Angel's Flight Series

Picture # 5 of my "Angel's Flight" series (please see previous 4 posts!)

"The Shortest Railway in the World"

Built in 1901 as the Los Angeles Incline Railway, it operated for 68 years with a good safety record.

The railway was closed in 1969 when the Bunker Hill area underwent a total redevelopment which transformed it from a declining community of mostly transients and working-class families renting rooms in run-down buildings to a modern mixed-use district of high-rise commercial buildings and modern apartment complexes. All the components of Angels Flight were placed in storage in anticipation of the railway's restoration and reopening.

After 27 years in storage, the funicular was rebuilt and reopened in 1996 a half block south of the original site.

Angels Flight was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 13, 2000.

On February 1, 2001, Angels Flight suffered a serious accident that killed passenger Leon Praport, 83, and injured seven others, including Praport's wife, Lola. The accident occurred when the car approaching the upper station reversed direction and accelerated downhill in an uncontrolled fashion to strike near the lower terminus.

Several reopening dates have been announced, but none have come to pass. In early 2008, the railway president indicated that the railway would open soon.

On November 1, 2008 both of the repaired and restored Angels Flight cars were put back on their tracks (hence my picture) and, on 16 January 2009, testing began on the railway, however Angels Flight has not yet reopened to the public.

More information and historical pictures:

http://www.westworld.com/~elson/larail/angelsflight.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_Flight