Central Station (Los Angeles)

Former Southern Pacific train stop

For other places with the same name, see Central Station.

Los Angeles
Central Station

Exterior view of the Southern Pacific Depot, c. 1918

General information
Location| Fifth and Central
Los Angeles, California
United States
Coordinates| 34°02′32″N 118°14′22″W﻿ / ﻿34.0423°N 118.2394°W﻿ / 34.0423; -118.2394
Line(s)| Southern Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific
History
Opened| December 1, 1914 (1914-12-01)[1]
Closed| 1939 (passengers)[2]
August 22, 1956 (1956-08-22) (demolished)[1]
Services
| Preceding station  | Southern Pacific Railroad | Following station

|
|

River

toward San Francisco

|  | Coast Line |  | Terminus
Terminus |  | Sunset Route |  | Alhambra

toward New Orleans

| Los Angeles – San Pedro |  | Florence

toward San Pedro

Preceding station  | Union Pacific Railroad | Following station
Terminus |  | Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad |  | East Los Angeles

toward Salt Lake City

Preceding station  |  Pacific Electric | Following station
Terminus |  | Los Angeles SP–Pasadena SP

(until 1933)

|  | Aliso and San Pedro

toward Pasadena SP

6th and San Pedro

toward Richardson

|  | Edendale
Local

(until 1940)

|  | Terminus
Vermont

toward San Pedro

|  | Los Angeles SP–Long Beach–San Pedro

(until 1939)

Preceding station  | Los Angeles Railway | Following station
5th and San Pedro

toward Larchmont and Melrose

|  | 3 |  | Terminus
5th and San Pedro

toward Bonnie Brae and Beverly

|  | D |  | Central and 6th

toward Central and Slauson

5th and San Pedro

toward Vermont and Florence

|  | U |

Location

Central Station was the Southern Pacific Railroad's main passenger terminal in Los Angeles, California. It was formerly on Central Avenue at Fifth Street, in eastern Downtown Los Angeles. The primary hub for Southern Pacific's passenger operations in Southern California, it was served by the Sunset Limited, Coast Daylight, Golden State, and other named trains. The station replaced the company's previous Los Angeles terminal, Arcade Depot, and was often referred to by the name of the older facility.[3]

## History

[edit]

The Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) was the most used of the three mainline railroads that serviced Los Angeles in the early 20th century (the others being the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad and Santa Fe Railroad), though their main Arcade Depot had fallen into a state of disrepair by 1913.[4] Southern Pacific began investigating the replacement of the aging station as early as that year in anticipation of increased passenger numbers to the state as a result of hosting both the San Francisco Panama–Pacific International Exposition and San Diego Panama–California Exposition in 1915.[3]

Station platforms and tracks seen from the north

Passenger trains began operating at the station's new tracks on December 1, 1914.[1] The station building opened on May 2, 1915.[3] In 1918, just over 50% of all passenger traffic was provided via Southern Pacific and Central Station.[citation needed] The Union Pacific Railroad, which had its main Los Angeles train station (built 1891) damaged in a fire, began operating from the station in 1924.[3][1][5]

In addition to long-distance trains, the station was served by the two local electric railways. Pacific Electric Red Cars stopped at the station until 1950, calling at Ceres and Central on the west side of the building. Passengers could get cars to Sierra Vista, Pasadena, Edendale,[6] Long Beach and San Pedro.[2] By 1938, the Los Angeles Railway Yellow streetcar lines D, U, and 3 stopped in front of the building on Central Avenue.[7][8]

In 1926 voters in Los Angeles voted 51% to 49% to build a union station. All long-distance passenger services were transferred to the new Los Angeles Union Station upon that building's completion in 1939.[2] Pacific Electric cars continued to run here until September 1940 when trips were rerouted to the Subway Terminal Building.[2]

The Central Station was demolished on August 22, 1956.[1]

## Design

[edit]

The station was designed by the firm of Messrs, Parkinson & Bergstrom. Features which governed its design included:[9]

* Pedestrian and track grade separation
* Separation of incoming and outgoing passengers
* Amenities for waiting passengers
* Adequate baggage facilities
* An efficient and convenient train ticket office
* A centralized information bureau
* Additional operational facilities including a power plant, kitchen and dining room, office, private car yards, etc.

