This branch was originally constructed by a predecessor of the Santa Fe in the 1880s. At the time, it was believed that the Los Angeles Port would be constructed in the Santa Monica area. While a port and pier were constructed there, the "true" port was built further south, at San Pedro, in the 1890s. The lack of steady freight traffic caused the Santa Fe to lose interest in the line.
The Santa Fe abandoned this route in 1900, but before it was dismantled it was sold to the Los Angeles Pacific, which was merged into the Pacific Electric in 1911. This line never had much passenger service (discontinued in the 1920s) but it continued to serve produce warehouses and other small businesses until the 1960s.
Most of the rails remained in place until 1977 (it was SP by then). There were some modern girder bridges over the Ballona Creek and nearby storm channels, about midway along the route. A couple of wig-wags and faded "Pacific Electric" wooden crossbucks survived until then also, but all of these are now gone.
Today (2003), only the Marina Del Rey crossing and one or two other isolated segments remain.
The line served Inglewood, Mesmer, Alsace, Alla (diamond with another PE line), Machado, Ocean Park, and Santa Monica.
This view faces west at Ivy Street in Inglewood. The track heading off to the left is the BNSF (Santa Fe) Harbor Subdivision. The abandoned PE branched off to the right; the narrow road follows the right of way. Close clearance forces stop sign and crossing signal to the "wrong side" of the road.
BNSF ran over a dozen double-stack container trains a day until the Alameda Corridor opened in April 2002. This section is now almost dormant.
Photo from October 2003 courtesy Mike Palmer.
Lincoln Blvd. (Ca. Route 1) grade crossing at Marina Del Rey, facing northwest. Top photo was taken just beyond where Ryder truck appears in this photo. Other than this crossing most other rail segments are gone.
Photo from October 2003 courtesy Mike Palmer.
^^ Lincoln Blvd./Marina Del Rey facing northwest. Compare to photo below.
Photo from August 1978 courtesy Mike Palmer.
