Redondo Beach via Gardena Line

Redondo via Gardena was a line of the Pacific Electric Railway. One of two routes to Redondo Beach, this one was faster than the Redondo Beach via Playa del Rey Line as a result of its routing along the quadruple-tracked Watts main line.

Redondo via Gardena
Overview
OwnerSouthern Pacific Railroad
LocaleLos Angeles, and the South Bay
Termini
Stations40
Service
TypeInterurban
SystemPacific Electric
Operator(s)Pacific Electric
Rolling stockPE 1000 Class (last used)
Ridership319,602 (1938)
History
OpenedNovember 12, 1911 (1911-11-12)
ClosedJanuary 15, 1940 (1940-01-15)
Technical
Line length22.26 mi (35.82 km)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification600 V DC Overhead lines
Route map

Pacific Electric Building
to Northern Division
 J   R   S 
 J   S 
to
Sierra Vista–Watts &
South Pasadena Local
Amoco
Vernon Avenue
 V 
Slauson Junction
Fleming
Florencita Park
Florence
Nadeau
Graham
Latin
Watts
multiple
lines
Centralia
South Park Avenue
Main Street
South Los Angeles
(Forest)
 7 
Delta
 F 
Athens
Delphi
143rd Street
Strawberry Park
Gardena
Hermosillo
Broadacres
Moneta
Bridgedale
La Fresa
Perry
Hickman
Selby
El Nido
Monterey Park
Maddex
Coyote Avenue
Redondo Beach
Clifton

History

The southern half of this line was built by the Los Angeles and Redondo Railway Company (not to be confused with similarly named Los Angeles, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Railway Company) as part of the narrow gauge Los Angeles and Redondo railroad between Los Angeles and Redondo Beach. When the Pacific Electric Railway acquired the Los Angeles and Redondo Railway, the northern half (north of Broadway and Hawthorne in the city of Hawthorne) went to the Los Angeles Railway and Pacific Electric converted the southern portion to standard gauge to be used as part of the Redondo Beach via Gardena Line.[1][2][3] Full standard-gauge service to Redondo Beach began on November 12, 1911 with cars making the run to Clifton the following October.[4][3][5] Inbound cars initially terminated at the front of the Pacific Electric Building,[3] but the inbound terminal was changed to the rear in 1914 and then to the elevated concourse in 1916.[5] On October 26, 1933, the line was split in the center segment, with half of all trips routed through Delta to increase service in that area following the abandonment of the Redondo Beach via Hawthorne Line.[5]

The line between Delta and Strawberry Park was abandoned after February 26, 1939, effectively resuming the former frequency along the remaining line between Athens and Gardena.[5] Passenger service ended on January 15, 1940.[5] No replacement bus service was deemed necessary.[6] By 1981, the remainder of the line had become the Southern Pacific Torrance Branch, with the segment between Gramercy Place and Clifton almost entirely removed.[7] As of 2022 Union Pacific (successor to the Pacific Electric system) operates a small section in Gardena as a freight spur.[8]

Route

The line started at the Pacific Electric Building in Los Angeles and shared the Long Beach Line to Watts and the Hawthorne–El Segundo Line to the South Los Angeles Station. This line was originally double-tracked mostly within a private right of way on its entire length from Watts to Clifton (South of Redondo Beach).[7]

Starting from the South Los Angeles Station (Broadway at 117th Street), the double track line ran south on private way east of and parallel to Figueroa Street. At 149th Street the private way turned southwesterly and ran parallel to and south of that street to Vermont Avenue and Compton Boulevard (Strawberry Park Station).[7]

From Strawberry Park station, double track line turned south (left) and went on private way centered in Vermont Avenue south of Gardena Boulevard, the track curved to the west (right) parallel to and south of 166th Street. At Hermosillo Station (Normandie Avenue) the San Pedro via Gardena Line branched south on private way along the west side of Normandie Avenue.[7]

The Redondo Beach via Gardena Line continued west as a single track on private way parallel to 166th Street until reaching the Bridgedale Station (Crenshaw Boulevard) where it turned Southwest (left) and became double track.Crossing Prairie the line changed to single track and turned west (right) parallel to and north of 182nd street and continued within private way.[7]

