1291-1309 were the first "fast" cars built ("fast" = equipped with G.E. 213, 216, 203, or 200 motors). All were assigned to Snelling Station upon completion as it was decided to equip the three interurban lines (Como-Harriet, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Selby-Lake) with "fast" cars. A fourth interurban line was added in 1909: Snelling-Minnehaha.
On 6-27-1910 the Como-Harriet line was transferred to East Side Station and the Selby-Lake line to Lake St. Station. As of 1-28-1911 1288-1320 (1288-89 got GE 213 motors in 1909) were assigned to the Mpls.-St. Paul line. 1289-1320 continued to be assigned to this line as of 12-1-1913, 12-31-1915 and 7-19-1917. In January, 1919, 1302 was used on the St. Paul Southern Electric Ry. between St. Paul and Hastings.
4-21-1920: transferred from Snelling to Lake St.: 1300-1303, 1305-1308.
8-2-1920: transferred from Lake St. to Snelling: 1300-1302, 1304-1309.
As of 9-26-20 1300-1309 were listed at Lake St.
8-30/31-1921: 1289-1330 transferred to Duluth Station. Rebuilt front-exit cars were being placed on the four interurban lines so major shifts in car assignments were made. As of May, 1923 1289-1332 were at Duluth Station, used in St. Paul-Wildwood extra service in addition to regular assignments. Lines operated from Duluth Station at this time were: South St. Paul-Inver Grove, Rice-Stryker, Merriam-Mississippi, Payne-Groveland, Cherokee Heights, Seventh St., and Randolph-Hazel Park.
12-21-1928: upon completion of rebuilding with front exits and triple gates, 1273, 1294, 1295, 1300, 1307 were assigned to East Side. As of 12-31-1928 at East Side were 1254, 1266-1307.
1293-1327 were the first group of cars rebuilt for one/two man operation in 1931 after the two test cars, 1854 and 1328. Upon completion 11-24-1931 1298-1302 were assigned to Lake St. They operated on: Bloomington-Columbia Heights, Kenwood-E. 25th St., 28th Ave. S.-N. Emerson, and 34th Ave. S.-N. Bryant.
2-7-1934: transferred from Lake St. to Snelling: 1299-1301.
July or October, 1934: transferred from Snelling to East Site: 1299-1301.
In 1935 tests were conducted with 1293 and 1300 to increase braking ratios on account of the increase in speed after installation of motor field shunts. Each car got one 12" brake cylinder in place of one 10" brake cylinder.
As of 10-17-1936 all all-electric-heat cars not already at East Side were transferred to East Side (1254, 1266-1328). This was the oldest operating station, built in 1891. Track centers were narrow and roof support posts between the tracks reduced clearance to inches on the wide TCRT-built cars. Older cars had the coal-fired heater located in the motorman's cab, but rebuilt cars had the heater located underneath the car body on the "gate side". The close clearance made it quite difficult for the mechanical dept. personnel to tend the fires during the winter on the rebuilt cars. By 1936 all the older cars had been retired so the decision was made to assign all cars with all-electric heat to East Side to ease the fire-tending problem.
Lines operated from East Side on which these cars were used included: Como-Harriet, Oak-Harriet, Bryant-Johnson, Grand-Monroe, Bloomington-Columbia Heights, and East 25th St.
During 1953 1301-1304 were placed on the Inter-Campus line. Mechanical breakdowns due to lack of maintenance in these last years of operation required additional cars for this service so 1300 was assigned to this line 1-1-54, and 1305 on 4-14-1954. They were also used on the Como-Harriet line.
On June 19, 1954, 1301 made TCRT's very last scheduled run; behind it was 1166 on a special trip to Brookside loop, the oldest car driven by the oldest motorman still working. On June 20, 1954, the Minnesota Railfan's Association operated the last railfan trip using cars 1300 and 1775, both intended to be saved for museum purposes. 1775 lost out, and became the last car of the TCRT to be dismantled and burned, August 13, 1954. 1300 was moved from the Snelling Station yard September 17, 1954, and on the following day, the 18th, the Milwaukee Road moved it to temporary storage at the Minneapolis-Moline Co. plant in Hopkins.