HISTORY: The W. 16th Street Line extended from Hill Street Station to Vineyard, a distance of 5.48 miles. Trackage on Hill Street from the Hill Street Station to 8th Street and on W. 16th Street(Venice Boulevard.) from Georgia Street to Burlington Avenue was built in 1896 by the Los Angeles Traction Company (3'-6" gauge); trackage on Hill Street from 8th to 16th Streets and on W. 16th Street from Hill Street to Georgia and from Burlington to Vineyard was built in 1897 by the Pasadena & Pacific Railway Co., a predecessor of LAP(also 3'6" gauge). In 1908 this line was standard gauged by LAP, with the 3'-6" third rail being continued for use by Los Angeles Railway's W. Adams Street Line; combination gauge trackage on the West included Hill Street from Temple to W. 16th Street, W. 16th Street from Hill Street to Burlington, and W. 6th Street from Olive to Figueroa.
PE took over operation of this line in 1911 and operated it until conversion to motor coach operation on October l, 1950.
OPERATION: This line performed local service from Hill Street Station to Vineyard, relieving interurban trains from performing this task. Previous to 1912, interurban cars had performed this service, cars of the Santa Monica via Sawtelle Line and Redondo via Del Rey Line being required to make local stops. During 1912 a comprehensive, independent local service was established. As of January 6, 1913, there was 7 minute service on this line, through-routed with Echo Park Avenue cars.
On October 25, 1916, this line was separated from the Echo Park Avenue Line and became through-routed with the Hollywood Boulevard via Hill Street Line.
As of April 1, 1922, headways were 8 minutes in the morning rush, ten minute base, 6 minutes in evening rush, 10 minutes evenings, and 12 minutes on Sundays. The last car left Hill Street Station at 12:05 AM.
As of January, 1932, headways were 7 minutes in the morning rush, 10 minute base, up to 5 minutes in evening rush, and 15 minutes nights and Sundays.
On January 18, 1932, night and Sunday service only was separated from the Hollywood Boulevard Line and through-routed with the Echo Park Avenue Line.
Effective October 1, 1932, rush hour service was in addition through-routed with the Western-Franklin Avenue Line; this ended in 1935.
On September 18, 1938, all service was again through-routed with the Hollywood Boulevard Line.
Night service on this line was entirely discontinued on January 8, 1939; the last car left 5th & Hill Streets at 6:45 PM, with Venice Short Line and Santa Monica via Sawtelle trains performing local service after that hour. On June 22, 1939, Sunday service on this line was similarly discontinued.
On July 7, 1940, this line was extended from Vineyard via trackage of the abandoned Santa Monica via Sawtelle Line to San Vicente Boulevard & Genesee Street, with night and Sunday service reestablished. A 10 minute base headway was established to Vineyard, 20 minute service to the new terminus, with rush hour service continuing to Genesee on a 10 minute headway. Nights and Sundays a 30 minute headway prevailed to Genesee; at these times a 15 minute headway was provided to Vineyard, but alternate cars were Venice Short Line trains making local stops.
On April 18, 1943, as a war measure, the VSL trains ceased performing local work except nights and Sundays. All base hour service was performed by independent local cars on a 10 minute headway to Vineyard and 20 to Genesee, with rush hour headways about 7 minutes in the morning and 5 in the evening to Genesee. Nights and Sunday VSL trains performed local service east of Vineyard, with a local shuttle car, (of the 100 class), running from Genesee to Vineyard on a 20 minute headway.
On September 17, 1950, the VSL was converted to motor coach operation, but the rail shuttle service to Genesee Street ran from Vineyard to the terminus until October 1, 1950 when it, too, was abandoned with no replacement.
EQUIPMENT:
1911-1922: 100s, 200s, 400s
1922-1950: 600s(rebuilt into 5050, one-man, and a shuttle car, 100
TRACK: From Hill Street Station to Second Avenue, track was 128-lb girder rail laid on treated ties with concrete and asphalt pavement. From 2nd Avenue to 7th Avenue, rail was 75-lb t-rail, laid on redwood ties with gravel ballast. From 7th Avenue to Victoria Avenue track was again 128-lb girder rail on treated ties with asphalt pavement. From there to terminus, 75-lb T-rail with redwood ties and gravel ballast were used.
ELECTRICAL FACILITIES: Power for this line came from two substations: Vineyard and Burlington.
FREIGHT: None east of Vineyard except box motors and RPO cars.
MISCELLANEOUS: Cars used on this line were stored at Vineyard, 34 cars; Hill Street Station, 17 cars; and West Hollywood, 190 cars.
Combination gauge trackage was maintained as follows under Joint Track Agreements between Los Angeles Railway and PE: Hill Street from Temple Street to north portal of tunnel, Hill Street from south portal to 4th Street, Hill Street at entrance to Hill Street Station, Hill Street from 9th Street to Venice Boulevard, Venice Boulevard from Hill to Georgia---maintained by PE. Hill Street from 4th to 9th Streets and Venice Boulevard from Georgia to Burlington---maintained by LARy.
Automatic block signals were located between Genesee Street & San Vicente Boulevard and Virginia Road.
Outbound local cars at Berendo Street and inbound local cars at 3rd Avenue were required to head into siding and permit limited cars to pass when such cars were in sight. All members of local crew were held equally responsible for failure to comply.
Outbound track switch at Vineyard was kept lined for Venice Short Line.
In addition to observance of block signal rules, all trains approaching Vineyard were required to be under control and could not exceed 15 mph during last 100 feet before reaching the junction fouling point.
This line always suffered from heavy competition from Los Angeles Railway lines; on Pico Boulevard there was the excellent line 'P' with very frequent service and PCC cars after 1937; on Venice Boulevard itself, there was Line 'A' from Burlington Avenue downtown; and on Washington Boulevard, Line 'W' drained off yet more potential patrons. And to top it all, LARy consistently offered lower fares.
MILEAGE:
| Genesee & San Vicente: | 0.00 |
| Vineyard: | 1.81 |
| 11th & Hill Streets: | 6.35 |
| Hill Street Station: | 7.29 |
| Bonnie Brae Street: | 9.95 |
| Hollywood Junction: | 11.54 |
| Gardner Street: | 16.01 |
| Fairfax Avenue: | 16.71 |
| West Hollywood: | 18.06 |
| Beverly Hills: | 19.50 |