Railway to Heaven

Angels Flight

The Angels Flight railway is the shortest of its kind in the world

By Erik Jay

The two-car funicular connects the California Plaza above with Hill Street below.

When Angels Flight Railway first went into service in 1901, it was a way for the residents of Bunker Hill Victorians to get down to the hustle and bustle of Broadway, Hill and Spring Streets. In 2010, the traffic runs both directions. On top of the hill is the arts and financial district of Bunker Hill, with its museums and music venues, investment bankers and entrepreneurs. The two-car funicular connects the California Plaza above with Hill Street below, gateway to the condos, lofts, restaurants and art district of the revivified Broadway area.

The World's Shortest Railway runs just under 300 feet, and just reopened for business on March 15th of this year. It was a happy day for both old-timers and new fans of the Angels Flight Railway, as new generations of Los Angelenos will now come to know and love it, too. The line's fascinating history stretches back over a century, and is one of the many Downtown L.A. treasures that so many locals know far too little about. This new column on the history of Downtown L.A. seeks to remedy that situation.

The Angels Flight Railway ran from its founding in 1901 until 1969. Due to the vicissitudes of city politics and rising maintenance costs, it devolved from a beautiful example of the Gilded Age to something of a wreck. In 1969 it was decommissioned and put into storage. Preservationists, history and rail buffs, and Downtown boosters formed the Angels Flight Railway Foundation and restored the line in 1996. However, the years had taken their toll on the drive and control systems, so the line closed again in 2001.

Angels Flight Railway was out of service from that point until its reopening on March 15th, as extensive repairs were made and wholly new control and drive systems were installed, including ultra-safe redundant brake mechanisms. The California Public Utilities Commission authorized the line to begin passenger service once again, promising funicular fun today and in the future. Still, it's the Angels Flight Railway's past that so many locals recall with unmasked affection.

Lydia Padovani is an L.A. native, born and bred. She rode the Railway for the first time in 1951, as a four-year old, and came to know it well through the 1950s. "Going Downtown was a real treat, and sometimes included a ride on the Angel's Flight," she recalls. "As a child, it seemed so steep it was scary. I often fantasized that it was taking my mother and me to heaven. Why else would it be named Angeles Flight?" A day's outing might include lunch at Clifton's Café, the five and dime or some spot on Olvera Street, but "Clifton's was my favorite," Lydia recalls, "because it was sort of mysterious with its dark atmosphere and low lights."

Claudia Holloway is another native Angeleno from the same generation, and has vivid memories of the Angels Flight. "I remember those great Victorian homes up top," she says, "and one very strong memory is the smell of mustard." Mustard? It turns out there were some famous hot dogs in Bunker Hill, but Claudia can't remember exactly where. For her part, Lydia recalls that the five and dime "had really good hot dogs," but as Claudia says, "there were so many things going on there, so many stores and street musicians and everything, that it's no wonder a child's memory is a bit mixed up." One thing that is very clear from listening to Lydia and Claudia, however, is that they remember the Angels Flight with true affection. Both smiled broadly and sighed as they shared their recollections.

At the March 15th press conference announcing the line's reopening, Dennis R. Luna, chairman of the Angels Flight Railway Foundation, commented on "the outpouring of support to put Angels Flight back in service. Those who again are riding Angels Flight … owe their thanks to institutions like the Ahmanson Foundation, Maguire Properties, the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation and the California Cultural and Historical Endowment."

John H. Welbourne, the Railway's president, also spoke at the press conference, advising the public that there may be some "fine-tuning" to maximize the new drive and control system's efficiency. "We apologize in advance in case there are some short service interruptions during the first several weeks." This caveat has done nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of Railway fans, both new and old. The Angels Flight is up and running, bringing back the aura of a bygone age and connecting L.A. residents to a storied and beloved part of our city's rich heritage.

Angels Flight Railway runs 365 days a year, from 6:45 am to 10 pm. The fare is 25 cents, and the Foundation vows to keep it there as long as possible. For more information visit www.angelsflight.org.

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