This was the Santa Fe's single track bridge over the Los Angeles River. It was torn down shortly after the line was abandoned in the 1990s, and replaced with a cement bridge wide enough for two tracks for the light rail system. Photo from 1981 courtesy Mike Palmer.
This signal remains in the median of I-210 near Baldwin Ave. in Arcadia, 10 years after the trains stopped running here.. Photo from January 2004 courtesy Mike Palmer.
This line was built by a predecessor of the Santa Fe in the late 1800s.
It was part of the "passenger main line" (Second District) between
Los Angeles and San Bernardino, via Pasadena, until the late 1960s. At
that time, I-210 was built a few blocks north of the right of way through Pasadena,
and the main line relocated to the median of the I-210 freeway. The original
main line left behind by the 1960s freeway relocation became a spur, joining
the "new" mainline at a flyunder junction in the freeway median [photo
below]. This spur served lumber yards and small businesses in East Pasadena
and Lamanda Park, but it was abandoned in the 1980s. The Santa Fe routed
most of its freight through Fullerton; the line through Pasadena was used for
passenger trains and a few piggyback trains and locals. The portion between
Los Angeles and Pasadena is scenic and winding, but not really suitable for
fast freight. Amtrak ran both the Southwest Chief and Desert Wind over
this line, but relocated the Desert Wind to the Fullerton Line in 1986.
When Santa Fe abandoned the route between Los Angeles and Arcadia in 1994, Amtrak
rerouted the Southwest Chief through Fullerton also. Except for a short re-routed
section near Union Station and Chinatown, this former Santa Fe line re-opened
as the MTA Gold Line Light Rail service in July 2003. The Arroyo Seco
bridge, mid way between Los Angeles and Pasadena, was retained and double-tracked.
This photo shows an ATSF freight train on the descending stub line (former main line) in the median of I-210. Seen from the window of the eastbound Amtrak Desert Wind, in summer 1981. Photo courtesy of Mike Palmer.
This is the right of way of the "original" main line that became a stub in the 1960s. This view faces east near Walnut and Foothill in Pasadena, as of January 2004.Photo courtesy of Mike Palmer.
This view is facing generally north in Pasadena in July 1982. The "boxcars" at left are maintenance-of-way cars. At right is the freight depot. (The passenger station is out of the photo to the left). Photo courtesy of Mike Palmer.
This view shows Amtrak's westbound Desert Wind heading out onto the Arroyo Seco bridge in Spring 1986. Less that a month later, this train switched to the Santa Fe route via Fullerton. After the line was abandoned, the Santa Fe sign was largely covered with graffiti. The bridge is now double-track for light rail, painted all gray, but at least it is graffiti-free! Photo courtesy of Mike Palmer.