Long-distance train travel often makes for an unforgettable vacation. You can sit back, relax, and soak up epic scenery on a cross-country trip across Canada, a meandering journey through South Africa, or even a route that travels high into the mountains of Tibet. But what about the opposite end of the spectrum? There are some rail journeys that pass in the blink of an eye, but that doesn’t make them any less fascinating. Below, discover the surprising history of the world’s shortest railway and how to experience it for yourself.
A Historic Landmark
You might be surprised to learn that the world’s shortest railway is located in the heart of a city famous for its love of automobiles. At the turn of the 20th century, the Bunker Hill neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles was a wealthy enclave lined with stately Victorian mansions. In 1901, Colonel J.W. Eddy, who was also a lawyer and engineer, proposed building a funicular here to make it easier for residents and other Angelenos to travel up and down the neighborhood’s namesake hill. The railway, which later became known as “Angels Flight,” opened to much fanfare on New Year’s Eve in 1901, with more than 2,000 people taking the short journey between Hill and Olive Streets on opening day.
Just how short is the world’s shortest railway? The ride takes less than a minute, and the track measures 298 feet, or about the length of a city block. Angels Flight travels at a relatively steep 33% grade incline, and the funicular still employs its original two black-and-orange trams (named Sinai and Olivet, after the biblical mountains Mount Sinai and the Mount of Olives), which are counter-balanced and cable-drawn as they traverse a 30-inch narrow gauge rail track.
A Turbulent History
By the 1940s, Angels Flight was carrying around 4,000 passengers daily, according to the Los Angeles Times. But after several changes in railway ownership, along with a societal shift for the neighborhood it served, Angels Flight was eventually decommissioned and dismantled in 1969. The effort was part of the city’s controversial redevelopment plans for Bunker Hill, as most of the buildings around the railway were demolished.
The two original cars sat in storage for several decades, all while local advocacy groups such as the Los Angeles Conservancy petitioned the city for the historic landmark to be rehabilitated. Those efforts finally paid off in 1996, when Angels Flight reopened to riders as a historic landmark. Notably, the railway was restored half a city block from its original location, across from the city’s famous Grand Central Market.
Sadly, five years later, the train closed once again after a fatal accident. After extensive repairs, Angels Flight reopened in 2009, but it closed during several other periods in the 2000s, including after a derailment in 2013, in which no injuries were sustained. After more safety upgrades, Angels Flight finally reopened to the public in 2017.
Today, riders can board at the bottom station (a stunning example of beaux arts architecture) and ride to its upper counterpart at the Water Court shopping mall. The best part? The ride costs just a dollar each way, or 50 cents if you have a Metro card. The railway operates seven days a week, from 6:45 a.m. to 10 p.m., including holidays.
A Starring Role
For over a century, Angels Flight has been an enduring landmark not just for those living in or visiting L.A., but also for those watching the big and small screen. The tiny trolley has had a starring role in television shows, books (such as Michael Connelly’s Angels Flight), video games, and more than 100 movies — from 2016’s La La Land to the 1963 cult classic The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies. So, even if you don’t make it to Los Angeles to experience it for yourself, there’s a good chance you can find a glimpse of Angels Flight on screen.
Other Short Railways
While Angels Flight holds the title of the world’s shortest railway, railroad buffs can find several other worthy competitors around the world. It’s no surprise that Vatican City — the world’s smallest country — is also home to the world’s shortest national railway system. The railroad opened in 1934 and covers less than 1,000 feet of track. Meanwhile, Britain’s Stourbridge branch line in the West Midlands runs for just 0.8 miles and claims to be the shortest railway in Europe. And in Canada, there’s the Fort George Railway, a popular tourist attraction in northern British Columbia, which is powered by a 1912 steam engine train that travels for just over a mile.
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