Glendale–Burbank Line

Glendale–Burbank is a defunct Pacific Electric rapid transit line that was operational from 1902 to 1955 in Southern California, running from Downtown Los Angeles to Burbank. Short lines terminated Downtown and in North Glendale, including the popular Edendale Line.[1]

Glendale–Burbank
A Downtown Los Angeles-bound Red Car in Atwater Village.
Overview
Locale	Southern California
Termini	Subway Terminal Burbank
Stations	21
Service
Type	Light rail
System	Pacific Electric
Operator(s)	Pacific Electric
Rolling stock	PE 5050 Class PCC cars (last used)
History
Opened	1902
Closed	June 19, 1955
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead lines
Route map Eton Drive Burbank Alameda Avenue Señorita Hahne North Glendale La Ramada Verdugo Wash Doran Street Chevy Chase Drive Glendale Avenue cut back 1946 Glendale Lomita Avenue Park Avenue Tropico San Fernando Road Southern Pacific RR Los Angeles River Monte Sano Edendale Sunset Boulevard Beverly Hills US 101 1st Street Toluca Substation and Yard Hollywood Subway US 101 (Harbor Freeway) Subway Terminal

History

An Edendale Local on 6th Street, c. 1900-1920

The line was built by the Los Angeles Pacific Railroad. Construction of the Brand Boulevard segment was begun by the Glendale and Montrose Railway in 1903, but the new company sold the rights to the line by the following spring. The line opened on April 6, 1904, terminating at Mountain Street.[2]

Los Angeles Interurban went on to be leased then acquired by the Pacific Electric, with the latter assuming service in July 1908.[2] Initially originating at Main Street, service to Burbank began on September 6, 1911.[3] The branch to East Glendale (shared with the Glendale and Montrose Railway) began service on May 1, 1914. The extension to Eton Drive, subsidized by local real estate developers, started carrying passengers July 20, 1925.[3] Beginning on December 1 that same year, trains were routed through the Belmont Tunnel ("Hollywood Subway") between the Subway Terminal Building and Glendale Boulevard in Westlake.[4] Many trips were replaced with buses starting in 1936,[3] but community feedback from Burbank and Glendale was so great that the California State Railroad Commission pressured the railway to re-expand the service.[5] A full rail schedule was restored in 1950 along with discontinuation of the Eton Drive extension.[3]

The last car on the Broadway section ran on Christmas Eve 1946.[3] On October 1, 1953, the route came under the purview of Metropolitan Coach Lines, who proceeded a series of service reductions.[3] Rail service to North Glendale was discontinued on June 19, 1955, with Burbank service also ending at the end of the service day.[3] The route was converted to bus service.[6]

List of major stations

Station	Major Connections	Date Opened	Date Closed	City
Glendale–Burbank
Burbank		1902	1955	Burbank
La Ramada		1902	1955	Glendale
Glendale		1902	1955
Tropico		1902	1955
Subway Terminal Building	Beverly Hills, Echo Park Avenue, Owensmouth, Redondo Beach via Playa del Rey, San Fernando, Sawtelle, Sherman, Venice Short Line, Venice via Hollywood, Western and Franklin Avenue, Westgate	1905	1961	Los Angeles

Rolling stock

To expand service after 1936, Pacific Electric purchased unique double-ended PCC streetcars to run on the line. Cars were formed into to trains up to three long. These cars were retired in 1955 along with the service.[5]

See also

• Streetcar suburb
• Streetcars in North America
• List of California railroads
• History of rail transportation in California
• Union Station (Los Angeles)

References

1. "Edendale Line". Electric Railway Heritage Association of Southern California. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
2. "Glendale-Burbank Line". Electric Railway Heritage Association of Southern California. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
3. 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: Interurbans. pp. 13–19. ASIN B0007F8D84. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
4. "P. E. Subway Is Now Opened for Service". Los Angeles Times. December 1, 1925. p. 1.
5. "No.1061 Pacific Electric". Market Street Railway. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
6. "L.A. Subway Closes After Special Trolley Car Trip" (PDF). Los Angeles Times. June 20, 1955. p. 8. Retrieved 28 January 2021.

• "Venice Short Line". Electric Railway Heritage Association.
• "Tour the Glendale-Burbank Line". uncanny.net. Archived from the original on May 24, 2017.

External links

• Glendale-Burbank line pictures and documents via Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library and Archive, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority