Westgate Line

{{short description|Pacific Electric streetcar line (1906–1940)}}

{{Infobox rail line

|name = Westgate

|image = File:West Los Angeles Streetcar Depot on the grounds of the Sawtelle Veterans Home.jpg

|image_width = 300px

|color = {{rcr|Pacific Electric|Westgate}}

|type = Interurban

|system = Pacific Electric

|locale = Los Angeles

|start = Pacific Electric Building

|end = Santa Monica, California

|stations = 18

|routes =

|ridership2 = 263,017 (1926)

|open = 1906

|close = {{end date|1940|11|18}}

|owner = Southern Pacific Railroad

|operator = Pacific Electric

|character =

|stock =

|linelength =

|tracklength =

|tracks =

|gauge = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}

|old_gauge = narrow gauge

|electrification = {{600 V DC|conductor=overhead}}

|speed =

|elevation =

|map = {{PE W Westgate}}

}}

The Westgate Line was a suburban route operated by the Pacific Electric Railway from 1911 to 1940. This line was one of four lines connecting Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica that did not run through Hollywood. The line is notable for taking a circuitous route towards its end, along San Vicente Boulevard, mainly because it was built to encourage construction of new homes near Pacific Palisades.

Many riders were veterans and employees of the Soldiers' Home, Sawtelle, stopping at the Streetcar Depot, West Los Angeles.

History

The electrified line was built and operated by the Los Angeles Pacific Railroad, opened in 1906 with narrow gauge rails.{{cite book |first=Joseph P. |last=Schwieterman |title=When the Railroad Leaves Town |place=Kirksville, MO |publisher=Truman State University Press |date=2004 |pages=75–79 |isbn=9781931112130}} On March 19, 1906, an agreement was reached to sell all the Los Angeles Pacific Railroad lines to Henry Huntington’s Pacific Electric Railway for $6 million (equivalent to ${{format price|{{Inflation|US|6000000|1906}} }} in {{Inflation/year|US}}).{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} The line was converted to standard gauge in early 1908.{{cite news |title=Notable feat sharply done |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106451298/ |access-date=28 July 2022 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |via=Newspapers.com |date=1 April 1908 |page=23}}{{cite web |url=http://www.erha.org/peww.htm |website=Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California |title=Westgate Line}}

Service was reduced to a single franchise car by July 1, 1940, with full abandonment following on November 18.{{Veysey-PE-1958 |pages=80, 82}}

Route

The Westgate Line followed the Sawtelle Line as far as Sawtelle. From Sawtelle (Santa Monica Boulevard between Purdue and Butler Avenues) the Westgate Line branched northwesterly into an unimproved private way. Dual tracks ran in the center of the private way, across Ohio Avenue, and then along the westerly edge of the U.S. Government Soldier's Home property to a location near Rochester and Butler Avenues.

Here the dual rails entered the grounds of the Soldier's Home and continued north-westerly on private way, across Wilshire Boulevard to enter another section of unimproved private way in the center of San Vicente Boulevard.

The dual tracks followed San Vicente Boulevard, between twin roadways, in a sweeping curve to the west, crossing out of the Soldier's Home property at Bringham Avenue. Continuing in the center of San Vicente Boulevard,{{cite news |last1=Nathan Masters |first1=Nathan |title=Many L.A. Boulevards Began as Trolley Lines |url=https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/many-l-a-boulevards-began-as-trolley-lines |access-date=7 February 2021 |publisher=KCET |date=21 February 2014}} the rails ran west crossing Barrington and Montana Avenues, and Bundy Drive to reach the Santa Monica city limit at 26th Street. Once into Santa Monica the dual tracks, still on private way between twin roadways, ran approximately {{convert|2|mi}} southwesterly, across the various numbered streets of Santa Monica, to Ocean Avenue. The dual tracks then ran southeasterly in the pavement of Ocean Avenue, crossing the major intersections of Montana Avenue, Wilshire Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard to reach the terminus of the line, one block farther south at Broadway.