# L.A.'s Angels Flight



## WhoozOn1st (Nov 8, 2008)

These cars could recently be seen in storage from Metrolink and Amtrak trains we rode at the Gathering.

Cars returned to downtown L.A.'s Angels Flight funicular


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## MrFSS (Nov 8, 2008)

WhoozOn1st said:


> These cars could recently be seen in storage from Metrolink and Amtrak trains we rode at the Gathering.
> Cars returned to downtown L.A.'s Angels Flight funicular


We needed those when we went to Universal City at *The Gathering* dinner.


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## Dan O (Feb 12, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


> These cars could recently be seen in storage from Metrolink and Amtrak trains we rode at the Gathering.
> Cars returned to downtown L.A.'s Angels Flight funicular


Does anyone know if Angel's Flight has reopened?

Dan


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## Alice (Feb 12, 2009)

Dan O said:


> Does anyone know if Angel's Flight has reopened?
> Dan


Not yet, but the cars are back where they belong and in testing. Here's a video of it running empty.


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## Dan O (Feb 12, 2009)

> Not yet, but the cars are back where they belong and in testing. Here's a video of it running empty.


Thanks.

Dan


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## WhoozOn1st (Mar 6, 2009)

While searching for something else at the L.A. Times website I ran across this:

Angels Flight takes a step toward reopening

Missed it at the time cuz it wasn't in the print edition, and I rarely check out online-only stuff.

Note first comment, by the president of the Angels Flight Railway Foundation.


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## WhoozOn1st (Mar 11, 2010)

Several weeks ago I received a report of Angels Flight cars seen operating. Figuring that any official reopening would've been noted in the L.A. Times, I speculated that testing might be underway. It appears that was the case.

Angels Flight is safe to operate, PUC says

Photo caption says a reopening is still uncertain, but this report from a local TV station says it could be mid-April:

Historic Angels Flight Railway To Reopen

Includes 3-year-old video predicting reopening by that summer. HA! It does show (after a commercial) the wreck that shut it down.


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## WhoozOn1st (Mar 14, 2010)

After nine years of waiting, this appears to be the real deal. I just might hop a Surfliner to L.A. this week!

Angels Flight funicular to reopen Monday

Let's see now... Amtrak to Union Station, Red Line to I think Civic Center. Ride Angels Flight up Bunker Hill, lollygag around California Plaza and enjoy the panoramic views of downtown Los Angeles, back down for a lunch of fried pig's feet and roasted goat snout at Grand Central Market across the street, get a few shots with new camera (roasted goat snout is very difficult to photograph, and will be a fine challenge), do the Bradbury Building and Broadway, maybe eat my way along the Gold Line Eastside extension, Angels Flight again around sundown, then grab the last Metrolink (or Surfliner 785) back. Fun day!


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## leemell (Mar 14, 2010)

WhoozOn1st said:


> After nine years of waiting, this appears to be the real deal. I just might hop a Surfliner to L.A. this week!
> Angels Flight funicular to reopen Monday
> 
> Let's see now... Amtrak to Union Station, Red Line to I think Civic Center. Ride Angels Flight up Bunker Hill, lollygag around California Plaza and enjoy the panoramic views of downtown Los Angeles, back down for a lunch of fried pig's feet and roasted goat snout at Grand Central Market across the street, get a few shots with new camera (roasted goat snout is very difficult to photograph, and will be a fine challenge), do the Bradbury Building and Broadway, maybe eat my way along the Gold Line Eastside extension, Angels Flight again around sundown, then grab the last Metrolink (or Surfliner 785) back. Fun day!


The TV news this morning reported that Angels Flight would start fare paid service tomorrow.


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## MikefromCrete (Mar 15, 2010)

It took nine years to get Angel's Flight back in operation! I know railroad projects take a long time, but this is just crazy! I mean it's just a short little funucular. Did it take that long to find out what went wrong?


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## WhoozOn1st (Mar 15, 2010)

MikefromCrete said:


> Did it take that long to find out what went wrong?


It was a classic case of trying to fix something that wasn't broken. Angels Flight at its original location served virtually flawlessly for decades. Restoration at a new location was touted to feature a "modern" system that would make it "better." The modern system failed. The cable let go of the winding drum, and the resulting runaway killed an 83-year-old German tourist. Frankly, I remain angry. Nine years of no Angels Flight over a guy who had one foot in the grave anyway.

The new system was in fact rife with flaws, and most of the nine years has been taken up with suits, countersuits, and general blamethrowing. Angels Flight is back to being a true funicular on a counterbalance system, which was how it worked in the first place.

Original Angels Flight:


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## WhoozOn1st (Apr 3, 2010)

The post immediately above was made on the very day Angels Flight resumed public operation. On 3-31 AU member and pal ALC_Rail_Writer was in L.A. for a brief layover between the Southwest Chief and Coast Starlight. I rode Metrolink to meet him and hang out a bit. And long as I was at it, the day jaunt served as a sort of shakedown cruise for my new camera. After riding the Red Line to Pershing Square to ride Angels Flight I somehow got turned around, and we wandered fairly aimlessly through the downtown Jewelry District. Giving up to get ALC back to Union Station, as we neared the Red Line station what should appear a block away in front of us but Angels Flight. I had turned us in the opposite (wrong) direction coming out of the subway.

We weren't really pressed for time, so walked on over to ride and get some pictures. After seeing ALC (Micah) off on the Coast Starlight I got in some light rail riding around Greater Los Angeles, then returned to Angels Flight for more riding, pics, and some video...

Video:

Angels Flight, From The Bottom

Angels Flight, Going Up!

