Pacific Electric Pomona Local Lines

Introduction:
W POMONA LOCAL LINES The thriving city of Pomona was founded in 1875, and soon grew large enough to support street railways. At one time in the early days, five street car lines operated there; The Second Street Line, The Orange Avenue Line and the Pomona Street Railway Company. The first four lines were operated by horses, but the last was spectacular; on it operated by "North Pomona Flier", a stream dummy combining passenger car and locomotive in one vehicle---it went huffing and puffing down the street, billowing clouds of smoke and steam, visual evidence to the awe inspired citizenry that the machine age had arrived. The "North Pomona Flier" operated from Garey Ave. & Bertie St., Pomona, north along Garey Avenue, Orange Grove Avenue, Hiwasse St., Laurel St. to Railroad St., then went west to a point opposite the Santa Fe Station in North Pomona. It operated continuously from November or December, 1887 to November, 1907. During 1895 the SP acquired control and operated it until operation ceased. SP then sold the line to PE(except the real estate it owned), giving PE its first entry into Pomona. PE tore up the old rail on Garey Ave. and put down an electric railway constructed of 70-lb. steel rails. PE did retain enough PSRy real estate to furnish a site for its substation at Garey & Bertie streets. PE at once began the development of its Pomona city lines, doing the work through the PE Land Company. This work was performed from 1 October 1907 to 15 September 1911. When completed, the Pomona city lines aggregated to 10.43 miles of equivalent single track, 0.06 mile spurs and sidings. Trackage in Pomona was laid as follows: Garey Avenue, 4th to Walnut: Tracks laid December, 1907 Walnut St. to Park Ave.: " " December, 1909 West Holt Ave.: " " December, 1907 East Holt Ave.: " " June, 1909 West Second St.: " " March, 1910 S. Garey & E Fifth St.: " " September, 1910 S. Garey & Franklin Ave.: " " August, 1910 Ganesha Park Line: " " December, 1909 GAREY & PARK AVE. LINE: From Palomares St. & Franklin Ave.(Pomona Valley Cemetery), west on Franklin Ave. to Garey Avenue, north on Garey Ave. to Holt Avenue, west on Holt to Huntington Boulevard., north on Huntington to Ganesha Park, thru the Park to Walnut & Garey, south on Garey to Holt, then to starting point, Palomares & Franklin. Operation: As of 1 February 1924, car left end of W. Second at 6:40 AM, then every forty minutes until 6:00 PM; then car left Franklin & Garey at 7:30 PM and hourly until 10:30 PM. From Ganesha Park, car left at 6:00 AM and every 40 minutes until 6:40 PM; then 7:15 PM and every 30 minutes until 10:45 PM with 15-minute car running via Holt Avenue, 45-minute car running via N. Garey. W. SECOND & PARK AVE. LINE: Route: From W. Second & Oak St., via Second to Garey, north on Garey to Park Junction., west through Ganesha Park to Huntington, south on Huntington to Holt, east on Holt to Garey, south on Garey to starting point, the end of W. Second St. Operation: As of 1 February 1924, car left end of W. Second at 6:40 AM, then every forty minutes until 6:00 PM, returning; car left Ganesha Park at 7:00 AM every forty minutes until 5:40 PM, then 6:20 PM car to Third & Garey only; later service furnished by Garey & Park Ave. cars alternating(see above). HOLT & E. FIFTH ST. LINE: Route: From E. Fifth and County Line(the 1900 block), west on Fifth to Garey, north on Garey to Holt, east on Holt to Reservoir Ave.(Garfield Park). Operation: As of 1 February. 1924, car left end of E. Holt Ave. at 6:20 AM, then every forty minutes until 8:30 PM; then 9:10 PM, 9:40 and 10:20 PM, Returning, car left end of E. fifth St. at 6:00 AM, then every forty minutes until 10:00 PM; then 10:40 PM to Third & Garey only. MISCELLANY: PE's original substation in Pomona was located at 1st & Garey Ave.; in October, 1910, the output of this substation was doubled; two years later it was abandoned, its equipment taken into Los Angeles, and a new substation erected at North Pomona. Pomona was never given a station commensurate with its size; the two-block-long yard at Fifth & Garey had a corrugated iron shed in former years, but it disappeared about 1922. Although PE announced as early as 1912, it would build a station building there, it never came to pass. A passenger shelter was built at Walnut St. The E. Fifth St. line was intended to be PE's direct route to Ontario and was built with heavy(90 lb.) rail for this reason. In April 1912 PE acquired the Ontario & San Antonio Heights Railway; its round-about route thereafter became unassailable. Pomona was somewhat unique in the matter of car types used. The O&SA used its wooden California cars on Garey Avenue, with the putting of Pomona local lines into the Riverside Division in 1911, Pomona was assigned a number of old Riverside cars. Birneys came in 1918 but gave way to the 170 Class steel center-entrance locals; these put in more time at Pomona than anywhere else on PE, with all eight being assigned to Pomona area from 1920 to 1926, with two or three staying until final abandonment of the Claremont Line. Working out of Pomona was the San Dimas shuttle car, running between Lone Hill(San Dimas Junction.) and the San Dimas PE Station. This was a 170, due to 1200 volts in the trolley wire. abandonment: Patronage fell off seriously on these lines after World War I. In early 1924, PE applied for permission to abandon all of them, but it was refused. Late in 1924, PE reapplied, and this time had its way. On 1 October 1924, all Pomona local lines were abandoned; tracks were removed in 1925. Operation:

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