Here stands the Redondo Junction Roundhouse Turntable a relic of a bygone era. This turntable whispers tales of steam engines and a bustling railway past. It is a crucial piece of Los Angeles’s transportation history.
Redondo Junction, California, is the site of an Amtrak maintenance facility. It sits a few miles south of Los Angeles Union Station. The location is near Washington Boulevard and the Los Angeles River.
Imagine the scene in 1914. Santa Fe Railway constructed a 25-track roundhouse here. This was to service their busy fleet of trains. The railway turntable was a 120-foot through plate girder design.
The California Central Railway played a big role here. In September 1887, they opened a 13-mile line. It ran from Port Ballona to Redondo Junction. Redondo Junction quickly grew into a major train maintenance hub. The California Central Railway also connected Redondo Junction to Los Angeles-La Grande Station.
The Redondo Beach Railway also connected to Redondo Junction. Henry E. Huntington controlled much of this railway. The line began operations in September 1888. It ran 11 miles from Redondo Beach to Inglewood.
In 1890, the Hotel Redondo opened. The rail line made Redondo a popular tourist destination. The first train from Inglewood to downtown Los Angeles ran on California Central Railway tracks through Redondo Junction.
The California Central Railway completed a line from Redondo Junction to San Diego. The Pacific Surfliner still uses this line today from San Diego to Santa Ana.
In 1914, Santa Fe built a 25-track roundhouse to service trains. The railway turntable was a 120-foot design.
Tragedy struck on January 22, 1956. The Redondo Junction train wreck involved Santa Fe RDCs. It was a major disaster covered on live television. Thirty people died and 117 were injured when the RDCs overturned on a sharp curve.
Amtrak bought Redondo Junction in January 1977. In May 1999, they built new facilities north of the 1914 roundhouse. The roundhouse was demolished in August 2000 to make way for a new servicing area. But the railway turntable remains.
The Redondo Junction project was completed in 2002. It separates passenger and freight rail lines. This was achieved by elevating Amtrak and Metrolink lines over the Alameda Corridor.
The roundhouse’s circular design was built around the turntable. This allowed for easy and quick turning of locomotives. Steam locomotives needed to be turned. Diesels could operate in multiple directions. This led to the decline of the roundhouse.
The primary function was for storage and maintenance of steam locomotives. The semi-circular design made things easier. Steam locomotives had to stop often to refuel. They needed more man-hours to maintain than diesels.
Today, the Redondo Junction Roundhouse Turntable stands as a testament. It is a testament to the golden age of rail travel. While the roundhouse is gone, the turntable is still there. It serves as a reminder of the vital role that Redondo Junction played in connecting Southern California. This turntable has been a silent witness to progress and change. It is still a monument to innovation.