1921 Los Angeles real estate map

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Nathan Masters (January 17, 2013). "Lost Train Depots of Los Angeles". Socal Focus. KCET. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
2. ^ a b c d Veysey, Laurence R. (June 1958). A History Of The Rail Passenger Service Operated By The Pacific Electric Railway Company Since 1911 And By Its Successors Since 1953 (PDF). LACMTA (Report). Los Angeles, California: Interurbans. pp. 11, 84, 85. ASIN B0007F8D84. OCLC 6565577.
3. ^ a b c d Musicant, Marlyn, ed. (2014). Los Angeles Union Station. Getty Publishing. pp. 13–16, 30. ISBN 9781606063248.
4. ^ "Mayor Rose Asks Council to Act on S.P. Depot". Los Angeles Express. Los Angeles, California. November 7, 1913. p. 20. Retrieved July 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ Reiring, Ron (July 24, 2012), "Los Angeles, CA Union Pacific train station", Flickr, retrieved May 8, 2019
6. ^ Wood, J. Henry (1907). Security Map And Street Railway Guide of the City of Los Angeles and Vicinity with Map of Beaches and nearby Points of Interest (Map). Los Angeles, California: Security Savings Bank. Retrieved September 4, 2021 – via David Rumsey Historical Map Collection.
7. ^ Crise, Steven J.; Patris, Michael A.; The Mount Lowe Preservation Society (2021). Los Angeles Railway. Arcadia Publishing. p. 35\. ISBN 9781467105880.
8. ^ H.P. Noordwal (1938). "Route Map Los Angeles Railway Electric Car and Bus Routes" (Map). Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc. Los Angeles Railway. "Alternate link" (Map). via Google.
9. ^ Jennings, Frederick (February 1917). "Some California Railroad Stations". The Architect and Engineer of California. 48 (2): 47–49.

* "Local and Through Passenger Time Tables" (PDF). Southern Pacific. January 1921. Retrieved April 17, 2021 – via wx4's Dome of Foam.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Central Station (Los Angeles).

* v
* t
* e

Major inter-city railroad stations of Los Angeles

Active terminals|

* Union Station

Former terminals|

* Arcade Depot
* Central Station
* La Grande Station
* Los Angeles & San Pedro
* River Station
* Salt Lake Station

* v
* t
* e

Downtown Los Angeles

Districts and
neighborhoods|

* Arts District
* Bunker Hill
* Chinatown
* Old Chinatown
* Sonoratown
* Civic Center
* Fashion District
* Financial District
* Flower District
* Gallery Row
* Historic Core
* Broadway Theater District
* Old Bank District
* Spring Street Financial District
* Victorian Downtown
* Jewelry District
* Los Angeles Plaza
* Little Tokyo
* ROW DTLA
* Skid Row
* South Park
* Toy District
* Wholesale District

Buildings|

| Government|

| City|

* Central Library
* City Hall
* Fire Station No. 23
* LAPD Headquarters

|

County|

* Criminal Justice Center
* Hall of Administration
* Hall of Justice
* Hall of Records
* LADWP Headquarters
* Metro Headquarters
* Stanley Mosk Courthouse
* Twin Towers Correctional

State|

* Junipero Serra
* Ronald Reagan

Federal|

* 300 North Los Angeles Street
* Courthouses
* Edward R. Roybal
* Spring Street
* United States
* Federal Reserve Bank
* Terminal Annex

Multiple|

* Caltrans District 7 Headquarters

Hotels|

| Converted|

* Ace
* Delphi
* Freehand
* Haas Trademark Collection
* Per La
* Trinity

|

Original|

* Barclay
* Bella Union
* Cecil
* DoubleTree by Hilton
* Figueroa
* Millennium Biltmore
* Pico House
* Westin Bonaventure

