October 19: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History

1910:  Los Angeles Railway is incorporated.

Although in existence since 1895, the purpose of the incorporation is to bring all local Los Angeles street railway lines into one unified system, separate from inter-urban travel under Pacific Electric.

The September, 1942 issue of Two Bells, the Los Angeles Railway employee newsmagazine, highlights the incredible growth in local streetcar service between its inception in 1874 and the Los Angeles Railway Corporation founding in 1910:

“In 1874, total mileage — 1.33 miles of single track with only one horsecar in service; hours of operation: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., no Sunday service, fare 10 cents.”

In 1910, total mileage — 150 miles of double track; electrical cars of the latest design, “brilliantly lighted”; 24-hour service; 5 cent fare with transfers permitting a passenger to reach any part of the city within a possible distance of 18 miles.

For more information, feel free to explore the hundreds of images in our Los Angeles Railway online photo collection.