A Visit to Angels Flight

The sign outside Los Angeles Union Station.

On the day known as Carmageddon, we drove down I-5 to the Los Angeles area. Traffic proved to be fairly light. We visited relatives, then took the Gold Line with them to Los Angeles Union Station. Amtrack and Metro light and heavy rail trains serve the station.

Union Station, which opened in 1939, was one of the last union stations built in the United States.

An empty hall in Los Angeles Union Station.

A busy hall in Los Angeles Union Station.

We took a nice walk around downtown, where I was able to take photos of some of the streets that once had cable cars, including Second Street, Temple Street and Broadway.

Temple and Spring Streets, where the Temple Street Cable Railway crossed the horse-powered Spring and Sixth Street Railroad.

Third and Hill, the original location of Angels Flight. The funicular climbed the hill to the left of the tunnel portal.

We wound up at Fourth and Hill, the current location of Angels Flight, which had been created at Third and Hill by Colonel JW Eddy in 1901. In 1969, the city redeveloped Bunker Hill and dismantled Angels Flight, promising to restore it one day. In 1996, it reopened half a block away, on Hill between Third and Fourth. It ran on a regular basis until 2001, when a car ran away and a passenger was killed. The line reopened, with improved safety features, in 2010.

Looking at the entry gate from the lower door of car Olivet.

At the top of the line, looking out the lower door of car Olivet.

I was looking forward to riding the line in July, 2011, when news reports in June said that the California Public Utilities Commission had ordered the line be shut down because of excessive wear on the wheel flanges. Fortunately, the line returned to service on 07-July-2011.

Olivet at the top of the line.

We rode to the top, took a look around, and rode back down. The two cars were in beatiful condition inside and out. The ride was rough through the passing loop.

A sign at the top station reminds riders that the two-bit fare does not cover operating expenses. I put something in the collection box.

A plaque at the top station tells visitors that Angels Flight "has carried more passengers per mile than any other railway in the world". Note the apostrophe, which is not correct.

A sign at the top station lists major donors to the Angels Flight (TM) Railway Foundation. They are classed as: Guardian Angels Seraphim Cherubim Archangels Angels

The upper station and winding house, where riders pay after going up or before going down.

A notice at the upper station shows examples of tickets and describes fares as of 01-July-1996: One-way: $0.25 Commuter Ticket Books: - 5 rides: $1.00 - 40 rides: $7.50 Special souvenir round-trip tickets: $0.50

The Angels Flight sign on a car at the upper station.

Olivet goes up while Sinai goes down. Note that the entire line in on trestles.

A closer view of Olivet as it approaches the upper station. A girl on the car was shouting "We're gong to die! We're going to die!"

The entry/exit gate at the upper station. Note the "Please Wait. Cars Running Now" sign.

My daughter thought the ride was awfully short and that I had over-hyped it when I described it to her. My wife said it reminded her of the Giant Camera at the Cliff House in San Francisco, a piece of history that is kept in excellent condition by those who maintain it. She felt it was authentic.

Looking up the tracks from the bottom. The rollers that support the cable make a nice spinning noise.

Passengers board Sinai at the bottom station.

Looking through the arch at the bottom station. Sinai is going up and Olivet is going down.

The sign on top of arch at the bottom station.

Angels Flight from across Hill Street. The first of a series.

Angels Flight from across Hill Street. The second of a series.

Angels Flight from across Hill Street. The third of a series. August, 2011 Picture of the Month.

Angels Flight from across Hill Street. The fourth of a series.

Angels Flight from across Hill Street. The fifth of a series.

Angels Flight from across Hill Street. The series as an animated gif, courtesy of gifka.com.

Here we look down from car Olivet as it climbs the hill. Car Sinai heads down to the bottom. Click arrow button to play video. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

Here we look down from the top as car Sinai heads down and car Olivet climbs up. I don't know why the cars stopped twice. Click arrow button to play video. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

I noticed going through the passing loop that the ride was very rough. I wonder if this was the cause of the excessive flange wear.

Here we look up from car Sinai as it goes down the hill. Car Olivet heads up to the top. I got to sit on the seat on the outside of the car at the upper end. Click arrow button to play video. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

Here we look up from the bottom as car Sinai climbs up and car Olivet heads down. Click arrow button to play video. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

We walked back to the Plaza and had a nice lunch at the old winery on Olvera Street. We took the Gold Line back to Pasadena.

The old Plaza church, La Iglesia de Nuestra Seņora la Reina de Los Angeles, founded in 1814. I like the paint job on the auto.

The old Plaza firehouse, built in 1884.

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