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Re: West LA Train Station - Depot without tracks for 70 years
Author: Jacques
Date: 10-16-2009 - 11:55
Freericks Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jacques Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> >
> > Up until the Wilshire Blvd Interchange of the
> 405
> > was built, the line that paralled Sepulveda
> > crossed Wilshire and went maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile
> > north to some sort of station (probably freight
> > only). As a part of the construction, a new
> metal
> > freight shed was built just south of the south
> 405
> > ramp bridge across Sepulveda. That stub line
> > remained (although mostly or entirely unused)
> > until the entire line north of Pico was torn up.
>
> > The metal freight shed remained until quite a
> bit
> > later, however.
>
>
> I don't ever recall the metal freight shed, but
> that doesn't really indicate much, because when I
> moved here in 1984 I was in my non-railfanning
> period (huge railfan in the 1970s, huge one now,
> but no so much then). There's a good chance I
> wouldn't have noticed it. I rememeber tracks
> along Sepulveda as far as Santa Monica Blvd, but
> nothing north of there (I think there's still one
> grade crossing to this day actually).
>
> That line was built by the Los Angeles &
> Independence, right?
>
> The line that came into the Soldiers Home from the
> west was built by the Los Angeles Pacific, I
> believe.
>
> Now, here's my big question, going up to
> Exchequer's post, are we now certain that this
> depot was originally from the LA&I line (later
> SP)? In the PE book it's shown as being on the
> LAPry line. It's so small, I'm guess moving it
> from one to thet other wouldn't be very hard to
> do.
After looking at aerials, I'm convinced that this is the Soldier's Home station on the Soldier's Home Branch off the Santa Monica Air Line (and in it's original location). The mileage from Talamantes is about right. I believe that the branch came up Sepulveda and then went west in the vicinity of Constitution Avenue to the station. The line may have connected to the San Vicente (Westgate) Line but I don't know about passenger service on the connection. Certainly, passenger service to this station continued until 1953 via Sepulveda and service on the San Vicente line ended in 1940.
Some confusion may arise because of the history of this line. It was actually built by the SP in 1877 just after they acquired the LA&I. It was leased to LAP in 1908 and electrified and then (in 1911) the Great Merger brought all these lines to the PE.
The metal freight shed was probably gone by 1984. I lived in the area when the 405 was being constructed and remember it as a new building then. I moved out of the area in 1970 so I saw it only very sporadically after that and I cannot say when it was taken down. I have to say that I NEVER saw a car spotted there.
I believe it was built as one of several concessions to the VA for the taking of their land by the freeway. (Others were the Bonsall (Sawtelle Blvd) overcrossing on Wilshire and the relocation of San Vicente Blvd along Federal Ave to Wilshire.)
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jacques Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> >
> > Up until the Wilshire Blvd Interchange of the
> 405
> > was built, the line that paralled Sepulveda
> > crossed Wilshire and went maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile
> > north to some sort of station (probably freight
> > only). As a part of the construction, a new
> metal
> > freight shed was built just south of the south
> 405
> > ramp bridge across Sepulveda. That stub line
> > remained (although mostly or entirely unused)
> > until the entire line north of Pico was torn up.
>
> > The metal freight shed remained until quite a
> bit
> > later, however.
>
>
> I don't ever recall the metal freight shed, but
> that doesn't really indicate much, because when I
> moved here in 1984 I was in my non-railfanning
> period (huge railfan in the 1970s, huge one now,
> but no so much then). There's a good chance I
> wouldn't have noticed it. I rememeber tracks
> along Sepulveda as far as Santa Monica Blvd, but
> nothing north of there (I think there's still one
> grade crossing to this day actually).
>
> That line was built by the Los Angeles &
> Independence, right?
>
> The line that came into the Soldiers Home from the
> west was built by the Los Angeles Pacific, I
> believe.
>
> Now, here's my big question, going up to
> Exchequer's post, are we now certain that this
> depot was originally from the LA&I line (later
> SP)? In the PE book it's shown as being on the
> LAPry line. It's so small, I'm guess moving it
> from one to thet other wouldn't be very hard to
> do.
After looking at aerials, I'm convinced that this is the Soldier's Home station on the Soldier's Home Branch off the Santa Monica Air Line (and in it's original location). The mileage from Talamantes is about right. I believe that the branch came up Sepulveda and then went west in the vicinity of Constitution Avenue to the station. The line may have connected to the San Vicente (Westgate) Line but I don't know about passenger service on the connection. Certainly, passenger service to this station continued until 1953 via Sepulveda and service on the San Vicente line ended in 1940.
Some confusion may arise because of the history of this line. It was actually built by the SP in 1877 just after they acquired the LA&I. It was leased to LAP in 1908 and electrified and then (in 1911) the Great Merger brought all these lines to the PE.
The metal freight shed was probably gone by 1984. I lived in the area when the 405 was being constructed and remember it as a new building then. I moved out of the area in 1970 so I saw it only very sporadically after that and I cannot say when it was taken down. I have to say that I NEVER saw a car spotted there.
I believe it was built as one of several concessions to the VA for the taking of their land by the freeway. (Others were the Bonsall (Sawtelle Blvd) overcrossing on Wilshire and the relocation of San Vicente Blvd along Federal Ave to Wilshire.)