Angels Flight, From The Top

Photos:

Angels Flight


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## Shanghai (Apr 3, 2010)

Thanks for the videos. Reminds me of the Hong King Peak Tram.


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## gswager (Apr 3, 2010)

Looks like you have an excellent camera for those pictures!


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## ALC Rail Writer (Apr 3, 2010)

I had a great time and took some photos of angels flight myself I'll post them in my TR when I get to writing it. Thanks Patrick!


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## WhoozOn1st (Jun 12, 2010)

One fatality among millions of riders results in calls for a 32"-wide walkway along the tracks to facilitate emergency evacuations.

Angels Flight walkway urged

"'Given the history of the line and the loss of life, I am at a loss as to why the Angels Flight [Railway] Foundation would not want to comply utterly and completely with the recommendations of the NTSB,' said [L.A. Councilwoman Jan] Perry, whose district includes the funicular. The foundation is the nonprofit group that raises money for the operation of the line."

On the other hand...

"John Welborne, president of the Angels Flight Railway, said his organization made a series of important safety improvements when it rebuilt the funicular, including the installation of five levels of braking systems. Safety experts, as well as the PUC, concluded that the addition of a walkway would probably make the funicular less safe by tempting passengers to cross the steep rails in an emergency, he said.

"'It's incredibly dangerous for people to be walking out onto the track-way. It's like having civilians in elevator shafts. You just don't do it,' he said.


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## George Harris (Jun 14, 2010)

WhoozOn1st said:


> "'Given the history of the line and the loss of life, I am at a loss as to why the Angels Flight [Railway] Foundation would not want to comply utterly and completely with the recommendations of the NTSB,' said [L.A. Councilwoman Jan] Perry, whose district includes the funicular. The foundation is the nonprofit group that raises money for the operation of the line."


Typical politician pontification on things of which they are completely ignorant.


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## amtrakwolverine (Jun 14, 2010)

what history? how many lives just have been lost in its history?.


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## WhoozOn1st (Jun 15, 2010)

amtrakwolverine said:


> what history? how many lives just have been lost in its history?.


A grand total of ONE.

The original counterbalance design didn't kill anybody for about a century. Restoration machinery, following removal and relocation, was a newfangled, non-counterbalanced system. Original system design wasn't broke, but somebody decided it had to be fixed, and the new design killed an 83-year-old Holocaust survivor from New Jersey when a cable let go of a winding drum.

With a system based on the old, nonlethal, counterbalance design (including new, built-in braking redundancies) in place, grandstanders who don't know shirt from Shinola call for the counterproductive-to-safety walkway.

Just plain nuts.


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## GG-1 (Jun 15, 2010)

WhoozOn1st said:


> Just plain nuts.


No not Plain, maybe roasted nuts. 

Aloha


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## WhoozOn1st (Jun 19, 2010)

Another closure, hopefully over by the time this is viewed...

Angels Flight closed after car found with open end gate

"John H. Welborne, president of Angels Flight Railway, said a computer programming error caused the malfunction. He said it was fixed Friday morning.

"'Everything works fine,' he said. 'We’re grateful that we all found this out.'

"Welborne said three inspectors had checked the cars, but he was still waiting for permission to resume operation. 'I’ve called like five people to say, "Hello, what’s been happening since 9:30 this morning?"' he said."


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## amtrakwolverine (Jun 19, 2010)

is it open no info on it. the link is from the 18th and no updates are to be found on google.


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## George Harris (Jun 19, 2010)

Why computer progamming? We don't need no computer!! Thesse things were running before anyone even heard of computer. The thing that seems to have become lost here is KISS. (Keep it simple, stupid.) In other words, do not use more pieces nor higher technology than that required to do the job reliably and safely. If something does not have to be makde adjustable, then do not make it so that adjustments can be made. If adjustability is required, make it as simple and as goof proof as possible.


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## amtrakwolverine (Jun 20, 2010)

has it re-opened yet


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## WhoozOn1st (Jun 23, 2010)

amtrakwolverine said:


> has it re-opened yet


Greetings from Pacific Surfliner 768, and from Long Train Runnin's new internet everywhere gizmo. Angels Flight was in revenue operation this morning. Saw it with my own 4 eyes when Long Train's SWC ran late and there was time to kill in L.A.


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## WhoozOn1st (Jun 24, 2010)

WhoozOn1st said:


> Angels Flight was in revenue operation this morning. Saw it with my own 4 eyes when Long Train's SWC ran late and there was time to kill in L.A.


And long as I was there, took a brief video of one of the gates that was at the heart of the most recent closure:

Angels Flight Gate Operation


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## amtrakwolverine (Jul 8, 2010)

They should have left the manual gates installed that worked until it was closed in 69 and rebuilt in 96.


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## WhoozOn1st (Jun 11, 2011)

Angels Flight has had its wings clipped again, this time for worn wheel flanges:

Angels Flight, halted, awaits new wheels

"The deteriorated condition of the wheels posed a safety hazard and put the rail cars at risk, said Richard Clark, director of the agency's consumer protection and safety division. Clark said the discovery was considered significant, especially because the railway reopened little more than a year ago after a nine-year closure and a major renovation."


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## amtrakwolverine (Jun 11, 2011)

Nothing but problems since they reopened.


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## gswager (Jun 11, 2011)

Bummer! At least I rode on it last December for 25 cents!


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## amtkstn (Jun 11, 2011)

I got my two and half rides back in April.


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## WhoozOn1st (Jun 11, 2011)

amtkstn said:


> I got my two and half rides back in April.


How does one get half a ride on Angels Flight!? It stops in the middle and you have to trudge up or down the track to an endpoint??


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## amtkstn (Jun 11, 2011)

I did two trip up and down. Then I did a single trip down.


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