[LosAngelesBoy]

Angels Flight is a landmark funicular railway in the Bunker Hill district of downtown Los Angeles, which claims to be the "shortest railway in the world". But since 2001 the famous landmark was to be closed down once more :(

Up to this day, Angels Flight has not opened to the public and we still might not have a clue to when this famous jewel of Los Angeles will once again keep the residents and tourist alike moving :)

This thread is for everyone to have the heads up and the scoop on Angels Flight. Share pictures, how to improve the site, make comments about renovations, and your own say on this beautiful piece of moving art we have in the middle of Downtown L.A. :yes:

http://www.you-are-here.com/victorian/angels_flight.jpg
Image provided by www.you-are-here.com/victorian/angels_flight.html

[DowntownCharlieBrown]

Here is an old one I found on the USC site. It is at 3rd and Clay. Does anyone know if Clay St. was deleted during the Bunker Hill Buldoze?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043/2650626402_3d654949f0_o.jpg

[StethJeff]

All I know is that every time I go to Grand Performances, I always say to myself "this would be 100x better if Angel's Flight were operating." Not only that, but every one else around me agrees. That train adds so much to downtown. Gut the railing and renovate it somehow if necessary, but keep it there and get it operating in whatever way possible.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

The Angels Flight will be significantly complemented by the new landscaping/benches that were recently installed at the bottom.

[LosAngelesBoy]

And I don't know if you guys have noticed (well who couldn't have) but on the left side of the Angels Flight site there is huge ugly sandbox and a grey wall. It is not at all appealing and distracts the whole setting of the area. Does anyone know what will become of that? Is that area a "park?".... Any plans on improving it? :shrug:

[LosAngelesBeauty]

^ That's what I was referring to in my previous post. They've added new landscaping and some seating. The concrete gray wall is still there, but I don't think it's that offensive. There are far more eye sores that need immediate addressing.

[sopas ej]

Here is an old one I found on the USC site. It is at 3rd and Clay. Does anyone know if Clay St. was deleted during the Bunker Hill Buldoze?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043/2650626402_3d654949f0_o.jpg

Yes, Clay St. no longer exists, it was removed when Bunker Hill was lobotomized. Angels Flight used to go right over Clay Street, and of course Angels Flight used to be adjacent to the 3rd Street tunnel, it's now half a block south of its original location.

These are from the LAPL website; it's interesting seeing the evolution (or devolution) of Bunker Hill...

Third and Hill Streets in:

1903
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008585.jpg

1930
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008549.jpg

1950
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008552.jpg

mid-1960s
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008548.jpg

1978
http://jpg2.lapl.org/spnb2/00017537.jpg

1986
http://jpg2.lapl.org/spnb2/00017538.jpg

[sopas ej]

And I don't know if you guys have noticed (well who couldn't have) but on the left side of the Angels Flight site there is huge ugly sandbox and a grey wall. It is not at all appealing and distracts the whole setting of the area. Does anyone know what will become of that? Is that area a "park?".... Any plans on improving it? :shrug:

As an aside to LosAngelesBeauty's response, that area was supposed to be the site of the third tower of California Plaza, the first one being completed in the mid-1980s, the 2nd one being completed in 1993. I don't know if it will ever be built.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

My favorite image out of those photos you posted sopas ej:

http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008549.jpg

[Carioca]

I was walking by about one month ago and spent 30 or 40 minutes talking to an engineer setting up the new drive system. He thought it would be up by summer's end. We'll see...

On another note, when it was on 3rd in the early 1900's the building just north of it housed a vegetarian restaurant! I had no idea they existed back then...

[sopas ej]

My favorite image out of those photos you posted sopas ej:

I like that pic too. That definitely was the heyday of downtown LA, when it was a vibrant city center!

[sopas ej]

I was walking by about one month ago and spent 30 or 40 minutes talking to an engineer setting up the new drive system. He thought it would be up by summer's end. We'll see...

Up and running by summer's end, maybe? That would be great. I rode Angel's Flight once, back in the late 90s.

On another note, when it was on 3rd in the early 1900's the building just north of it housed a vegetarian restaurant! I had no idea they existed back then...

I've seen a picture of that, it's on the LAPL website, here it is:

http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008586.jpg

The website doesn't give the date for this particular photo, but judging by the fashions, especially by the woman crossing the street in her hobble skirt, this photo must be circa 1910. A vegetarian restaurant, even back then... that's California for you!

[POLA]

wow, really depressing photos...

[Carioca]

I've seen a picture of that, it's on the LAPL website, here it is:

http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008586.jpg

The website doesn't give the date for this particular photo, but judging by the fashions, especially by the woman crossing the street in her hobble skirt, this photo must be circa 1910. A vegetarian restaurant, even back then... that's California for you!

