Upland–San Bernardino Line
{{Short description|Pacific Electric streetcar route (1914–1950)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{About|the historical interurban railway|the modern commuter rail|San Bernardino Line}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name = Upland–San Bernardino
| image = File:Electric railway journal (1916) (14572983748).jpg
| image_width = 300px
| color = {{rcr|Pacific Electric|Upland–San Bernardino}}
| caption = A San Bernardino Line interurban train, 1916
| type = Interurban
| system = Pacific Electric
| locale = Southern California
| start = Pacific Electric Building
| end = San Bernardino, California
minor terminals at Baldwin Park, Covina, and San Dimas
| stations =
| routes =
| daily_ridership =
| open = July 11, 1914 (full line)
| close = March 28, 1947 (past Baldwin Park)
October 15, 1950 (final)
| owner = Southern Pacific Railroad
| operator = Pacific Electric
| stock =
| linelength = {{convert|57.78|mi|abbr=on}}
| tracklength =
| tracks = 1–4
| gauge = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}
| electrification = {{1,200 V DC|conductor=overhead}}
{{600 V DC|conductor=overhead}}
| speed =
| elevation =
| map_state = collapsed
| map = {{PE E Upland-San Bernardino}}
}}
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 Baldwin Park, Covina, and San Dimas. Though service along this line in its entirety was discontinued in November 1941, it stands as the fourth-longest rapid transit line in American history,{{cn|date=September 2020}} after the Sacramento Northern Railway's Chico and Colusa services, and the Pacific Electric's own Riverside–Rialto Line.
History
Pacific Electric trains reached Covina in 1907{{Cite news |date=July 1, 1907 |title=Pacific Electric Line to Covina is Opened |page=7 |work=Los Angeles Evening Express |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94911364/ |access-date=14 February 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}{{harvnb|Crump|1977|p=87}} and San Dimas on October 26, 1910 as the {{visible anchor|San Dimas Line}}.{{harvnb|Crump|1977|p=100}} The route between Pomona and Upland was constructed by the Ontario and San Antonio Heights Railroad Company, which was acquired by Pacific Electric in 1912.{{sfn|Hilton|Due|1960|p=410}} Trains began running from the Pacific Electric Building to Pomona starting on August 31, 1912 as the {{visible anchor|Pomona Line}}.{{cite news |title=Interurban Line Open To Pomona |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-express-interurban-l/146406611/ |access-date=1 May 2024 |newspaper=Los Angeles Evening Express |via=Newspapers.com |date=August 31, 1912 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=3}} {{free access}} Finally on July 11, 1914 service to San Bernardino was commenced,{{Cite news |last=Blackstock |first=Joe |date=7 July 2014 |title=Pacific Electric rail system connected Inland Empire with coast |agency=Inland Valley Daily Bulletin |url=https://www.dailybulletin.com/2014/07/07/pacific-electric-rail-system-connected-inland-empire-with-coast/ |access-date=12 September 2020}}{{Harvnb|Veysey|1958|p=66}}{{Cite news |last=Landis |first=Mark |date=7 July 2014 |title=The Great Silver Spike Celebration marked a new link with L.A. |agency=The San Bernardino Sun |url=https://www.sbsun.com/2014/07/07/the-great-silver-spike-celebration-marked-a-new-link-with-la/ |access-date=7 February 2021}} providing interchanges with the San Bernardino Valley Traction Company. Pacific Electric spent $1,424,000 (${{format price|{{inflation|US|1424000|1914}} }} in {{inflation year|US}} adjusted for inflation) to bring service to San Bernardino. A cutoff bypassing Pomona was completed on November 4, 1914.{{Cite web |title=San Bernardino Line |url=http://erha.org/pensb.htm |access-date=11 September 2020 |publisher=Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California}} A branch line to Azusa was built in 1917,{{Cite news |last=Castrejon |first=Aaron |date=March 4, 2016 |title=BLAST FROM THE PAST: Electric Rail Has Deep Roots In SoCal |agency=Glendora City News |url=https://glendoracitynews.com/2016/03/04/blast-from-past-electric-rail-has-deep-roots-in-socal/ |access-date=8 February 2021}} though the commencement of San Bernardino trains relegated other endpoints to secondary status along the line. The San Dimas Line was relegated almost entirely to shuttle service between Lone Hill after July 11, 1914, though some through-service to Los Angeles remained until 1916. Passenger trips to San Dimas was discontinued by July 3, 1924, though tracks were retained for farm freight.{{Harvnb|Veysey|1958|p=69}}
In November 1920, two named trains were introduced on the line: the Citrus Belt Limited which traveled east in the afternoon and the Angel City Limited which made the reverse journey in the afternoon. Two more limited named trains were added in 1930: the Orange Empire Limited and Metropolitan Limited. (Pacific Electric only ran six named trains over its history, with five of them being on the San Bernardino Line.) All named trains were discontinued in 1931 along with other cuts made in response to decreased patronage due to the Great Depression.
