About this property
Angels Flight is a historic 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge funicular railway in the Bunker Hill district of Downtown Los Angeles, California. It has two funicular cars, named Olivet and Sinai, that run in opposite directions on a shared cable. The tracks cover a distance of 298 feet (91 m) over a vertical gain of 96 feet (29 m). The funicular has operated on two different sites, using the same cars and station elements. The original location, with trackage along the side of Third Street Tunnel and connecting Hill Street and Olive Street, operated from 1901 until 1969, when its site was cleared for redevelopment. The current location opened half a block south of the original location in 1996, mid-block between 3rd and 4th Streets, with tracks connecting Hill Street and California Plaza. It was shut down in 2001 following a fatal accident and reopened in 2010. It was closed again during June and July 2011, and then again after a minor derailment incident in September 2013. The investigation of this latter incident led to the discovery of potentially serious safety problems in both the design and the operation of the funicular. Before the 2013 service suspension, the cost of a one-way ride was 50 cents (25 cents for Metro pass holders). Although it was marketed primarily as a tourist novelty, it was frequently used by local workers to travel between the Downtown Historic Core and Bunker Hill. In 2015, the executive director of the nearby REDCAT arts center described the railroad as an important "economic link," and there was pressure for the city to fund and re-open the railroad. After safety enhancements were completed, Angels Flight reopened for public service in August 2017, charging $1 for a one-way ride (50 cents for TAP card users). In June 2025, citing increased operating costs, the fare was increased to $1.50 for a one-way fare and $3 for a round trip fare (75 cents for TAP card users).
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Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Angels Flight Railway listed on the National Register?
Angels Flight Railway was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 12, 2000.
What type of historic resource is Angels Flight Railway?
Angels Flight Railway is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Angels Flight Railway?
The period of significance for Angels Flight Railway is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Angels Flight Railway?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Angels Flight Railway will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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