MAY 18, 1896
In Plessy v. Ferguson, the U.S. Supreme Court upholds Louisiana's Jim Crow Law which required railroads to provide equal but separate accomodations for the white and colored races. This separate, but equal doctrine remained in place for 58 years until reversed by the Court in Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka.
MAY 18, 1901
Striking railroad workers in Albany, New York are forced back on the job by state militia.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
MAY 17, 1853
Ten railroad companies agree to form the nation's first important railroad merger, the New York Central Railroad System.
MAY 17, 1895
The Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railway, the first electric elevated railroad, opens in Chicago.
MAY 17, 1908
In Canada, electric operation begins through the St. Clair Tunnel between Sarnia and Port Huron. This ended the operation of steam power which had asphyxiated several crew members. A formal inspection and opening ceremony took place on November 12.
MAY 17, 1914
Canadian Northern Ontario Railway becomes part of the Canadian Northern Railway.
MAY 17, 1939
The Royal Tour of Canada commences with with the arrival of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at Wolfe's Cove, Quebec on the Empress of Canada. The 12 car train, (five from Canadian Pacific, five from Canadian National and the two vice regal cars), in royal blue and aluminum, left Quebec City on May 18. A pilot train, carrying officials and the press, preceded the royal train by one hour and no other trains were permitted to travel within this period. The travel arrangements were shared by the two railways with CP being responsible for the westward journey to Victoria. CP used 4-6-4 locomotives 2850 and 2851 for the royal and pilot trains respectively, except for the Ottawa to Brighton, Ontario section, which was over CN track. 2850 hauled the royal train without change right through to Vancouver, a total distance of 3224 miles. Royal crowns were affixed to the running boards of both locomotives and these were eventually fitted to the entire class (2820-2864) which, following approval from their majesties, became known as Royal Hudsons.
MAY 17, 1945
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocates radio frequencies for use by railroads.
MAY 17, 1946
The U.S. Government seizes railroads to avert a strike.
MAY 17, 1957
Canadian National opens a 40 mile diversion of it's Montreal to Toronto mainline required in the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
MAY 17, 1961
The last steam engine used in passenger terminal switching service, Dallas Union Terminal 0-6-0 #7 is replaced by a diesel.
MAY 16, 1853
The Toronto, the first steam locomotive manufactured in Canada, makes it's first run on the Ontario, Simcoe & Huron Union Railway. This railroad would eventually be absorbed into the Canadian National system.
The first section of the Illinois Central Railroad is completed from LaSalle to Bloomington, Illinois.
MAY 16, 1883
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway reaches Ogden, Utah.
MAY 16, 1956
New York Central unveils it's new lightwheight Xplorer streamliner.
MAY 16, 1988
The Interstate Commerce Commision approves the purchase of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (Katy) by Union Pacific subsidiary, Missouri Pacific.
MAY 15, 1907
Service over the entire length of the Yosemite Valley Railroad begins, from Merced to El Portal.
MAY 15, 1952
The Scribner Turn is initiated, ending 10-year alternating switching between Hillyard and Yardley on the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
MAY 15, 1974
Amtrak's Texas Chief is renamed to the Lone Star.
MAY 14, 1851
President Millard Fillmore is present for the opening of the first direct rail route from the Hudson River to Lake Erie on the New York & Erie RR connecting Piermont, New York with Dunkirk, New York (on Lake Erie). It was built at 6-foot gauge, making it both the broadest gauge in the US, and the longest mainline in the world at that time.
MAY 14, 1906
Oregon Electric Railway (OE) is incorporated.
MAY 14, 1909
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad completes it's line to Seattle.
MAY 14, 1945
The first Alco road switcher, an RS-1 #52 is received by the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
MAY 13, 1829
The Stourebridge Lion arrived in New York from England for service on the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company.
MAY 13, 1933
The Oregon Electric Railway's passenger service is discontinued.
MAY 13, 1968
The Santa Fe Chief makes it's final run.
MAY 12, 1884
In the Canadian province on Ontario, the first through train between Ottawa and Toronto is run over the Ontario and Quebec Railway (Canadian Pacific), newly opened from Perth to Toronto. Regular through trains between Montreal and Toronto commenced commenced over this route on July 28, 1884.
MAY 12, 1890
The operation of cable cars in Washington, D.C. begins.
MAY 12, 1936
The Santa Fe's Super Chief makes it's maiden run.
MAY 12, 1955
A crowd of about 850 ride on the last run of New York's longest operating elevated railroad, the 3rd Avenue El, which had been in service for almost 80 years.
MAY 12, 1989
The last graffiti covered New York City subway car is retired.
MAY 11, 1892
The first locomotive to be owned by an industrial company, the Whitin Machine Works of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, is placed in service.