Through service to Redlands was discontinued in 1936, while Pomona and San Bernardino trains began operating independently the following year (they had predominantly operated connected and split at Lordsburg this time). Most passenger service was truncated to Baldwin Park on November 1, 1941.{{cite news |title=Last P.E. Electric Car Leaves Pomona |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/progress-bulletin-last-pe-train/86041037/ |access-date=25 October 2024 |newspaper=Progress-Bulletin |via=Newspapers.com |date=November 3, 1941 |location=Pomona, California |page=9}} {{free access}}{{Harvnb|Veysey|1958|p=67}} Rush hour trains continued to serve Covina, and were even rerouted onto new tracks east of Baldwin Park obtained from the Southern Pacific in 1946. In 1947 all passenger trips were cut back to Baldwin Park. Unscheduled troop trains ran in World War II, though these trips were not open to civilians.{{Harvnb|Veysey|1958|p=68}} On October 15, 1950, the {{visible anchor|Baldwin Park Line}} service was abandoned.{{Harvnb|Veysey|1958|p=53}} Even after closure, the line remained popular with railfanning groups — the last passenger excursion under electric power on the line ran on August 25, 1951.
=After passenger service=
File:Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail, Fontana.jpg for part of its length.]]
{{Pacific Electric Trail}}
The Huntington Drive tracks were abandoned after September 15, 1951. Freight trains were converted to diesel operations a few months later in October. It took several weeks to convert the trolley-activated DC crossing signals to low voltage track circuit operation suitable for non-electrified trains.
The western portion of the right-of-way was partially integrated into the San Bernardino Freeway. Metrolink San Bernardino Line trains utilize the same section in the freeway's median strip; this locomotive-hauled commuter rail service began in 1992. Between the cities of Claremont and Rialto, the line was converted to a rail trail: the Pacific Electric Trail.{{Cite news |last=Blackstock |first=Joe |date=January 20, 2014 |title=Etiwanda to celebrate 100 years of its Pacific Electric station |agency=Inland Valley Daily Bulletin |url=https://www.dailybulletin.com/2014/01/20/etiwanda-to-celebrate-100-years-of-its-pacific-electric-station/ |access-date=7 February 2021}}
Route
Originating from the 6th and Main Street station in Downtown Los Angeles, the San Bernardino Line exited to the east via an elevated structure over downtown streets to reach San Pedro Street at grade. The dual-tracks, running in the pavement of the city streets, proceeded north on San Pedro Street, east on Aliso Street (past its connection to Union Station) to cross the Los Angeles River and Mission Road on the Aliso Street Viaduct.
Directly east of Mission Road the tracks entered a private right of way which ran easterly and then northerly under the Brooklyn Avenue (Macy Street) Bridge. Paralleling Ramona Boulevard (since obliterated by construction of the Interstate 10 Freeway), the line continued northerly, past the Macy Carhouse, to Enchandia Junction, where the South Pasadena Line branched north. From the junction, the tracks headed easterly, still paralleling Ramona Boulevard on the right, through the State Street Yard to Valley Junction, where the Pasadena Short Line and Monrovia–Glendora Lines also branched to the north. From Valley Junction (Soto Street and Interstate 10 Freeway), the dual tracks on private way continued east along Ramona Boulevard, through City Terrace, Monterey Park, Alhambra, San Gabriel, and Rosemead to Baldwin Avenue in El Monte.
