Hawthorne–El Segundo Line

The Hawthorne–El Segundo Line was an interurban railway route of the Pacific Electric Railway. It was built to transport oil from the Standard Oil Refinery in El Segundo and also saw passenger service.

Hawthorne–El Segundo
El Segundo, 1914
Overview
OwnerSouthern Pacific Railroad
LocaleLos Angeles, and the South Bay
TerminiDowntown Los Angeles
El Segundo, California
Stations22
Service
TypeInterurban
System Pacific Electric
Operator(s) Pacific Electric
Rolling stockPE 1000 Class (last used)
Ridership304,996 (1926)[1]
History
OpenedAugust 10, 1914 (1914-08-10)
ClosedOctober 31, 1930 (1930-10-31)
Technical
Line length18.87 miles (30.37 km)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead lines
Route map

Pacific Electric Building
 H   J   R 
 H 
 U 
Amoco
Vernon Avenue
 V 
Slauson Junction
Watts
multiple
lines
Centralia
South Park Avenue
Main Street
South Los Angeles
(Forest)
 7 
Delta
Westbridge
Cypave
Hawthorne
 5 
to
Hawthorne–El Nido &
Redondo Beach via Hawthorne
Wise
Medio
Calvert
El Segundo
(Main Street)

History

El Segundo began as a company town for Standard Oil. When they announced the location of the refinery in 1911, Pacific Electric quickly began planning of a spur line of the Redondo Beach via Gardena Line east of Delta Junction.[1] COnstruction began in 1913 and the first cars arrived in Downtown El Segundo on August 10, 1914.[1][2] Direct service from El Segundo to Los Angeles was offered from 1920 to 1924, but the route mainly operated as a shuttle with transfers at Hawthorne.[2]

Due to low passenger usage revenue service ended after Halloween 1930,[2] but freight service on the line continued to be a major revenue source for Pacific Electric. Tracks in downtown El Segundo had been removed by 1981, but steam and diesel locomotives continued to serve the length of the line from Watts to the Standard Oil Refinery (later Chevron).[3] The line is now owned by Union Pacific.

List of major stations

Station Major Connections Date Opened Date Closed City
Hawthorne–El Segundo
Pacific Electric Building Alhambra–San Gabriel, Annandale, Balboa, Fullerton, 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, 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 Balboa, Fullerton, La Habra–Yorba Linda, Long Beach, Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Dominguez, San Pedro via Gardena, Santa Ana, Santa Monica Air Line, Soldiers' Home, Whittier 1902 1961
Slauson Junction Balboa, Fullerton, La Habra–Yorba Linda, Long Beach, Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Dominguez, San Pedro via Gardena, Santa Ana, Whittier 1902 1961
Watts Balboa, Long Beach, Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Dominguez, San Pedro via Gardena, Santa Ana 1902 1961
Forest Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Gardena
Los Angeles Railway 7
1911 1940
Delta San Pedro via Gardena 1911 1940
Hawthorne Hawthorne–El Nido
Los Angeles Railway 5
1914 1930 Hawthorne

References

  1. "El Segundo Line". Electric Railway Historical Association. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  2. 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). p. 12. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  3. Caltrans (February 1982). "1981 Inventory of Pacific Electric Routes" (PDF). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved 23 January 2021.


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