J (Los Angeles Railway)
{{about|a historical rail line in Los Angeles|the modern bus rapid transit service|J Line (Los Angeles Metro)}}
{{one source|date=September 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox rail line
|name = J
|logo = Logo Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority.svg
|color = 597d73
|image =
|type = Streetcar
|system = Los Angeles Railway
Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority
|locale = Los Angeles, Vernon, Huntington Park, and Walnut Park
|start = Jefferson Boulevard and 10th Avenue
|end = Seville Avenue and Palm Place
|stations = 82
|routes =
| daily_ridership =
|open = 1920
|close = {{End date|1963|03|31}}
|owner = Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority
|operator =
|character =
|stock =
|linelength =
|tracklength =
| tracks =
|gauge = {{RailGauge|3ft6in|lk=on}}
| electrification = {{600 V DC|conductor=overhead}}
|speed =
|elevation =
|map = {{LARY J}}
}}
J was a streetcar line in Los Angeles, California. It was operated by the Los Angeles Railway from 1911 to 1945, by Los Angeles Transit Lines from 1945 to 1958, and by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority from 1958 to 1963.
History
=Huntington Line (1895–1911)=
The Huntington Line was one of the original routes of the Los Angeles Railway. From Downtown, it branched off the Pico Line at 1st and Santa Fe. From there, it followed a route south on Santa Fe Avenue, a private right-of-way, Mateo Street, 9th Street, Santa Fe Avenue, Pacific Boulevard, Florence Avenue, and Seville Avenue to Walnut Park, with an additional branch down Santa Fe to Slauson Avenue. After 1911, a shuttle route continued to run on Mateo Street, but the remainder of the route now entered Downtown Los Angeles via 7th Street.{{cite web| url=http://erha.org/lary_j.htm| website=Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California| title='J'|access-date=19 September 2020}}
=Jefferson Line (1898–1911)=
The Jefferson Line was built by the Los Angeles Traction Company, and ran as a meager shuttle route on West Jefferson Boulevard between 4th Avenue and Wesley Avenue (present-day University Avenue) at the University of Southern California, where there were two transfer points for the Los Angeles Railway's University Line. The route was maintained by the Los Angeles Interurban Railway, then the Pacific Electric Railway, who operated the local route until the Great Merger of 1911. From that point on, the Jefferson Line was integrated into the Huntington Line and extended west to 9th Avenue.
=J Line (1911–1963)=
In 1921, the route became known as "J."{{cite web |title=May 1: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History |url=https://metroprimaryresources.info/this-date-in-los-angeles-transportation-history/may/may-1/ |website=Metro Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library and Archive |publisher=Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority |access-date=16 February 2022 |quote=1921: Large letter signs indicating the routes of different lines are placed on top of Los Angeles Railway streetcars.}}{{cite newsletter |title=Cars To Have Letter Signs |url=http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/employeenews/Two_Bells_1921_May02.pdf |access-date=16 February 2022 |newspaper=Two Bells |publisher=Los Angeles Railway |date=May 2, 1921 |page=1 |volume=1 |number=48}} The line ran from Jefferson and 9th in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Los Angeles,{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Jim |title=Los Angeles Railway Yellow Cars |date=2007 |publisher=Arcadia Pub |isbn=9781531629410 |page=104}} to Seville and Santa Ana Streets in Walnut Park. Cars operated by way of West Jefferson Boulevard, South Grand Avenue, 7th Street, Mateo Street, East Olympic Boulevard, South Santa Fe Avenue, Pacific Boulevard, East Florence Avenue, and Seville Avenue.{{cite map |url=https://www.raremaps.com/gallery/detail/50176/route-map-los-angeles-railway-electric-car-and-bus-routes-los-angeles-railway-corp |title=Route Map Los Angeles Railway Electric Car and Bus Routes |date=1938 |author=H.P. Noordwal |publisher=Los Angeles Railway |website=Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc.}} {{cite map |url=https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/xlarge/50176.jpg |title=Alternate link |website=via Google}} Early on, a short-lived branch line was run east on Jefferson to San Pedro. The line was extended at both ends to new balloon loops in 1939: one at 10th Street and the Palm Place loop.
The service was transferred to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1958. In 1962, due to a paving project, rail service east of Seventh and San Pedro was rerouted with a deviation and aligned with the S line south on San Pedro and Avalon, thence left on Vernon through the Jazz District aligned with the V line to Santa Fe Avenue and Pacific Boulevard until service ceased on March 31, 1963.{{cite web |title=March 31: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History |url=https://metroprimaryresources.info/this-date-in-los-angeles-transportation-history/march/march-31/ |website=Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library and Archive |publisher=Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority |access-date=16 February 2021}}{{citation |date=December 23, 1962 |title=LAMTA schedule |publisher=Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority}} This line contributed to the success of Huntington Park's Pacific Boulevard business district for many years.
Sources
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.pacificelectric.org/category/los-angeles-railway/j-line/ J Line Archives] — Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society
- {{cite web| url=http://erha.org/lary.htm| website=Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California| title=Los Angeles Railway}}
{{Los Angeles Railway}}
Category:Los Angeles Railway routes
Category:Railway lines opened in 1920
Category:Railway lines closed in 1963