A (Los Angeles Railway)

Summary

A refers to several streetcar routes in Los Angeles, California. The lines were operated by the Los Angeles Railway and its successor, Los Angeles Transit Lines, from 1920 to 1946.

A
Los Angeles (California, USA), Union Station -- 2012 -- 4938.jpg
A (Los Angeles Railway)
Overview
LocaleLos Angeles
Service
TypeStreetcar
SystemLos Angeles Railway
Daily ridership14,775 (1940)[1]
History
OpenedMay 9, 1920 (1920-05-09)
ClosedJune 30, 1946 (1946-06-30)
Technical
Track gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrification600 V DC overhead line
Route map

Legend
1939–1946
Fountain and Edgemont
Fountain and San Bernardino
Up arrow discontinued 1942
Fountain and Vermont
Fountain and Virgil
Virgil and Santa Monica Pacific Electric
Virgil and Melrose
Melrose and Clinton
Clinton and Hoover
Hoover and Bellvue
Hoover and Plata
Hoover and Temple
Temple and Robinson
Temple and Vendome
Temple and Occidental
Temple and Rampart
Temple and Carondelet
Temple and Alvarado
Temple and Bonnie Brae
Temple and Belmont
Temple and Glendale Pacific Electric
Temple and Douglas
Temple and Edgeware
Temple and Beaudry
Temple and Figueroa
Temple and Grand
Temple and Hill
Hill and 1st
Hill and 3rd
Hill and 4th
Pacific Electric
Hill and 5th  D   U   3 
Hill and 6th
Pacific Electric
Hill and 7th  J   R   S 
Hill and 8th
Hill and 9th  N 
Hill and 11th  W 
Hill and 12th
Hill and Pico  P   9 
Hill and Venice
Venice and Grand  J   9 
Venice and Hope
Venice and Flower  W 
Venice and Figueroa  U 
Venice and Burlington Pacific Electric
Burlington and Washington  W 
Hoover and 24th
24th and Vermont  V 
24th and Normandie
Adams and Harvard
Adams and Western
Adams and Arlington
Adams and Crenshaw
Adams and Brea
Adams and Alsace

History edit

1920–1932

Los Angeles Railway rerouted many lines on May 9, 1920,[2] assigning them letter designations the following year.[3][4] The A line ran along Adams; Normandie Avenue; 24th; Hoover; Burlington; 16th; Hill; 1st; Spring; North Main; Sunset; North Broadway; Lincoln Park Avenue; looping back via Nort Main to Plaza; thence to west terminal over above route.[5] In 1924, the lines was split in two and was given numeric designations. The 2 West Adams and North Main Street Line operated on those streets as well as a portion of the former C Griffith and Griffin Avenue Line. The 3 West Adams and Lincoln Park Line also ran on Main Street.[6] In 1926, the A-2 was rerouted to Griffin Park. The two routes were recombined in 1930 as a single A line.[7]

1932–1939

A new A line started service on June 12, 1932.[8][9][10] It was formed by the Adams Avenue segment of the former service and the Angeleno Heights segment of the G Griffith and Angeleno Heights Line. A branch at Edgeware Road opened in 1934, and the main service was rerouted on this line starting in 1938.[11]

1939–46

Cars began running through the Hill Street Tunnel in July 1939.[12] The final and longest lived routing of the A began service on September 25, 1939. It was predominantly formed from the old A line as well as Temple Street taken from the L West 11th and West Temple Street Line. Tracks on Fountain were removed from service in 1942, and the line ceased to operate on June 30, 1946.[7][13]

Sources edit

  1. ^ Breivogel, Milton; Bate, Stuart (1942). "Mass Transit Facilities and Master Plan of Parkways" (PDF). Los Angeles City Planning Commission. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  2. ^ "Street Car Rerouting". Los Angeles Evening Post-Record. May 5, 1920. p. 10. Retrieved February 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "May 1: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History". Metro Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library and Archive. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved February 16, 2022. 1921: Large letter signs indicating the routes of different lines are placed on top of Los Angeles Railway streetcars.
  4. ^ "Cars To Have Letter Signs" (PDF). Two Bells. Vol. 1, no. 48. Los Angeles Railway. May 2, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  5. ^   One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Terrass, John (1922). Study and Plan of Relief of the Street Traffic Congestion in the City of Los Angeles, California (PDF) (Thesis). University of California. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  6. ^ "Car Marks to be Changed". Los Angeles Times. December 1, 1924. p. 27. Retrieved February 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ a b "'A'". Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  8. ^ "Spring Street Extension to be Opened This Week". Los Angeles Times. June 19, 1932. p. 17. Retrieved February 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ "Transit Routes to Change". Los Angeles Times. June 3, 1932. p. 17. Retrieved July 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ "New Street Car Routes in Effect". Los Angeles Times. June 13, 1932. p. 13. Retrieved July 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  11. ^ H.P. Noordwal (1938). "Route Map Los Angeles Railway Electric Car and Bus Routes" (Map). Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc. Los Angeles Railway. "Alternate link" (Map). via Google.
  12. ^ "Timepoints The Southern California Traction Review · Volumes 1-7". Southern California Division, Electric Railroaders' Association. 1950. p. 7.
  13. ^ "Busses Take Over A Line; Other Changes". The Los Angeles Times. July 1, 1946. p. 13. Retrieved December 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  

External links edit

  • A Line Archives — Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society
  • "Los Angeles Railway". Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California.