Pacific Electric Belmont Tunnel Portal (Los Angeles, California)

USA / California / Vernon / Los Angeles, California
 tunnel, interesting place, metro station
In service from 30 November 1925 to 19 June 1955.
The idea for a subway system in Los Angeles was dreamed up by railroad man E.H. Harriman in 1907. He wanted a four track subway running west to Vermont Avenue, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and elsewhere. The dream was not pursued until 1922, when the city and the then current stronghold of public transit, Pacific Electric, began to seriously consider the efficiency and necessity of transporting passengers via rail below the increasingly congested city streets.
By 1924 plans were drawn for a one mile stretch of double-track to run underground from downtown to First Street & Glendale Boulevard, which became known as the Hollywood-Glendale-Valley Subway, although was often just called the "Hollywood Subway." (And yes, you'd be right in noting that the subway itself didn't actually travel through Hollywood, Glendale, or the Valley, but rather gave those three lines a joint way into Downtown.) From its tumultuous planning stages, to its construction and subsequent ridership, to its demise in partnership with the ultimate collapse of Pacific Electric's transit system, the story of the 1925 "Hollywood Subway" is a part of LA's history.
It was announced in 1955 that the subway tunnel would cease operation at 1:40 a.m. on Sunday, the 19th of June, which was "when the last regularly scheduled car of the Glendale-Burbank line [would leave] the Subway Terminal Building" and "the last car to arrive through the subway [would] be at 1:20 a.m." ("Streetcar"). The destination sign on the last train out read "To Oblivion."

Northern end of LA's first subway tunnel.
Originally used by Pacific Electric trolleys on their way from Downtown LA to Glendale 1920s-1950s.
Abandoned as old streetcar system was dismantled in mid-20th century.
Site of lots of graffiti, but soon to be blocked by construction of apartment complex on adjacent lot.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont_Tunnel
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   34°3'36"N   118°15'33"W

Comments

  • For interesting perspective on the Belmont Tunnel from someone who grew up above it, check out a website Railroad History of Cora Angier Sowa (sorry-can't access the website address with this window open). Lots of photos of tunnel operations, and others of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Southern California.
This article was last modified 16 years ago