MAY 11, 1893
New York Central's engine #999 sets a world speed record of 112.5 MPH near Batavia, New York. This record held for over 12 years.
MAY 11, 1894
Workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company go on strike in protest of wage cuts.
MAY 11, 1956
The Chicago & Northwestern dieselizes it's Chicago commuter trains.
MAY 11, 1961
Canadian National installs Canada's first hot box detector near Coteau, Quebec.
MAY 10, 1855
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Bytown and Prescott Railway officially opened. This railway changed it's name to Ottawa and Prescott later that same year.
MAY 10, 1869
As CW had pointed out earlier in this thread, it was on this date that the transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Point Utah, with the golden spike ceremony joining the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads. I had finished reading a pretty good book about this event in America's history about three weeks ago, "Nothing Like it in the World" by Stephen Ambrose. Not including his notes and the index, this book is 378 pages in length and if you can find it anywhere, it would be a pretty good read.
MAY 10, 1893
The Empire State Express makes the first 100 MPH run between Syracuse and Buffalo, New York.
MAY 10, 1912
J.H. Young becomes the 5th President of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
MAY 10, 1946
In the Canadian province of Ontario, a Canadian Pacific passenger train, #7, "The Dominion", westbound, hit an open vandalized switch just west of Renfrew station and the locomotive, Royal Hudson 2858 and a baggage car rolled onto their sides. There were no injuries. Auxiliary cranes from Smiths Falls and Chalk River rerailed them. 2858 is currently sitting in the in the locomotive bay at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa.
MAY 10, 1948
All railroads in the United States are seized by the government in order to forestall a national strike.
MAY 10, 2008
In the Canadian province of Ontario, a landslide near the track, causes the Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Railway to suspend excursion service until such time as a long term agreement can be reached between the owner of the train and the municipalities which own the railway track and the right of way.
May 10, 1869:
The "golden spike" was driven at Promontory, Utah, joining the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific lines to form America's first transcontinental railway.
MAY 09, 1850
The second rail connection to the western waters was made from Charleston to Chattanooga, on the Tennessee River.
The first train passes through the Chetoogeta Mountain tunnel in Tunnel Hill, Georgia.
MAY 09, 1901
The panic of 1901 begins as a result of a fight between James Hill and Edward H. Harriman for control of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
MAY 08, 1837
The first American type steam locomotive (4-4-0) is completed in Philadelphia.
MAY 08, 1863
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers was founded on this date.
MAY 08, 1968
The ICC decides to drop the Santa Fe Chief in favor of keeping the Grand Canyon.
MAY 07, 1964
Railroads begin eliminating firemen from the cabs of locomotives.
MAY 07, 1977
The Chessie System Chessie Steam Special begins operation to celebrate the Baltimore & Ohio's sesquicentennial.
MAY 06, 1862
The U.S. House of Representatives passes the Pacific Railway Act.
MAY 06, 1912
The body of C.M. Hays, President of the Grand Trunk and Grand Trunk Pacific Railways, who was lost in the Titanic disaster, was landed at Halifax by the MacKay-Bennett cable steamship Minia. It was immediately placed on a special GTR train which had been waiting at Halifax for several days and which reached Bonaventure station in Montreal May 7th. The funeral took place the next day at Mount Royal Cemetery and GTR offices were closed for a portion of the afternoon so that staff could attend.
MAY 06, 1960
The last operation of steam power takes place on the Norfolk and Western Railroad.
MAY 06, 1983
The Georgia Railroad operates it's last mixed trains, #103, #108 between Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia.
MAY 05, 1865
The first train robbery in the United States occurs when a group of unidentified men loot an overturned Ohio & Mississippi train at North Bend, Ohio between St. Louis and Cincinnati.
MAY 05, 1995
The Canadian National held an official opening ceremony for a new tunnel between Sarnia, Ontario and Port Huron, Michigan. The tunnel can handle full height double stack container cars. Trains had actually started using the new tunnel on April 5, 1995.
MAY 04, 1845
The first iron-truss bridge is completed on the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad.
MAY 04, 1941
The last train is operated on the narrow gauge Colorado Central Railroad.
MAY 04, 1989
Canadian Pacific opens the longest tunnel in Canada, the 9.1 mile Mt. McDonald Tunnel in Roger's Pass.
MAY 04, 2004
The Travel Security Administration (TSA) launches a test program for people and bags traveling on U.S. trains in New Carrollton, Maryland.
MAY 03, 1865
Abraham Lincoln's funeral train arrives at it's destination in Springfield, Illinois.
MAY 03, 1881
Patent #241,112 is issued to Leonides Wooley for the first electric locomotive headlight.
MAY 03, 1909
The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway opens it's line between Pasco and Marshall, Washington. And through service on the SP&S begins between Portland, Oregon and Spokane, Washington.