From that point, the line proceeded east on private way to cross the Rio Hondo on a single track steel girder bridge. The line then returned to dual tracks and continued east, still on private way paralleling Ramona Boulevard, crossing Valley Boulevard and Peck Road to reach the east city limits of El Monte at the San Gabriel River. Again, the line reduced to single track to cross the river on a long wood-pile bridge before returning to dual tracks on the east bank.
From the San Gabriel River, the line continued east, on private way paralleling Ramona Boulevard, to Badillo Street in Baldwin Park. Continuing, the double tracks ran along Badillo Street as far as Grand Avenue in Covina.
At Grand Avenue, the line became single track and ran on private way along the north side of Badillo Street as far as Banna Avenue in Covina. Here, the line turned in a northeasterly direction and ran on private way (intermittently paved by Ruddock Street, Badillo Street and Stratford Lane {{as of|1981|lc=y}}). At Stratford Lane and Lone Hill Avenue (San Dimas Junction) the main line turned and proceeded east toward Pomona while a branch line continued on private way northeasterly into San Dimas on a single track. The main line continued on private way east from Lone Hill passing streets such as Cataract Avenue and Walnut Avenue and, turning gently southeast by Puddingstone Channel, proceeded parallel to Orange Street as far as E Street in Pomona. At E Street, a Pomona local branch line branched south and continued on private way. This diversion from the nearly continuous straight track to the east and west was the result of ranchers and farmers in Alta Vista donating right of way and funding to build the track further north.
The San Bernardino Line continued east, on single track on private way, paralleling the Santa Fe Railway north of Arrow Highway, and passing Towne Avenue and Indian Hill Boulevard in Claremont. Then turning northeasterly the line proceeded to Benson Avenue in Upland where it turned east again to run between Arrow Highway and 9th street. At 13th Avenue, a northeasterly course took the line to Alta Lorna, along private way, as far as Grande street and Archibald Avenue. Proceeding east from Alta Lorna in open country north of Base-line Road, the line passed Etiwanda Avenue and then turned southeasterly at East Etiwanda Creek into Fontana. It turned east again at Citrus Avenue in Fontana and proceeded north of Arrow Route Boulevard, paralleling it through Rialto toward San Bernardino. The line entered San Bernardino in the pavement of Rialto Avenue and proceeded east to a point between "E" and "F" Streets. Here, the San Bernardino Line turned north to follow a private way to its terminus at the joint Pacific Electric and Southern Pacific station on 3rd Street.
=List of major stations=
File:Pacific Electric depot, Rialto.jpg, 2008]]
File:PE Etiwanda Depot 6.JPG was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 21, 2011]]
File:Lordsburg Pacific Electric station (00013185).jpg
File:Pacific Electric Building and station.jpg elevated concourse]]
| class="wikitable"
! Station ! Major connections ! Service began ! Service ended ! City |
| bgcolor = #{{rcr|Pacific Electric}}
|colspan = "6"| |
| San Bernardino
| 57.78 | Arrowhead, Colton, Redlands, San Bernardino–Riverside | 1914 | 1940 | rowspan=1 | San Bernardino |
| Rialto
| 53.18 | 1914 | 1940 | rowspan=1 | Rialto |
| Fontana
| 49.44 | | 1914 | 1940 | |
| Etiwanda
|43.98 | 1914 | 1940 | rowspan=1 | Etiwanda |
| Upland
| 35.95 | 1914 | 1940 | rowspan=2 | Upland |
| Upland–Euclid Ave.
