San Pedro via Gardena
The Pacific Electric Railroad Bridge in Torrance as seen in 2013
Overview
OwnerSouthern Pacific Railroad
LocaleLos Angeles, and the South Bay
Termini
Stations37
Service
TypeLight rail
SystemPacific Electric
Operator(s)Pacific Electric
Rolling stockPE 1200 Class (last used)
Daily ridership101,461 (last count)
History
OpenedJanuary 1903 (1903-01)
ClosedJanuary 15, 1940 (1940-01-15)
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Old gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
ElectrificationOverhead 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
Oliver
Southmoyd
McKinley
La Jota
(Humphreys)
Funston
Dolanco
Guyer
Carson
Torrance
Plaza del Amo
Ocean Avenue
Cuerna
Joughins
Weston Street
Harbor City
Bixby
(Hilldale)
McDonald
Wilmington Road
San Pedro

San Pedro via Gardena (also known as San Pedro via Torrance) was an interurban line of the Pacific Electric Railway. This was the railway's original route to San Pedro. The line was essential in the establishment of light industry in Torrance. The route closely paralleled the present-day Harbor Transitway.

History

California Pacific, a subsidiary of the Los Angeles Traction Company, began interurban service to San Pedro over a narrow-gauge line in 1903.[1][2] By 1908, Los Angeles Inter-Urban's San Pedro Line linked downtown Los Angeles to San Pedro, starting at Main and 3rd and running on 3rd, Hill, 16th, Burlington, Hoover, 24th, Vermont, then on a largely private right of way to San Pedro.[3]

Pacific Electric assumed control of the railroad in 1911; the tracks north of Delta Junction were turned over to the Los Angeles Railway and became part of the F line.[4] The route was converted to standard gauge (with some cutoffs made), and began operations on March 19, 1912.[5] Cars also reached Torrance that year.[6] Trips initially ran between Delta and San Pedro. The Carson Cutoff had largely fallen into disuse for passenger service by 1917. Through service to Los Angeles via the Watts Line was established by 1921 (though could have occurred as early as 1918). This supplanted the need for the Torrance via Athens service, which was discontinued.[4]

Commencement of the San Pedro via Dominguez Line had steadily eroded ridership on the line. Through service north of Hermosillo was discontinued February 26, 1939 and service to San Pedro was heavily curtailed. The line south of Torrance was reduced to a single round trip to Harbor City in 1939, and passenger service was fully discontinued the following January.[4]

The remainder of the line has become the Union Pacific Torrance Branch.[7]

Route

The line originated at the 6th and Main Street Station in Los Angeles and followed the Long Beach Line to Watts Junction, then the Redondo Beach via Gardena Line To South Los Angeles, and then the Hawthorne–El Segundo Line to Delta (Vermont Avenue at 117th Street). The line was entirely single track in private right of way from South Los Angeles to San Pedro.

The line turned south at Delta into the private right of way between the dual roadways of Vermont Avenue and ran to Strawberry Park (at Compton Boulevard). From Strawberry Park the line followed the double track Redondo Beach via Gardena Line south on Vermont Avenue, then turned west adjacent to 116th Street to Hermosillo (at Normandie Avenue).

From Hermosillo the San Pedro via Gardena Line turned south, crossed Normandie Avenue and entered private way on the west side of Normandie Avenue. The line ran south to Dolanco Junction (Del Amo Boulevard) where the Torrance loop line branched to the southwest. The line continued south to Ocean Avenue (228th Street) where the Torrance loop line rejoined the main line. The line continued south, crossed Sepulveda Boulevard, Pacific Coast Highway, and then turned to the southeast as it crossed the intersection of Gaffy Street and Anaheim Street where Normandie Avenue ended.

After crossing Anaheim Street, the line turned southerly and ran on the east edge of Gaffey Street, then crossed Wilmington Road and joined the San Pedro via Dominguez Line (West Basin Line) to run to San Pedro.

List of major stations

Station Mile[8][4] 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, Redondo Beach via Gardena, Riverside–Rialto, San Pedro via Dominguez, 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, Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Dominguez, 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, Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Dominguez, Santa Ana, Whittier
Los Angeles Railway V
1902 1961
Slauson Junction 4.27 Balboa, Fullerton, Hawthorne–El Segundo, La Habra–Yorba Linda, Long Beach, Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Dominguez, Santa Ana, Whittier 1902 1961
Watts 7.45 Balboa, Hawthorne–El Segundo, Long Beach, Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Dominguez, Santa Ana 1902 1961
South Los Angeles
(Forest)
9.88 Hawthorne–El Segundo, Redondo Beach via Gardena
Los Angeles Railway 7
1903 1940
Athens 10.31 Redondo Beach via Gardena
West Athens 11.04
Strawberry Park 12.75 Redondo Beach via Gardena
Gardena 13.57 Redondo Beach via Gardena 1903 1940 Gardena
Hermosillo 14.37
Dolanco 1903 1940 Carson
Torrance 17.93 1903 1940 Torrance
Weston Street 21.15
Harbor City 21.36
San Pedro 25.77 La Rambla, Long Beach–San Pedro, Point Fermin, San Pedro via Dominguez 1902 1961 San Pedro

References

 This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under the public domain as a work of the State of California. (license statement/permission). Text taken from 1981 Inventory of Pacific Electric Routes, California Department of Transportation, . Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

  1. "San Pedro Narrow Gauge". Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  2. Coulter, Tom (1 July 1980). "'Big Red Cars' were a prime factor in spread of L.A." San Pedro News-Pilot. p. 17. Retrieved 13 December 2022 via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  3. Security Map And Street Railway Guide of the City of Los Angeles (Map). Security Savings Bank. 1908. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Veysey, Laurence R. (June 1958). A History Of The Rail Passenger Service Operated By The Pacific Electric Railway Company Since 1911 And By Its Successors Since 1953 (PDF). LACMTA (Report). Los Angeles, California: Interurbans. pp. 73, 74, 112. ASIN B0007F8D84. OCLC 6565577.
  5. "San Pedro via Torrance Line". Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  6. Crump, Spencer (1977). Ride the big red cars: How trolleys helped build southern California. Trans-Anglo Books. p. 100. ISBN 0-87046-047-1. OCLC 3414090.
  7. "Train-watchers guide to LA" (PDF). Trains. 2016. pp. 66–67. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  8. "Pacific Electric Time Tables" (PDF). wx4's Dome of Foam. Pacific Electric. September 1, 1934. p. 11. Retrieved September 1, 2021.


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