San Fernando Line facts for kids
The San Fernando Line was an important electric railway line in Los Angeles County, California. It was part of the Pacific Electric Railway system, often called the "Red Cars." This line helped people travel from Downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood into the San Fernando Valley. It also helped new towns and communities grow in the valley by making it easier for people to live and work there.
Quick facts for kids San Fernando |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
First car over Cahuenga Pass, December 16, 1911
|
|
| Overview | |
| Owner | Southern Pacific Railroad |
| Locale | Southern California |
| Termini | Downtown Los Angeles San Fernando, California |
| Stations | 36 |
| Service | |
| Type | Interurban |
| System |  Pacific Electric |
| Operator(s) | Pacific Electric |
| Rolling stock | PE 5050 Class Hollywood Cars (last used) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1911 |
| Closed | 1952 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 27.5 mi (44.3 km) |
| Number of tracks | 1-2 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Electrification | 600 V DC Overhead lines |
Contents
History of the San Fernando Line
The San Fernando Line was built to help develop the San Fernando Valley. It connected new communities with the larger cities of Los Angeles and Hollywood.
Building the Southern Valley Line
In 1911 and 1912, a new electric railway line was built. It stretched about 20 miles (32 km) from Lankershim (now North Hollywood) westward. This line went through the southern part of the San Fernando Valley. It was built by a group of powerful business people, including Harry Chandler and General Moses Sherman.
This group wanted to sell land for small farms and homes in the valley. They knew that the Los Angeles Aqueduct was opening in 1913. This aqueduct would bring much-needed water to the valley. Water would allow for more homes and farms to be built. The railway made it easy for people to buy land and move to these new areas.
General Moses Sherman was in charge of building this railway line. It connected Lankershim to three new towns: Van Nuys, Marion (now Reseda), and Owensmouth (now Canoga Park and West Hills). The tracks ran right down the middle of Sherman Way, which was a wide, paved road.
Adding the Northern Valley Spur
Another company, the San Fernando Mission Land Company, owned land in the northern San Fernando Valley. They built a shorter railway line, called a "spur," north from Van Nuys. This spur connected their undeveloped land and the City of San Fernando to the main Pacific Electric system.
The route from San Fernando went along Brand Boulevard, Sepulveda Boulevard, Parthenia Place, and then Van Nuys Boulevard. You can still see parts of where the tracks used to be today. For example, some streets have wide grassy areas in the middle, which were once the railway's path.
Changes and End of Service
.jpg)
The San Fernando Line originally had its own special path through the Cahuenga Pass. This path was next to the main highway. Later, when the Hollywood Freeway was built, the railway line was moved. It ended up running in the middle of the freeway.
Over time, fewer people used the Red Cars. On June 1, 1938, services were shortened to North Sherman Way. Finally, on December 28, 1952, the San Fernando Line stopped running completely. Buses took over the routes.
In 1981, a study found that most of the old railway line had been removed or paved over to make way for streets.
Future Plans for the Corridor
There are plans to bring rail service back to parts of the San Fernando Valley. The East San Fernando Light Rail Transit Project aims to use much of the old Van Nuys Boulevard route. This new project would be a light rail line. It would run north on Van Nuys Boulevard, following a path similar to the old San Fernando Line. This means that trains might once again travel along some of the same routes that the Red Cars used many years ago.
Images for kids
-
Postcard showing the railway's path next to the highway in Cahuenga Pass, around 1940.