| | Riverside–Rialto, Upland–Ontario, Upland–San Antonio Heights | 1914 | 1940 |
| Claremont
| 32.59 | Pomona–Claremont, Riverside–Rialto, Upland–Ontario | 1914 | 1940 | rowspan=1 | Claremont |
| North Pomona
| 30.06 | | 1912 | 1940 | |
| La Verne
| 29.03 | | 1912 | 1940 | |
| San Dimas (SP)
| 26.58 | Pomona, Riverside–Rialto | 1910 | 1940 | rowspan=1 | San Dimas |
| Covina
| 22.03 | 1907 | 1947 | rowspan=1 | Covina |
| Baldwin Park
| 17.84 | | 1907 | | |
| El Monte
| 13.36 | 1907 | 1950 | rowspan=1 | El Monte |
| Wilmar
| 9.77 | | 1907 | |
| Garfield Avenue
| 8.41 | | 1907 | | |
| Covina Junction
| 3.37 | Alhambra–San Gabriel, Monrovia–Glendora, Mount Lowe, Pasadena Short Line, Pasadena via Oak Knoll, Pomona, Riverside–Rialto, Sierra Madre | 1902 | 1951 | rowspan=3 | Los Angeles |
| Echandia Junction
| | Alhambra–San Gabriel, Annandale, Monrovia–Glendora, Mount Lowe, Pasadena Short Line, Pasadena via Oak Knoll, Pomona, Riverside–Rialto, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena Local | 1895 | 1951 |
| Pacific Electric Building
| 0.0 | Alhambra–San Gabriel, Annandale, Balboa, Fullerton, Hawthorne–El Segundo, La Habra–Yorba Linda, Long Beach, Monrovia–Glendora, Mount Lowe, Pasadena Short Line, Pasadena via Oak Knoll, Pomona, Riverside–Rialto, San Pedro via Dominguez, San Pedro via Gardena, Santa Ana, Santa Monica Air Line, Sierra Madre, Soldiers' Home, South Pasadena Local, Whittier | 1905 | 1961 |
| bgcolor = #{{rcr|Pacific Electric}}
|colspan = "6"| |
Infrastructure
The line operated a unique railway electrification system among Pacific Electric routes: overhead line was primarily electrified with a 1,200-volt direct current system developed by General Electric.{{sfn|Hilton|Due|1960|pp=62–63}} Within town and city limits, the line shared tracks with local streetcars and utilized more traditional 600 volt power.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z2zJAZFt8zcC |title=Central Electric Light and Power Stations and Street and Electric Railways with Summary of the Electrical Industries |date=1915 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |page=406 |access-date=7 February 2021}}{{harvnb|Crump|1977|p=100}} Electrical substations providing high voltage power were located at Campbell Avenue, Baldwin Park, Baldy View, Etiwanda, and San Bernardino.{{Cite magazine |last=Anderson |first=S. H. |date=October 10, 1926 |title=Automatic Substations on P. E. System |url=http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/employeenews/PE_Mag_1926_Oct_10.pdf |publisher=Pacific Electric Railway |volume=11 |pages=3–4 |access-date=7 February 2021 |magazine=Pacific Electric Magazine |number=5}}
Rolling stock
By 1916 the line was utilizing 1200 class rolling stock, with the 25 cars constructed by the Pressed Steel Car Company.{{cite journal |journal=Electric Railway Journal |date=September 30, 1916 |title=Steel Cars First for Safety and Traffic Promotion |url=https://archive.org/details/electricrailway481916newy/page/241/mode/1up?view=theater}} The class number referred to the high voltage at which cars could operate,{{sfn|Hilton|Due|1960|p=63}} though these cars also ran unmodified on the lower voltages in denser areas.
References
{{Free-content attribution|
| title = 1981 Inventory of Pacific Electric Routes
| author = Los Angeles - District 7 - Public Transportation Branch
| publisher = California Department of Transportation
| source= Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
| documentURL = http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/pacificelectric/1981-caltrans-inventory-of-routes.pdf
| License statement URL = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:PD-CAGov
| license = the public domain as a work of the State of California.
}}
{{clear right}}
{{reflist}}
=Bibliography=
{{refbegin}}
- {{Cite book |last=Crump |first=Spencer |title=Ride the big red cars: How trolleys helped build southern California |publisher=Trans-Anglo Books |year=1977 |isbn=0-87046-047-1 |oclc=3414090}}
- {{Hilton-Interurban}}
- {{Veysey-PE-1958}}
{{refend}}
{{Pacific Electric Railway}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Upland-San Bernardino Line}}
Category:Pacific Electric routes
Category:History of Los Angeles County, California
Category:History of San Bernardino County, California
Category:History of San Bernardino, California
Category:Claremont, California
Category:Railway services introduced in 1914
Category:Railway services discontinued in 1941
Category:1914 establishments in California
Category:1941 disestablishments in California