Pasadena Short Line facts for kids

The Pasadena Short Line was an important electric train route. It was part of the Pacific Electric Railway system. This line connected Downtown Los Angeles to Downtown Pasadena, California. It operated from 1902 until 1951. The route passed through Eastside Los Angeles and the western San Gabriel Valley.

The Route: How the Trains Traveled

The Pasadena Short Line followed a path that started near the Monrovia–Glendora Line. This was on Huntington Drive. When it reached Fair Oaks Avenue in South Pasadena, the line split. It then went north on Fair Oaks Avenue. The tracks were laid right in the street pavement. This is called street running.

The line had double tracks, meaning trains could go in both directions at the same time. Later, in 1940, one set of tracks on Raymond Avenue was removed. After that, trains used Fair Oaks Avenue for both directions.

History: From Horses to Electric Trains

Early Days: Horse-Powered Trains

The story of this route began with horsecars. These were like small trains pulled by horses. In 1894, a company called the Pasadena & Los Angeles Electric Railway bought part of this horsecar line. They made some big changes to it.

Becoming an Electric Railway

The company changed the tracks to a different size. This is called re-gauging. They also added electricity to power the trains. This made it an electric streetcar line. Service started on May 6, 1895.

In 1898, the Pacific Electric company took over the route. They rebuilt the line again to a standard track size. On November 9, 1902, the new electric train service officially opened. It ran between the Raymond Hotel and a junction with the Alhambra–San Gabriel Line.

Building Bridges and Expanding

To cross other railway lines, Pacific Electric built a bridge. This helped their trains run smoothly. By 1908, the entire line had double tracks. This meant more trains could run at once.

Peak Service and Changes Over Time

The line was busiest around 1917 or 1918. At that time, about 90 trains ran each day in both directions. Over the years, the number of trains slowly decreased. By 1920, it was down to 59 trains daily.

Some trains even started their journey from Altadena during busy morning hours. However, these special Altadena trips ended in 1941.

The End of the Line

On September 30, 1951, the electric train service ended. Buses took over the route instead. By 1981, all the train tracks along the route had been removed.

Major Stations Along the Line

Here are some of the main stations on the Pasadena Short Line:

Images for kids

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  Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena around 1889, showing a horsecar.