At El Nido Station (Kingsdale Avenue) the line joined the El Segundo–El Nido–Redondo segment from the north, turned southwest and became double track once again. The line crossed Prospect Avenue at Del Almo street, went westerly along what is now Del Almo Street, then turned southwesterly and leaving private way went along the center of Diamond street to Catalina Avenue where the single track Catalina cut-off went south (left) along Catalina Avenue to Pearl Street where it rejoined the Redondo Line.[7]

The Redondo Line went one block further down Diamond street to Pacific Avenue where it joined the Redondo Beach via Playa del Rey Line at the Redondo Beach Station (Diamond & Pacific) across from what is now Fisherman's Wharf.[7]

On the remainder of the line, the Redondo Beach via Gardena Line followed the route of the Redondo Beach via Playa del Rey Line to its terminus at Clifton.[7]

The length of the line was 9.88 miles (15.90 km) from 6th and Main to South Los Angeles Station and 12.38 miles (19.92 km) from South Los Angeles Station to the Southern Terminus (Clifton) for a total length of 22.26 miles (35.82 km).[7]

List of major stations

Station Mile[9] Major connections Date opened Date closed City
Pacific Electric Building 0 Alhambra–San Gabriel, Annandale, Balboa, Fullerton, Hawthorne–El Segundo, La Habra–Yorba Linda, Long Beach, Monrovia–Glendora, Mount Lowe, Pasadena Short Line, Pasadena via Oak Knoll, Pomona, Redlands, Riverside–Rialto, San Pedro via Dominguez, San Pedro via Gardena, Santa Ana, Santa Monica Air Line, Sierra Madre, Soldiers' Home, South Pasadena Local, Upland–San Bernardino, Whittier
Los Angeles Railway B, H, J, R, 7, and 8
1905 1961 Los Angeles
Amoco Junction Balboa, Fullerton, Hawthorne–El Segundo, La Habra–Yorba Linda, Long Beach, San Pedro via Dominguez, San Pedro via Gardena, Santa Ana, Santa Monica Air Line, Soldiers' Home, Whittier 1902 1961
Vernon Avenue 3.26 Balboa, Fullerton, Hawthorne–El Segundo, La Habra–Yorba Linda, Long Beach, San Pedro via Dominguez, San Pedro via Gardena, Santa Ana, Whittier
Los Angeles Railway V
1902 1961
Slauson Junction 4.27 Balboa, Fullerton, Hawthorne–El Segundo, La Habra–Yorba Linda, Long Beach, San Pedro via Dominguez, San Pedro via Gardena, Santa Ana, Whittier 1902 1961
Watts 7.45 Balboa, Hawthorne–El Segundo, Long Beach, San Pedro via Dominguez, San Pedro via Gardena, Santa Ana 1902 1961
South Los Angeles
(Forest)
9.88 Hawthorne–El Segundo, San Pedro via Gardena
Los Angeles Railway 7
1911 1940
Delta 10.76 Hawthorne–El Nido
Los Angeles Railway F
Athens 10.31 San Pedro via Gardena
Strawberry Park 12.75 San Pedro via Gardena
Gardena 13.57 San Pedro via Gardena 1911 1940 Gardena
El Nido 17.84 Hawthorne–El Nido 1911 1940 El Nido
Redondo Beach 20.89 Hawthorne–El Nido, Redondo Beach via Playa del Rey 1911 1940 Redondo Beach
Cliffton 22.26 Hawthorne–El Nido, Redondo Beach via Playa del Rey 1911 1940 Torrance

See also

References

  1. "Los Angeles & Redondo". www.erha.org. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  2. Railway, Los Angeles and Redondo. "Los Angeles and Redondo Railway records". csrm.andornot.com. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  3. Veysey 1958, p. 56
  4. "Broad gauge line for Redondo cars". Los Angeles Evening Express. November 11, 1911. p. 3. Retrieved December 12, 2022 via Newspapers.com. icon of an open green padlock
  5. Veysey 1958, p. 57
  6. "Redondo Beach via Gardena". Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California.
  7. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: "1981 Inventory of Pacific Electric Routes" (PDF). Caltrans. February 1982. pp. 100, 148. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  8. Freericks, Charles (June 2022). "Ghosts of the Pacific Electric". Railfan & Railroad. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  9. "Pacific Electric Time Tables" (PDF). wx4's Dome of Foam. Pacific Electric. September 1, 1934. p. 11. Retrieved September 1, 2021.

Bibliography


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