lines except ext. to Richardson in weekday rush hours; LA – Glendale-East
Broadway line restored rush hours only (auth. 11-28-39).
27
November - Franchise tripe on all the Long Beach local lines ab. (auth.
10-15-40).
1941
18
January - Pas Short Line and Pas Oak Knoll line rush hour thru service to
Altadena and to Woodbury and Lake ab. (auth. 5-21-40).
19
January - Pas: Lincoln Ave., Lamanda Park Jct., North Fair Oaks, end North Lake
Ave. local lines ab. (auth. 5-21-40).
9
February - Venice Short Line and Venice via Hollywood Blvd. - West Los Angeles
lines thru-rted. via Hill St.; Hollywood Bl.-Venice Bl. local line is absorbed
(auth. 5-21-40).
24
August - Beverly Hills-West Los Angeles—Santa Monica ab.
2
November - LA - S Bdo, LA - Pomona lines ab. east of Baldwin Park, except rush
hours only to Covina, and franchise from S Bdo to Bench (auth. 10-21-41).
30
November - LA- Alhambra - San Gabriel Temple City line ab. (auth. 11-12-41).
1942
22
February - S Bdo: local line from 34th St. and Mountain View Ave. to Colton via
Mount Vernon Ave. ab., except for franchise between 34th St. and PE Station S
Bdo, thru-rted. with
S
Bdo-Bench franchise (auth. 12-16-41)
20
July - LA- Npt Bch line reest. (only one round trip daily).
4
August - S Bdo: 34th St. -
PE Station-Bench franchise ab.
15
August - LA: Echo Park Avenue local line nights and Sunday service reest.
18
September - LA-Npt Bch line disc.
LA-Catalina
Dock and Long Beach-Catalina Dock lines disc.
27
September - LA: Pas Short Line, Pas Oak Knoll line removed from Main St.
Station and rerouted via Sixth-Main streets loop.
17
October - LA: Echandia Junction-Mission Road (shuttle) line ab.
1943
10
January - Riverside-Arlington line ab. LA-San Pedro, Long Beach-San Pedro lines
rerouted south of Wilmington from drawbridge to West Basin.
19
March - LA- Terminal Island and Long Beach-Terminal Island lines est.; service
at Cal-Ship shift changes only.
18
April - Venice Short Line and Hollywood Blvd. line, formerly thru-rted.,
separated; LA; Hollywood Blvd. - Hill St.-Venice Blvd.- San Vicente Blvd. local
line reest.; nights and Sundays Hollywood Blvd. via subway disc., San Vicente
shuttle, and Hill St.-Hollywood Blvd. ext. to Beverly Hills.
2
May - North Long Beach-Npt Bch (shuttle) line est., 7 round trips daily.
15
May - LA-Npt Bch line reest.
19
September - LA-Npt Bch line disc.
1944
19
June - LA-Npt Bch line (two trips daily except Sunday) reest. (auth. 6-1-44).
16
September - LA-Npt Bch line disc.
1945
17
June - LA- Npt Bch line (three trips daily, one Sundays) reest.
15
September - LA-Npt Bch line disc.
16
September - LA-Terminal Island, Long Beach-Terminal Island lines ab.
12
November - Santa Ana: PE Station-Southern Pacific Station service ab.
1946
6
March - LA-Catalina Dock, Long Beach-Catalina Dock lines (one round trip daily
each) reest.
17
June - LA-Npt Bch line (two trips daily, one Sunday, in summers-one trip daily
except Sunday in winters) reest.
8
September - LA - Npt Bch line Sunday service ab.
16
September - LA-Dominguez Junction local line reest., rush hours only.
2
November - LA-Covina (Citrus and Badillo), rush hours only, ab.
4
November - LA-Covina (Front and Second), rush hours only, est.
24
December - LA - Glendale-East Broadway line, rush hours only, ab.
1947
28
February - LA-San Pedro line rerouted from West Basin to drawbridge.
28
March - LA. - Covina (Front and Second), rush hours only, ab.
5
October - LA: Sixth Street tracks ab; Pas lines rerouted into Main St. Sta.
1948
11
June - LA - Sierra Madre line ab. except rush hours only, Monday-Friday.
1949
2
January - Long Beach-San Pedro via West Basin line ab.
4
April - LA: Echo Park Ave. local line temp. disc, north of Montana Street.
30
April - Long Beach-Catalina Dock line (one trip daily) ab.
11
June - LA: Echo Park Ave. local line reest. in full.
29
December - Burbank (Cypress to Orange Grove Aves.) ab. (auth. 5-14-49).
1950
10
May - Permission to ab. Van Nuys-North Hollywood, Watts-Bellflower denied.
1
April - LA-Npt Bch line Saturday service ab.
30
June - LA-Npt Ech line (Monday-Friday one round trip) ab. (auth. 5-10-50).
2
July - LA- Santa Ana line ab. south of Bellflower (auth. 5-10-50).
17
September - Venice Short Line ab. except franchise (auth. 5-10-50).
1
October - LA: Echo Park Avenue, Hollywood Bl.-Hill.-Venice-San Vicente Blvd.
local lines ab. except franchise; Hollywood Bl. via subway local line reest.
nights and Sundays. Echo Park Avenue -
Venice Short Line franchise thru-rted. (auth. 5-10-50).
6
October - LA-Sierra Madre line, Monday Friday rush hours only, ab. except
franchise (auth. 5-10-50).
8
October - LA-Pas Oak Knoll line ab. except franchise (auth. 5-10-50).
22
October - LA; Watts and Sierra Vista local lines separated, both rerouted into
Main St. Station; tracks on Main Street ab. (auth. 5-10-50).
(On
11-24-50, the abandonments since 30 June were approved by the ICC, allowing
franchise runs to cease where operated, whenever PE wished.)
____________________________________________________
Published
as a Special Reference Supplement to TIMEPOINTS, monthly publication of the
Southern California Division, Electric Railroaders’ Assn., January 1951. Distributed free to all subscribers.
Laurence
R. Veysey……..Editor
1796
Yale Station
New
Haven, Connecticut.
The
Editor invites any errors and further information on PE changes by mail.