Pacific Electric Arrowhead Hot Springs Line


San Bernardino Valley Traction Company, trolley car 100 at carhouse on South E Street, San Bernardino, California, circa 1910.



Year 1937.  Pacific Electric Railway locomotive 1591 with famous "water train" running up Electric Avenue, en route to Arrowhead Hot Springs. (Original source: "Pacific Electric Album Of Cars"  Swett, Ira L.   Scanned image provided by Harry Marnell)


BRIEF HISTORY:

The Arrowhead Hot Springs line was originally one of several local electric trolley lines in San Bernardino, California. It was built by the San Bernardino Valley Traction Company in 1907, which at the time also operated lines to Highland, Redlands, Urbita Springs (the present-day site of the Inland Center Mall) and Colton. The Arrowhead line ran from the Traction Depot on Third Street in downtown San Bernardino to the Arrowhead Hot Springs Hotel in the foothills just north of the city limits. In 1911, the SBVT Co. was bought by the Pacific Electric Railway Company, which had been building electric trolley lines connecting cities and communites all throughout southern California. In 1914, a line was constructed between Los Angeles and San Bernardino and the local lines of the SBVT Co. were added to the vast system of the Pacific Electric. In addition to passenger service, the Arrowhead line was also used for various freight shipments. The most famous being the bottling and transport of Arrowhead Springs water from a resevoir near the hotel. In fact, after the official abandonment of passenger service on the line in 1941, and trolley cars no longer ventured up the steep and winding line, the "water train" became the sole user. The line was eventually abandoned completely and the track was removed in 1960.

An early postcard view of Arrowhead Hot Springs.

Other early San Bernardino views

Today, the wide parkway in the center of Mountain View Avenue, and the visible grade on Electric Avenue and through the foothills to Waterman Canyon remain to mark the old right-of-way.


ELECTRIC AVENUE PROJECT

This is still in the very early stages, but currently, our neighborhood association is working toward the possibility of improving the right-of-way on Electric Avenue with a greenbelt and historical site exhibit. Visit again for updates on the project!

Read the original proposal here.

Below, there is also a link to a topographical map on Topozone showing the area that is being discussed. In the map, you will see an area marked "old railroad grade" through the foothills. Follow this as it curves to the southeast onto Electric Avenue (just south of the reservoir and across from Hillside Elementary School). At the moment, the old Pacific Electric right-of-way is only an empty strip of land. The proposal is to improve this with a greenbelt and a historic exhibit, possibly even a replica of one of the electric trolley cars that were once used for passenger service on the line.

Here is a map of the area being discussed.

Check here for updates on the project!

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE OR WANT TO HELP?

If you would like to learn more about the fascinating role the Pacific Electric Railway played in the development and prosperity of southern California, visit the Electric Railroad Historical Association at the link provided below. Yes, California, long known for being fanatical about its cars, once had the largest electric interurban rail system in the world! There are also plenty of other online sources and books to be found on the Pacific Electric. Two books I recommend are "Ride The Big Red Cars" and "Tractions Of The Orange Empire," the latter even has an entire chapter devoted to the Arrowhead line.

Do you live in the north San Bernardino area? If so, there are ways you can help! Find out which neighborhood association area you live within. Go to the regular meetings and voice your support for the project! If you are a long-time resident, or know others who are, it would be of tremendous help if you may have any old photographs taken in the area and might be able to provide photocopies for research purposes. I am especially looking for pictures taken around Electric Avenue north of 40th Street. Please email me if you think you can help with this.

The Arrowhead line is the very last trace of Pacific Electric in San Bernardino. In addition to being rich in water recources, the city was once known as a prosperous and major rail transportation hub. Hopefully, this project will serve to remind us of what we have inherited.


Here are some other great sources for information!

Electric Railway Historical Association Of Southern California

Yahoo! group TrolleysCA
Topozone
Orange Empire Railway Museum

You can send email to gatewaycityca@yahoo.com

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Christian Tobar Copyright 2002