San Pedro via Gardena Line

San Pedro via Gardena (also known as San Pedro via Torrance) was an interurban line of the Pacific Electric Railway. This was the railway's original route to San Pedro. The line was essential in the establishment of light industry in Torrance. The route closely paralleled the present-day Harbor Transitway.

San Pedro via Gardena
The Pacific Electric Railroad Bridge in Torrance as seen in 2013
Overview
Owner	Southern Pacific Railroad
Locale	Los Angeles, and the South Bay
Termini	Downtown Los Angeles San Pedro, California
Stations	37
Service
Type	Light rail
System	Pacific Electric
Operator(s)	Pacific Electric
Rolling stock	PE 1200 Class (last used)
Daily ridership	101,461 (last count)
History
Opened	January 1903
Closed	January 15, 1940
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Old gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrification	Overhead lines
Route map Pacific Electric Building to Northern Division  J   R   S   J   S  to Sierra Vista–Watts & South Pasadena Local Amoco Vernon Avenue  V  Slauson Junction to Whittier, Fullerton Fleming Florencito Park Florence Nadeau Graham Latin Watts multiple lines Centralia South Park Avenue Main Street South Los Angeles (Forest)  7  Hawthorne–El Segundo Athens Delphi 143rd Street Redondo via Gardena Delta West Athens Amestoy Euclid Avenue Rosecrans Blackburn Redondo via Gardena Strawberry Park Gardena Hermosillo Redondo via Gardena Oliver Compton Creek Southmoyd McKinley La Jota (Humphreys) Funston Dolanco El Prado Bridge Torrance Plaza del Amo Ocean Avenue Cuerna Joughins Weston Street Harbor City Bixby (Hilldale) McDonald Long Beach–San Pedro Wilmington Road San Pedro via Dominguez San Pedro

History

Built by the Los Angeles Interurban Railway starting in 1901, the first trains traveled to San Pedro in January 1903.

Pacific Electric assumed control of the railroad in 1911; they operated a service requiring a transfer between the standard and narrow gauge systems at Delta Junction.[1] The route was converted to standard gauge (with some cutoffs made), and began operations on March 19, 1912.[2]

Cars initially ran between Delta and San Pedro, but through service to Los Angeles via the Watts Line was established by 1921. This supplanted the need for the Torrance via Athens service, which was discontinued.[1]

Commencement of the San Pedro via Dominguez Line had steadily eroded ridership on the line. Through service north of Hermosillo was discontinued February 26, 1939 and service to San Pedro was heavily curtailed. The line south of Torrance was reduced to a single round trip to Harbor City in 1939, and passenger service was fully discontinued the following January.[1] Freight operations on the line continued until 1965.

List of major stations

Station	Major Connections	Date Opened	Date Closed	City
San Pedro via Gardena
Pacific Electric Building	Alhambra–San Gabriel, Annandale, Balboa, Fullerton, Hawthorne–El Segundo, 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, 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, Hawthorne–El Segundo, La Habra–Yorba Linda, Long Beach, Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Dominguez, Santa Ana, Santa Monica Air Line, Soldiers' Home, Whittier	1902	1961
Slauson Junction	Balboa, Fullerton, Hawthorne–El Segundo, La Habra–Yorba Linda, Long Beach, Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Dominguez, Santa Ana, Whittier	1902	1961
Watts	Balboa, Hawthorne–El Segundo, Long Beach, Redondo Beach via Gardena, San Pedro via Dominguez, Santa Ana	1902	1961
Forest	Hawthorne–El Segundo, Redondo Beach via Gardena Los Angeles Railway 7	1903	1940
Delta	Hawthorne–El Segundo	1903	1940
Gardena	Redondo Beach via Gardena	1903	1940	Gardena
Dolanco		1903	1940	Carson
Torrance		1903	1940	Torrance
San Pedro	La Rambla, Long Beach–San Pedro, Point Fermin, San Pedro via Dominguez	1902	1961	San Pedro

References

1. 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. 73, 74. ASIN B0007F8D84. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
2. "San Pedro via Torrance Line". Electric Railway Historical Society of Southern California. Retrieved 20 January 2021.