Division 1 photos: https://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&w=30993133@N04&q=division+1&m=text
- Division 1 is the oldest division on the system. It originally opened November 7, 1899 by the Los Angeles Railway at 648 South Central Avenue and it still exists at this location although the address has changed to 1130 East Sixth Street. In 1899 the division was equipped with ten (10) tracks capable of holding 210 Street Cars.
- On August 23, 1900, the first air brake car ran out of Division 1. In 1901, the division dispatched 99 cars daily and 25 extras on Sundays for various picnics, etc. An entire mechanical force of 18 men serviced this equipment.
- By 1920, Division 1 had approximately by 125 rail cars and 400 conductors and motormen.
- In February of 1940, the following lines were assigned and operated out of Division 1: B, D, G, H, R, S, 2, 4,E, Gage, Indiana and Mateo (named lines were shuttle) streetcar lines. (These lines operated a total of 563,928 miles monthly).
The first emergency truck, No. 171 assigned to Division 1 in March of 1942.
On August 3, 1947, the first trolley coaches were assigned to Division 1 in conjunction with changeover from rail to trolley bus service. Line 3 (formerly streetcar line 3) was the first line assigned trolley coaches. At this time, the division was equipped with approximately 125 rail cars, 40 trolley coaches and 250 conductors, motormen and operators. During 1948, Division 1 operated 2,630419 rail miles and 1,912,430 trolley coach miles – total service miles of 4,542,869.
In 1948 the B streetcar was converted to the number 2 trolley bus line. The Division had 110 trolley coaches and approximately 150 operators. - Rail service was discontinued from Division 1 in 1951. During 1959, the division operated 2,246,915 service miles.
- In 1960, Division 1 had 84 trolley coaches and 121 operators assigned. On May 1960 Division 1 became a combination trolley/motor bus facility. In November 1960, a completely new administration building was completed on Sixth Street between Central Avenue and Alameda Street. September 10, 1961, the division operated motorbus lines 47 and 92, which were formerly operated out of Division 2. Due to this change, the Division increased in manpower from 121 operators to 188.March 31, 1963 marked the last day of trolley bus service. After which all service was by motorbus.
- A new transportation building was dedicated March 29, 1981. New facilities, including provision for methanol fueling, were opened July 11, 1987. The division was equipped for CNG fuel…
- In 2001 it was announced that 5 adjoining acres would be purchased for an expanded facility.