Industrial|

* California Mart
* Cast Iron Commercial
* Coca-Cola
* Cohn-Goldwater
* Gerry
* Santa Fe Freight Depot

Office|

| Converted|

* Barker Brothers
* Desmond's
* Engine Company No. 28
* F. and W. Grand Silver Store
* Hubert-Thom McAn
* May Company
* Metropolitan Annex
* Pettebone
* Schulte United
* Zobel

|

Original|

* 1Cal
* 2Cal
* 444 South Flower
* 611 Place
* 777
* Aon
* AT&T
* Bank of America
* Bradbury
* Braun
* Broadway Leasehold
* City National
* EY
* Figueroa at Wilshire
* Garfield
* Garment Capitol
* Gas Company
* Herald Examiner
* Issacs
* MCI
* Merritt
* Ninth and Broadway
* O. T. Johnson
* O. T. Johnson Block
* One Wilshire
* Park Central
* Parmelee
* Platt
* Remick
* South Park
* TCW
* Times Mirror Square
* Union Bank
* US Bank
* Walter P. Story
* Wells Fargo
* Wilshire Grand
* Wurlitzer

Religious|

* Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
* Cathedral of Saint Vibiana
* Higashi Honganji Temple
* Hompa Hongwanji Temple
* Koyasan Temple
* La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles
* Thien Hau Temple
* Zenshuji Soto Misson

Residential|

| Converted|

* AG Bartlett
* Blackstone
* Board of Trade
* Brockman
* Bumiller
* Chapman
* Chester Williams
* Continental
* Eastern Columbia
* Fifth Street Store
* Fine Arts
* Foreman & Clark
* Gas Company Complex
* General Petroleum
* H.W. Hellman
* I.W. Hellman
* Higgins
* The Edison
* Homer Laughlin
* Hotel Alexandria
* Palm Court
* Hotel Rosslyn Annex
* Irvine-Byrne
* J. E. Carr
* James Oviatt
* Jewelry Trades
* Judson-Rives
* Norton
* Pacific Electric
* Roosevelt
* Rowley
* San Fernando
* Security
* Singer
* South Park Lofts
* Broadway-Spring Arcade
* Subway Terminal
* Textile Center
* Title Guarantee and Trust Company
* Victor Clothing Company
* Western Costume
* Yorkshire Hotel

|

Original|

* 820 Olive
* Circa
* Forrester
* Metropolis
* Oceanwide
* Park Fifth
* Star
* William Mead

Retail|

* Bullock's complex
* Cheney Block
* Downtown Jewelry Exchange
* Finney's Cafeteria
* Hoffman
* Karl's
* LA Mart
* Lerners
* Olympic
* Reeves
* Schaber's Cafeteria
* Silverwood's
* Swelldom
* Wilson
* Woolworth's

Theaters|

| Theater District|

* Arcade
* Cameo
* Globe
* Los Angeles
* Million Dollar
* Orpheum
* Palace
* Rialto
* Roxie
* State
* Tower
* United Artists

|

Music Center|

* Ahmanson
* Dorothy Chandler
* Mark Taper
* REDCAT
* Walt Disney Concert Hall

Other|

* Belasco
* David Henry Hwang
* Mayan
* Merced
* Novo
* Peacock
* Regent
* Zipper

Other|

* Ávila Adobe
* Farmers and Merchants Bank
* Friday Morning Club
* Grand Olympic Auditorium
* Los Angeles Athletic Club
* Los Angeles Stock Exchange
* Plaza Firehouse
* Plaza Substation
* Sepulveda House

Demolished|

* Bell
* California State
* Carrillo House
* County Hall of Records (1911)
* Don Abel Stearns House
* Hotel Lankershim
* International Savings & Exchange
* Jones
* Lugo Adobe
* Montgomery House
* Parker Center
* Potomac
* Richfield
* Tajo
* Theaters
* Burbank
* California
* Follies
* Grand Opera House
* Kinema
* Majestic
* Mason Opera House
* Paramount
* Tally's Broadway
* Tally's Electric
* Tally's New Broadway
* United States Post Office and Courthouse