That's a fantastic photo!!! The one I saw was cropped before the 'n' of vegetarian... I had surmised it was that or possibly an _italian_ vegetarian shop... :cool:

What it the 'LAPL' website?

[Carioca]

Up and running by summer's end, maybe? That would be great. I rode Angel's Flight once, back in the late 90s.


And, yes the entire drive system of Angels Flight has been modernized.
It looks to have a ton of headroom...
Sopas EJ, the original drive system was in it when you rode it last, wood brakes and all!
The little stations are all restored, it seems conceivable that it could be up and running soon. That having been said, it is INconceivable that it has been closed as long as it has.

By the was, your avatar is my old milk shake hangout... I miss it...

[LosAngelesBoy]

May anyone PLEASE take current pictures of the Angels Flight site. I wish I can can do it myself but I've move away from L.A :(

So that we may all see what have been the new restorations and improvements with the other old pics. Thanks

I cant wait to ride on it for the first time.... WoooHooo! :D

[ozone]

Why was it shut down in the first place?

I may be in the minority on this but I really do not see why many people would ever bother taking such a short ride or how they ever made any money on it. No offense to the previous poster but does it really add so much to downtown? Really? Is the view that great? Doesn't look like it. I'm healthy so I'd rather take the stairs. Maybe it would be a good pitch to reopen it in order to make the pathway ADA compliant.

[DowntownCharlieBrown]

^If you are able to, it is better to walk, but there are several reasons why others would take it:

It's cheap. I think it was a quarter last time it was open in the 90's.

Saves time. It can be faster than walking (if they are moving it quickly. It will slow them down if they sit and wait for the cars fill up).

Not dressed to walk the hill. Business people in suits that don'w want to sweat, or women that don't want to walk the hill in their shoes.

Can't walk it. Then there are those that would be out of breath, or just not healthy enough to walk the hill.


It really does two things.
1) It provides an additional travel option.
2) Preserves a bit of history.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Why was it shut down in the first place?

I may be in the minority on this but I really do not see why many people would ever bother taking such a short ride or how they ever made any money on it. No offense to the previous poster but does it really add so much to downtown? Really? Is the view that great? Doesn't look like it. I'm healthy so I'd rather take the stairs. Maybe it would be a good pitch to reopen it in order to make the pathway ADA compliant.


Yeah it actually does add a lot to downtown coming from a person who LIVES here (i.e., a LOCAL). Bunker Hill and the Historic Core at the bottom of the hill are separated by a steep grade that MOST people would not be clapping up and down to climb up to (healthy or not). The train is not only a nice touch that hearkens back to historic LA, but it makes people much more prone to go up and down the hill, which can definitely benefit the Historic Core by mixing in business people from up the hill.

[sopas ej]

That's a fantastic photo!!! The one I saw was cropped before the 'n' of vegetarian... I had surmised it was that or possibly an _italian_ vegetarian shop... :cool:

What it the 'LAPL' website?

It's the Los Angeles Public Library website: www.lapl.org. On the homepage, click on "Photo Collection." It's got a great photo database. You can even type in an address or street corner like "third and hill" and it'll come up with any photo archived as such. I'm a big SoCal history buff, so it's a great resource.

[sopas ej]

And, yes the entire drive system of Angels Flight has been modernized.
It looks to have a ton of headroom...
Sopas EJ, the original drive system was in it when you rode it last, wood brakes and all!

Hehe that's good to know! You would think that a new and safer drive system would've been in place by the time Angels Flight was reopened in the 90s.


The little stations are all restored, it seems conceivable that it could be up and running soon. That having been said, it is INconceivable that it has been closed as long as it has.

By the was, your avatar is my old milk shake hangout... I miss it...

I live a 3-block walk from the Fair Oaks Pharmacy. I love South Pas. :)

[Carioca]

It was closed in the early 90's (I think, my memory fails me...).
The single cable failed and one of the cars slid to the bottom, killing an elderly gentleman. The mechanism in use was the original from the turn of the century...
As LA Beauty said, it is an important artifact from the past, referred to in SO many novels and movies. If it has a home and we can make any use of it and keep a piece of LA history alive and well for future generations, we'd be insane not to. I'm in Manhattan at the moment and there is an appreciation of history here that has eluded Los Angeles for decades. I feel that with the redevelopment happening in downtown, we are turning the corner on that sad part of the LA psyche.
I live just below it and my bank and PO Box are at the top of the hill, I walk plenty but am looking forward to the option of not having to use the stair-master everyday... not to mention it looks cool and is fun having the worlds smallest railroad nearby.

[JDRCRASH]

Gawd, I am sick and tired of seeing delays after delays of the reopening of this Historic little Tram!!

REOPEN IT ALREADY!!!!:gaah: :gaah: :gaah: