Santa Ana–Orange Line

The Santa Ana–Orange Line is a former Pacific Electric interurban railway line in Orange County, California. Unlike most of the company's services, trains did not travel to Downtown Los Angeles and instead provided a suburban service between Santa Ana and Orange.

Santa Ana–Orange
Overview
OwnerSanta Ana, Orange & Tustin Street Railway (1887-1897)
Santa Ana & Orange Motor Company (1897- )
The International Railway Company (?)
Pacific Electric (1901-1904)
Los Angeles Interurban Railway (1904-1911)
Pacific Electric (1911-1930)
LocaleOrange County, California
TerminiSanta Ana
Orange
Service
TypeInterurban
System Pacific Electric
Operator(s)Pacific Electric (1908-1930)
History
Opened1887
ClosedSeptember 14, 1930 (1930-09-14)
Technical
Line length4.04 mi (6.50 km)
Number of tracks1-2
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge
Electrification600 V DC Overhead lines
Route map

Marlboro
Orange
ATSF
Hargraves
SP Santa Ana Branch
Santa Ana PE
Santa Ana SP

History

Orange and Santa Ana Motor Railroad car in service, c.1905
A Santa Ana–Orange Line train derailed after striking a truck, July 1927

The beginnings of the route are traced back to a horsecar line built between The Plaza in Orange and Fourth Street and French Street in Santa Ana by the Santa Ana, Orange & Tustin Street Railway Company around 1887. The Santa Ana & Orange Motor Company acquired the railroad and commenced steam operation in January 1897, which was in turn sold the line to The International Railway Company, which proceeded to sell the railroad to Pacific Electric in 1901. In 1904, Pacific Electric deeded the line to Los Angeles Interurban Railway, who proceeded to rebuild and electrify the route south of Santiago Creek. The new line commenced service on February 10, 1906 — passengers transferred to a steam dummy to complete to trip to Orange. Pacific Electric began operating the line on July 1, 1908, folding it into the system entirely in 1911 as part of the Great Merger.[1]

The segment of the route between Santiago Creek and The Plaza was electrified by July 11, 1914, allowing for through running and retiring the steam dummy. Frequencies generally increased as the line was more heavily trafficked. However, Pacific Electric's purchase of the Motor Transit Company made the line redundant as the latter was running frequent highway bus service between the two cities. The final car departed Santa Ana on September 14, 1930.[2]

Operations

Tracks north of Orange to Marlboro were used by freight trains and saw no passenger service.

Between 1906 and 1914, passengers transferred from normal interurban cars to a steam dummy at Santiago Creek, as the line lacked electrical infrastructure north of this location. Through service was eventually extended as far as The Plaza in Orange[2]

References

  1. "Santa Ana-Orange Line". Electric Railway Historical Society of Southern California. Retrieved 15 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). Retrieved 14 January 2021.


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