Angels Flight Railway has suffered a drastic change in passengers riding up and down a hill in downtown Los Angeles for decades, but even that is not immune to the pressure of inflation.
The iconic off-curve railway announced that starting June 1, fares will rise from $1.00 to $1.50 to maintain synchronous growth in insurance, maintenance and labor. Round trip tickets for souvenirs will be available for $3 and La Metro Tap Card users can continue to drive at half price.
This is the first price increase since 2017, and officials say they do not expect another price to be made for the foreseeable future.
“Angelic flight is not only a mode of transportation, but also a part of Los Angeles’ history,” Hal Bastian, president of the nonprofit Angel Flying Railroad Foundation, said in a statement. “This change in fare will allow us to continue serving our communities while maintaining the safety and legacy of the world’s shortest railroad.”
Over the years, the track has handled quite a few of its maintenance and safety challenges, most notably the horror accident in 2001, when a car loosened at the top of the track and fell to the bottom of the mountain – killing an 83-year-old tourist in New Jersey and injured seven.
Investigators later concluded that a faulty mechanical system was combined with weak supervision.
When the train opened in 1901, tickets cost a cent, providing commuters with a practical way to drive on steep terrain between the Ritzy Bunker Hill Housing and the downtown offices of Los Angeles. The railway carries about 4,000 passengers a day before closing in 1969 when Bunker Hill's historic home was razed to the ground to make way for skyscrapers.
The railway reopened in 1996, half a block from its original location, providing visitors and residents with the opportunity to taste the unique history. Tickets for a revival Angel flight between Hill Street and California Plaza cost 25 cents.
However, after the incident in 2001, the railway was closed again. It took nine years to get the troubled train back into commissions and continue to bother the problem.
Angels flight was temporarily closed in 2011 due to wear on the car's tires. Two years later, the railway closed indefinitely after its derailment in September without any injuries and subsequently issued a safety report by the National Transportation Safety Commission.
The track regained the spotlight in 2016, when Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone rode the movie La La Land. A year later, it was reopened to the public with new safety standards. Since then, no major issues have been reported.
