Angels Flight
Angels Flight is a small funicular railway in Los Angeles that runs up a steep hillside in the Bunker Hill area. The two red cars named Olivet and Sinai move in opposite directions on a track less than 300 feet long while climbing about 96 feet in elevation using a shared cable system.
Angels Flight was founded in 1901 as the Los Angeles Incline Railway and renamed in 1912 when new owners took over. The railway was shut down in 1969 during Bunker Hill redevelopment, but was rebuilt in 1996 at a nearby location and upgraded with modern safety systems.
The name Angels Flight came about in 1912 when new owners took over the railway and made it a popular way for locals to move between neighborhoods. The red cars named Olivet and Sinai still define the look of Bunker Hill today and represent a shared piece of the city's past for many visitors.
The railway runs daily from early morning until late evening and connects South Grand Avenue at the top with South Hill Street at the bottom, right above Grand Central Market. An easy way to explore the city center is to use this short ride to move quickly between different neighborhoods.
The railway experienced several safety incidents including a serious accident in 2001 and a derailment in 2013, which led to major overhauls. These events made Angels Flight a case study in how older infrastructure can be brought up to modern safety standards.
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