3 (Los Angeles Railway)

3
Overview
Locale	Los Angeles
Termini	Larchmont Boulevard and Melrose Avenue Central Station
Service
Type	Streetcar
System	Los Angeles Railway
History
Opened	November 1, 1931 (1931-11-01)
Closed	August 3, 1947 (1947-08-03)
Technical
Track gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrification	Overhead line, 600 V DC
Route map Legend 1931–1947 Larchmont and Melrose Larchmont and Beverly Larchmont and 3rd  R  Wilton and 3rd  R  6th and Western 6th and Normandie 6th and Vermont  V  6th and Commonwealth 6th and Rampart  H  6th and Park View 6th and Alvarado  D   H  5th and Beaudry 5th and Figueroa  U  5th and Flower 5th and Grand 5th and Olive 5th and Hill 5th and Broadway  P   W   5   9  5th and Spring  N   7   8  5th and Main  O  5th and Los Angeles 5th and Maple 5th and San Pedro Central Station  U  Los Angeles Railway lines Pacific Electric lines This diagram: view talk edit

Following much of the original route of the R Line, the new route 3 was drastically different.^[2] It is notable for its close parallels to Wilshire Boulevard, which never had a transit line of its own because auto traffic was too heavy. The new 3 ran from the intersection of Larchmont Boulevard and Melrose Avenue to Central Station, by way of Larchmont Boulevard (forming the backbone of the Larchmont neighborhood), 3rd Street, a private right of way running between Gramercy Place and Wilton Place, 6th Street, and 5th Street.^[3] From the start of this routing until 1935, short turns were made from 5th to 3rd and were designated as the 4 Line (distinct from that number's 1939 incarnation).^[4] The route was converted to trolley bus operation in 1947,^[5] eight years after Central Station closed.

The trackless line was extended to 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue in September 1950.^[6]

The service was maintained and transferred to Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1958. The agency replaced trolley buses with SilverLiner coaches after March 31, 1963;^[7] the new service retained the number 3.^[8]

• 3 Line Archives — Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society
• "Los Angeles Railway". Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California.