Lamanda Park Line

Lamanda Park
Pasadena Electric car running along Colorado Street, 1903
Overview
Owner	Colorado Street Railway (1886–1894) Pasadena and Los Angeles Electric Railway (1894–1902) Pasadena Electric (1902–1911) Southern Pacific Railroad (1911–1941)
Locale	Southern California
Termini	Downtown Pasadena, California Lamanda Park, Pasadena, California
Stations	3 (plus additional stops)
Service
Type	Streetcar
System	Pacific Electric
Operator(s)	Pacific Electric (1911–1941)
Rolling stock	Birney 300 Class (last used)
History
Opened	November 9, 1886 (1886-11-09)
Closed	January 19, 1941 (1941-01-19)
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Old gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrification	Overhead line, 600 V DC
Route map Lamanda Park Colorado and San Gabriel Colorado and Altadena Sierra Madre Lamanda Park Junction Colorado and Craig Colorado and San Marino Colorado and Allen Colorado and Bonnie Colorado and Marion Colorado and Harkness Colorado and Hill Colorado and Michigan Colorado and Wilson Colorado and Catalina Colorado and Mentor North Lake Pasadena via Oak Knoll Colorado and Lake Colorado and Hudson Colorado and Oak Knoll Colorado and El Molino Colorado and Madison Colorado and Oakland Colorado and Los Robles Colorado and Euclid Colorado and Garfield Colorado and Marengo Colorado and Arroyo Santa Fe RR Colorado and Raymond Pasadena Pasadena Short Line North Orange Grove multiple lines   This diagram: view talk edit

The Lamanda Park Line, also known as the Colorado Street Line, was a local streetcar line in Pasadena, California. For most of its operational history, Pacific Electric Railway streetcars ran over the line with service ending in 1941.

History

The original 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) horsecar line was established by the Colorado Street Railway on November 9, 1886.[1] Along with other Pasadena horsecar lines, it was purchased by the Pasadena and Los Angeles Electric Railway in 1894 and electrified.[2] Pasadena Electric succeeded the Pasadena and Los Angeles in 1902 and was converted to standard gauge the following year.[2] The line was extended from Hill Avenue to Lamanda Park on March 1, 1904.[3][4]

A horsecar (left of center) runs on Colorado near the intersection of Oakland Avenue, 1890.

The Pasadena Electric was absorbed into the Pacific Electric in 1911 under terms of the Great Merger.[2] In March 1936, the tracks east of Lamanda Park Junction were abandoned. The final local car ran over the line early in the morning of January 19, 1941,[5] but a portion of the route would continue to see Pasadena via Oak Knoll Line trains until 1950.[5][6] The service was sold to Pasadena City Lines, a subsidiary of National City Lines, which ran buses over the route.[2]

Route

The line operated on Colorado Boulevard between Daisy Avenue and the Pasadena Pacific Electric station on Fair Oaks Drive. Services throughout the line's life were through routed to other Pasadena local lines or terminated in Downtown Pasadena. Running along the route of the Tournament of Roses Parade caused annual operational issues on New Year's Day, usually resulting in rail replacement bus services.[5]

List of major stops

Station	Major connections	Date opened	Date closed	City
Pasadena	East California, East Orange Grove, East Washington, Lincoln, Mount Lowe, North Fair Oaks, North Lake, Pasadena Short Line, Pasadena via Oak Knoll, South Pasadena Local, West California, West Colorado and Orange Grove	1895	1951	Pasadena
Lamanda Park Junction	Sierra Madre	1902	1941
Lamanda Park		1902	1936

References

1. "Our Neighbors". Los Angeles Times. November 10, 1886. p. 2. Retrieved February 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Pasadena Local Lines". Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
3. "The Pacific Electric Railway..." Press-Telegram. January 16, 1903. p. 5. Retrieved December 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Briefs of news". The Los Angeles Times. March 1, 1904. p. 19. Retrieved December 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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. 45–46. ASIN B0007F8D84. OCLC 6565577.
6. "New Bus Lines Start Today". The Pasadena Post. Pasadena, California. January 19, 1941. p. 15. Retrieved December 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.