Other
Points of
Interest|

| Museums|

* A+D
* African American Firefighter
* The Broad
* Chinese American
* Grammy
* Institute of Contemporary Art
* Italian American
* Japanese American
* LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
* Museum of Contemporary Art

|

Parks|

* Angels Knoll
* Biddy Mason
* Grand
* Court of Historic American Flags
* Grand Hope
* Maguire Gardens
* Spring Street
* State Historic

Plazas|

* California
* Chinatown Central
* Fletcher Bowron
* Francis K Hashimoto
* Japanese Village
* Los Angeles
* Pershing
* St. Vincent's

Restaurants|

* Bavel
* Bottega Louie
* Camphor
* Cicada
* Clifton's Cafeteria
* Cole's
* Corporation Food Hall
* Hayato
* Kato
* Orsa & Winston
* Philippe's
* Q Sushi
* Shibumi
* Water Grill

Schools|

* Arizona State University California Center
* Cathedral High
* The Chicago School Los Angeles campus
* Colburn
* Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
* Ramón C. Cortines Visual and Performing Arts
* Southern California Institute of Architecture
* Southwestern Law

Shopping|

* The Bloc
* California Flower Mall
* FIGat7th
* The Last Bookstore
* Los Angeles Mall
* Santee Alley

Other|

* California Club
* California Hospital Medical Center
* Crypto.com Arena
* Indian Alley
* L.A. Live
* Los Angeles Convention Center
* Los Angeles River
* Olvera Street
* Public Art
* Two Bit Circus

Defunct|

* A. Hamburger & Sons
* The Broadway
* Bullock's
* China City
* City of Paris
* Coulter's
* Desmond's
* Fifth Street Store
* H. Jevne & Co.
* Hall of the Amigos del País
* Harris & Frank
* Hellman, Haas & Co.
* Jacoby Bros.
* J. W. Robinson's
* Little Joe's
* Mullen & Bluett
* Original Pantry Cafe
* Parmelee-Dohrmann
* Silverwoods
* St. Vincent College
* Ville de Paris

Transportation|

| Freeways|

* I-5
* I-10
* I-110/SR-110
* Arroyo Seco Parkway
* Figueroa Street Tunnels
* Harbor Transitway
* SR-60
* US-101
* Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Memorial Interchange
* East Los Angeles Interchange
* Four Level Interchange
* Metro ExpressLanes

|

Metro|

* A Line
* B Line
* D Line
* E Line
* J Line
* El Monte Busway
* Silver Streak
* Metro Center Station
* Regional Connector
* Southeast Gateway Line

Streets|

| East-West|

* 1-10
* 1st
* 2nd St. Tunnel
* 3rd
* 6th
* 6th St. Viaduct
* 7th
* 10th
* Cesar Chavez
* Olympic
* Pico
* Temple
* Wilshire

|

North-South|

* Alameda
* Broadway
* Central
* Figueroa
* Kobe Bryant
* Grand
* Grand Avenue Project
* Hill
* Los Angeles
* Main
* San Pedro
* Spring

Intersections|

* Naud Junction
* Route 66 Western Terminus
* Squares
* Carol E. Schatz
* Cooper Do-Nuts/Nancy Valverde
* Joel Bloom
* Joel Wachs
* John Fante
* Judge Delbert E Wong
* Ray Bradbury

Union
Station|

* Aerial Rapid Transit
* Amtrak
* California High-Speed Rail
* Dodger Stadium Express
* FlyAway
* Metrolink
* Patsaouras Transit Plaza
* USC Shuttle

Other|

* Alameda Corridor
* Angels Flight
* Broadway Tunnel
* Hollywood Subway

Regions
Crescenta Valley
Downtown
Eastside
Harbor Area
Greater Hollywood
Northeast LA
Northwest LA
San Fernando Valley
South LA
Westside
Central Los Angeles & Wilshire area

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