Wikipedia

Watts Line

(Redirected from Watts (Pacific Electric))

The Watts Line was a local line of the Pacific Electric Railway that operated between the Pacific Electric Building in Downtown Los Angeles and the Watts Station at 103rd Street in Watts. It was the primary local service for the Southern District, which also included the Long Beach, San Pedro, Santa Ana and Whittier interurban lines. The route operated along the Southern Division's Four Tracks route, with the Watts Line using the outer tracks and the Long Beach line and other limited stop lines using the inner tracks.[1]

Watts
The quadruple-tracked line south of Downtown Los Angeles
Overview
OwnerSouthern Pacific Railroad
LocaleLos Angeles, California
Termini
Service
TypeStreetcar
SystemPacific Electric
Operator(s)Pacific Electric (1904–1958)
Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (1958–1959)
Daily ridership37,436 (peak, 1946)
4,325 (close, 1958)
History
Opened1904
ClosedNovember 2, 1959 (1959-11-02)
Technical
Line length7.45 mi (11.99 km)
Number of tracks2–4
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 600 V DC
Route map

Legend
Northern District
 Pacific Electric Building
 B   F   O 
 7th & Main
 H   J   R   S 
 San Pedro & 7th
 J   R   S 
 San Pedro & Agatha
8th & Main
San Pedro & 8th
9th & Main
9th & Los Angeles
9th & Maple
 H 
 9th btw. Wall & San Julian Street
9th & San Pedro Street
 S 
 9th btw. Crocker & Towne
9th & Stanford
9th & Kohler
9th & Central Avenue
 U 
 9th & Birch
9th & Hooper (begin Four Tracks)
14th Street
16th Street
Washington Blvd
20th Street
22nd Street
Amoco
to Santa Monica Air Line
 Adams Boulevard
32nd Street
Jefferson Boulevard
38th Street
40th Street
Vernon Avenue
 V 
 47th Street
48th Place
50th Place
52nd Street
55th Street
Slauson Avenue
Slauson Junction
to
Whittier &
La Habra–Yorba Linda
 Fleming (62nd Street)
Spaulding (Gage Avenue)
Merrill Avenue (66th Street)
68th Street
Florencita Park (70th Street)
Florence Avenue
Ionia (76th Street)
Nadeau
Woodside (81st)
Edgewood Park (83rd Street)
Graham
Kent (88th)
Latin (92nd)
Elcoat (97th)
Watts
multiple lines
This diagram:

History

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A Watts Line car at Slauson Junction, c. 1902

The local service operated between 1904[dubious – discuss][citation needed] and November 2, 1959.[2] The line was quadruple-tracked in 1907.[3][4] During the 1910s, its service was combined with the South Pasadena Line of the Northern District. From 1938 to 1950, the line was combined with the Sierra Vista Line,[5] which was the main local line in the Northern District. Streetcars were removed and replaced with a parallel bus service on November 2, 1959.[4]

Tracks north of Washington Boulevard were removed or paved over (except a short spur track) after PE service ended. In the late 1980s, the right of way was rehabilitated with one or two tracks used for freight rail (with electrification removed) and two tracks rebuilt to modern light rail specifications. Service along the line between Washington Boulevard and 103rd Street recommenced in 1990 as the Los Angeles Metro Blue Line (renamed the A Line in 2019), with stations at Washington Boulevard, Vernon Avenue, Slauson Avenue, Florence Avenue, Firestone Boulevard, and 103rd Street.

Stops and stations

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The following were stops and stations along the Watts line:[6][failed verification]

  • Pacific Electric Building (6th & Main)
  • 7th & Main
  • 8th & Main
  • 9th & Main
  • 9th & Los Angeles
  • 9th & Maple
  • STOP (9th between Wall & San Julian Street)
  • 9th & San Pedro Street
  • STOP (9th between Crocker & Towne)
  • 9th & Stanford
  • 9th & Kohler
  • 9th & Central Avenue
  • 9th & Birch
  • 9th & Hooper (begin Four Tracks)
  • 14th Street
  • 16th Street
  • Washington Blvd
  • 20th Street
  • 22nd Street
  • Amoco Junction – interchange with Air Line
  • Adams Boulevard
  • 32nd Street
  • Jefferson Boulevard (now @ MLK Jr. Blvd)
  • 38th Street
  • 40th Street
  • Vernon Avenue
  • 47th Street
  • 48th Place
  • 50th Place
  • 52nd Street
  • 55th Street
  • Slauson Avenue
  • Slauson Junction – interchange with Whittier
  • Fleming (62nd Street)
  • Spaulding (Gage Avenue)
  • Merrill Avenue (66th Street)
  • 68th Street
  • Florencita Park (70th Street)
  • Florence Avenue
  • Ionia (76th Street)
  • Nadeau
  • Woodside (81st)
  • Edgewood Park (83rd Street)
  • Graham
  • Kent (88th)
  • Latin (92nd)
  • Elcoat (97th)
  • Watts (103rd)

References

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  1. ^ "Pacific Electric Watts Line". Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California.
  2. ^ "November 2: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History". Metro Primary Resources. Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library and Archives. October 24, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  3. ^ "Two and four tracks". The Los Angeles Times. July 6, 1907. p. 24. Retrieved December 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ a b "Watts Rail Line Goes to Bus" (PDF). LAMTA. Emblem. December 1959. p. 12. Retrieved April 11, 2021. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  5. ^ 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. 93–94. ASIN B0007F8D84. OCLC 6565577.
  6. ^ Pacific Electric Railway Guide: Names and locations of stops, cross streets and important points of interest on or Adjacent to Lines of the Pacific Electric Railway. Orange Empire Railway Museum.
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KML file (edit • help)
Template:Attached KML/Watts Line
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