The Monrovia–Glendora Line was a route on the

Pacific Electric Railway The Pacific Electric Railway Company, nicknamed the Red Cars, was a privately owned mass transit system in Southern California consisting of electrically powered streetcars, interurban cars, and buses and was the largest electric railway system ...

serving the San Gabriel Valley. It operated from 1902 to 1951, supporting nearby real estate development.

History

The route was established in 1902. Passenger service at

Monrovia Monrovia () is the capital city of the West African country of Liberia. Founded in 1822, it is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic coast and as of the 2008 census had 1,010,970 residents, home to 29% of Liberia’s total population. As th ...

began on March 1, 1903. The extension to Glendora followed in December 1907. The Los Angeles terminal was moved to the elevated viaduct at Main Street Station after February 11, 1917. A proposed extension of the line from Glendora to Lone Hill was denied by the Railroad Commission of the State of California in March 1918, citing wartime conditions. Special runs to

Santa Anita Race Track Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...

were offered during race days beginning in 1934. Cars were rerouted over the new Aliso Street Bridge on July 18, 1943. The last cars ran over the line in the early hours of September 30, 1951 — the final passenger run to operate over PE's Northern District.

Route

From the 6th and Main Terminal in Downtown Los Angeles, the Monrovia–Glendora Line ran on the

Upland–San Bernardino Line The Upland–San Bernardino Line was an interurban line operated by the Pacific Electric Railway between Downtown Los Angeles and San Bernardino, California. This line also had shorter service that terminated before the end of the line at Bald ...

to "Valley Junction" (near Marengo Street, west of Sota Street) where the San Bernardino Line continued east. From there, the dual tracks continued on private way, in a northeasterly direction, paralleling Soto Street on the west, crossing over Valley Boulevard and the Southern Pacific Railroad Mainline on a steel bridge and continuing northerly to reach Indian Village (in the vicinity of Soto Street and Multnomah Street). Here, a four track system began. A mile or so further north, the four tracks crossed over Mission Road on a concrete viaduct, and then continued northwesterly on private way between the dual roadways of

Huntington Drive Huntington Drive is a major thoroughfare that begins in the Rose Hills community in Los Angeles, California and heads east/northeast to Irwindale, California. The street was named after railroad magnate Henry Huntington. It also served as one ...

. At Sierra Vista (Main Street and Huntington Drive) the

Alhambra–San Gabriel Line The Alhambra–San Gabriel Line was a Pacific Electric interurban line which traveled between Los Angeles and Temple City. History The line was built by the Los Angeles & Pasadena Electric Railway starting in October 1901; it was the first st ...

branched easterly from the four track section and proceeded on Main Street, while the Monrovia–Glendora Line continued north and then east still between dual roadways on Huntington Drive, to Oneonta Park (Huntington Drive and Fair Oaks Avenue). Here, the

Pasadena Short Line The Pasadena Short Line was a passenger railway line of the Pacific Electric Railway. It ran between Downtown Los Angeles and Downtown Pasadena, California, through Eastside Los Angeles along the foot of the eastern San Rafael Hills to the west ...

turned north on Fair Oaks Avenue. The line then continued on a four track system as far as "El Molino" (El Molino Street) where the system returned to dual trackage. It continued northeasterly still between the dual roadways of Huntington Drive, passed Oak Knoll Avenue, (where the Oak Knoll Line proceeded north into Pasadena), and in a mile or so passed what is now known as

Sierra Madre Boulevard Sierra Madre Boulevard is a long road connecting five suburbs of Pasadena, California; Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Hastings Ranch, East Pasadena, and San Marino. For the most part, it is a winding road divided by a grassy median, but the part be ...

(where the local

Sierra Madre Line The Sierra Madre Line was a Pacific Electric interurban route which ran from the Pacific Electric Building in Los Angeles to Sierra Madre. History The line opened to Pasadena Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, nor ...

turned north) in

San Marino San Marino (, ), officially the Republic of San Marino ( it, Repubblica di San Marino; ), also known as the Most Serene Republic of San Marino ( it, Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino, links=no), is the fifth-smallest country in the world an ...

Proceeding east, the Monrovia–Glendora Line passed southerly of

Santa Anita Racetrack Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...

and continued northeasterly on private way to St. Joseph Street in

Arcadia Arcadia may refer to: Places Australia * Arcadia, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney * Arcadia, Queensland * Arcadia, Victoria Greece * Arcadia (region), a region in the central Peloponnese * Arcadia (regional unit), a modern administrative un ...

. The line ran in the pavement of St. Joseph Street from Santa Anita across the

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison, Kansas, Atchison and Top ...

Mainline to 2nd Avenue. The Arcadia train station was the route's San Gabriel Valley transfer point for ATSF passenger trains. It then went on private way as far as Olive Avenue at Monterey Avenue in

. The line then continued in the pavement of Olive Avenue as far as Shamrock Avenue. From Shamrock Avenue, the dual tracks on private way, followed along Olive Avenue and Royal Oaks Avenue to Las Lomas Road where they then traversed open land to the San Gabriel River. The river was crossed on a two track bridge, which was later reduced to single track after 1938. The line then continued across open land into

Azusa Azusa may refer to: Relating to California From a Native American language, likely Tongva language, Tongva ''Asuksagna:'' *Azusa, California, a city in the United States *Azusa Pacific University, a Christian-based institution in Azusa, California ...

and entered city streets at 9th Street and Angelino Avenue. The dual tracks reduced to single track on private way at 9th Street and Pasadena Avenue. Thereafter, the line proceeded east, north of Foothill Boulevard on private way to its terminus in Glendora at Glendora Avenue.

Stations

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Monrovia-Glendora Line Pacific Electric routes San Gabriel Valley History of Los Angeles County, California Light rail in California Arcadia, California Azusa, California Glendora, California Monrovia, California San Marino, California 1902 establishments in California 1951 disestablishments in California Railway lines closed in 1951 Closed railway lines in the United States