Oddity Railroads of California

Oddities.

Aerial Trolley Car Company.
Monorail. Lightweight monorail system developed by Joseph W. Fawkes. To demonstrate the system as a viable transportation conveyance he constructed a track 800 feet long and propeller powered, 56 passenger trolley car named the "Aerial Swallow". Fawkes attempted to franchise his invention to local cities, proposing a system into download Los Angeles. After a trial run it was nicknamed "Fawkes' Folly" and the system was scrapped some time after 1929. Burbank, Los Angeles County. 1910 - 1929

Anheuser-Busch Skyrail.
Monorail. Van Nuys, Los Angeles County. 1966 - 1979

Antioch & Grangeville.
Monorail. Tulare County. 1880 - 1882

Epsom Salts Railroad.
Monoflange Railway. Near Trona, San Bernardino County.

Farallon Midland.
36" Gauge Tramway. Constructed by the U.S. Navy to haul supplies around Southeast Farallon Island. Originally powered by burros, the line nearly encircled the island servicing a steam plant on the island. Today the island is a national wildlife preserve, but the line continues to serve the needs of researchers on the island. Farallon Islands, San Francisco County. 1880 - Present

Las Casitas Railway.
Hillevator. Operates between two four-unit residential buildings clinging to the hillside on the 700 block of Bay street. San Francisco, San Francisco County. 1960 - Present

Los Angeles County Fairplex Monorail.
Monorail. Operated a one mile loop around the central area of the L. A. County Fairplex. The original system was upgraded in the late 1980s. The new system was troubled from the start and the entire system was subsequently removed in 1996. Los Angeles County Fairplex, Los Angeles County. 1962 - 1996

Mission Bay Prismoidal.
Prismoidal Railway. Constructed to demonstrate Prismoidal Railway operation on the San Francisco peninsula. Line was used as part of the project to fill in Mission Bay. Mission Bay Area, San Francisco. 1875

San Pedro Street & East Los Angeles Railroad.
Prismoidal Railway. Los Angeles County. 1875 - 187?

Sonoma Valley Prismoidal Railway.
Prismoidal Railway. Considered to be the first monorail system in California. The Sonoma Valley Prismoidal was constructed following the Crew Patent One-Rail Railway system. The line operated a short 6 months before being declared a failure. Portions were later converted to 36in gauge as part of the Sonoma Valley Railroad. Norwalk to Schelleville, Sonoma County. 1876