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.