Los Angelesis famous for the Hollywood sign, palm-lined boulevards, lavish celebrity parties and blockbuster films. But one of its most unusual attractions takes just about 45 seconds to ride. Angels Flight, a historic funicular in downtown LA, stretches a mere 298 feet up steep Bunker Hill, earning it a claim asthe world's shortest railway. Built in 1901 and still running today, the tiny train has carried more than 100 million passengers.
The funicular's two orange cars, Olivet and Sinai, move in opposite directions along the steep track, taking passengers from the bustling streets near the Grand Central Market up toward California Plaza.
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It may be short, butAngels Flightpacks plenty of glamour. The railway appears in multiple films and TV shows, most famously in La La Land, whereEmma Stoneand Ryan Gosling rode its tiny cars in a memorable scene. It was shot on a day in 2016 when the attraction was still closed and briefly opened just for filming.
The ride itself is a miniature adventure. Short, but steep, it costs only a few dollars and offers stunning views of the city. It's a quirky blend of history andHollywoodthat remains a firm favourite with tourists and locals alike, with some calling it a nostalgic relic of old Los Angeles.
It represents one of the last remnants of old Bunker Hill, once a hilltop neighbourhood of grand Victorian homes. Opened in 1901 to help mostly affluent residents climb the steep incline, the funicular was dismantled in 1969 during the area's redevelopment. It was rebuilt in 1996 using the original cars and reopened again in 2017 after safety upgrades.
The funicular has dealt with its fair share of maintenance and safety challenges over the years. Most notably, the Los Angeles Timesreported, a terrifying 2001 accident when a car broke loose at the top of the track and plummeted to the bottom of the hill - killing an 83-year-old tourist from New Jersey and injuring seven others.
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Despite its ups and downs, the railway now has a solid 4.1 rating on Tripadvisor.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
