ANGELS FLIGHT

Description

Essentials about Angels Flight in brief

Anyone who has seen the movie La La Land will recognize this funicular. The bright orange cars of the Angels Flight funicular catch your eye from afar. With a track length of just 91 meters, Angels Flight is one of the shortest rail lines in the world, leading up Bunker Hill in downtown Los Angeles. Nevertheless, a ride on Angels Flight is a real experience that should not be missed when visiting Los Angeles.

The history of Angels Flight

Angeles Flight was put into operation as early as 1901. At that time, the line, which was just under 100 meters long, connected Hill Street with Olive Street, overcoming a 33 percent incline. Due to a redevelopment of the run-down residential area at Bunker Hill, the operation of the funicular was discontinued in 1969. The railroad was dismantled and placed in storage.

Angels Flight’s slumber lasted a full 27 years until it was rebuilt in 1996 at its current location between Hill Street and California Plaza. Once again, however, the operation lasted only five years, because a momentous event occurred in 2001. Caused by a break in the traction cable, the two cars of the train collided with each other. The accident killed one passenger and injured others. Angels Flight’s operations were subsequently suspended once again.

It was not until 2010 that Angels Flight was put back into service. Three years later, however, another incident occurred. After a derailment of one of the two cars, however, the funicular had to be taken out of service again. Since 2017, however, it has once again been possible to ride the orange cars of Angels Flight up Bunker Hill.