MAY 03, 1967
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the first train to pass through the Dows Lake Tunnel is a ballast train headed by Canadian Pacific RS-3 #8458. The tunnel was officially opened on August 5, 1967. The last train to use the old route via the Dows Lake swing bridge was train 132 for Montreal via the North Shore with RDC-3 #9024 leading RDC-1 #9054 on Tuesday, August 1, 1967. The first service trains to use the new tunnel were the Prescott wayfreight, train #94 with #8795 (first southbound) and #8575 on the freight from Montreal (first northbound) on the same day.
MAY 03, 1998
Railink MacKenzie Northern takes over the operation of the Canadian National line from Smith, Alberta to Hay River, Northwest Territories.
MAY 02, 1844
Elijah McCoy, who received more than 50 patents for his inventions, is born. And although my source does not list what he had invented, this is where the phrase, "the real McCoy" originated. I would assume that at least one of his inventions had something to do with the subject of railroading.
MAY 02, 1881
Construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway begins.
MAY 02, 1933
London, Midland and Scottish Railway 4-6-0 Royal Scot and eight car train is exhibited at Ottawa on it's way to from Montreal to the Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago. 22,000 viewed the train, which received 16,979 visitors.
MAY 02, 1960
For the first time, a Canadian National passenger train conveys piggyback flatcars conveying highway trailers. This was on train 44 from Saint John to Moncton, New Brunswick.
MAY 02, 1977
Texas & Pacific 2-10-4 #610 joins the Southern Railway steam program.
MAY 02, 1999
Central Manitoba Railway takes over the operation of the former Canadian National Pine Falls subdivision.
MAY 01, 1882
The Quebec legislature approves the sale of the Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa and Occidental Railway line from Montreal to Ottawa and the Aylmer branch to the Canadian Pacific Railway. The actual transfer took place on June 3rd.
May 01, 1885
In the Canadian Province of Ontario, Canadian Pacific Railway opens it's branch from Buckingham Junction (Masson) to Buckingham.
MAY 01, 1888
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe completes it's route from Chicago to California.
The first trials for the first electric freight locomotive were held. It was built by the Pullman Car Company for the Ansonia, Derby & Birmingham Electric Line.
MAY 01, 1902
In the Canadian province of Ontario, Canadian Pacific assumes control of the Ottawa, Northern and Western Railway, the actual agreements and authorities were completed by the following November. The line was effectively merged into the CPR effective at Midnight, October 31, 1903.
MAY 01, 1903
Columbia Railway & Navigation Co. (CR&N) begins daily freight service.
MAY 01, 1905
Regular service begins on the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake's line from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City.
MAY 01, 1908
The Hepburn Law, which bars railroads from handling products in which they hold an interest, goes into effect.
MAY 01, 1911
C.F. Gray becomes the fourth President of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
MAY 01, 1915
Canadian Government Railways are formed to operate the Intercolonial and the National Transcontinental Railways.
MAY 01, 1942
The last pre-war lightweight train, the Panama Limited, goes into service on the Illinois Central.
MAY 01, 1960
Southern Pacific Railroad abandons the Keeler branch, it's last narrow gauge operation.
MAY 01, 1971
Amtrak takes over most passenger service in the United States.
APRIL 30, 1900
Locomotive engineer John Luther Jones, better known as Casey Jones, dies in a train wreck while at the throttle of Illinois Central #382.
APRIL 30, 1939
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's General Pershing Zephyr becomes the first train with all fluorescent lighting.
APRIL 30, 1970
The first Canadian Pacific coal unit train, comprising 88 cars and carrying more than 9,000 tons of coking coal destined to Japan, arrives at Roberts Bank superport after a 700 mile run from Sparwood, British Columbia.
APRIL 30, 1981
The Auto Train makes it's last departure.
APRIL 30, 1985
Conrail sells 237 mile Canada Southern to Canadian National and Canadian Pacific.
APRIL 30, 1987
The Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad merges with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
APRIL 29, 1851
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad makes the first test run of a battery powered electric locomotive. (? )
APRIL 29, 1873
Patent #138,405 is issued to Eli H. Janney for a type of automatic coupler which is still in use today.
APRIL 29, 1900
Northern Pacific's North Coast Limited makes it's Inaugural run.
APRIL 29, 1960
The Southern Pacific runs it's narrow gauge trains for the last time.
APRIL 28, 1869
Central Pacific crews lay over ten miles of track in one day, winning a $10,000 bet with Union Pacific track layers.
APRIL 28, 1941
The Supreme Court rules unanimously that Negroes are entitled to all first-class services on trains.
APRIL 28, 1973
A train carrying ammunition bound for South Vietnam explodes in a daylong series of blasts near Roseville, California.
APRIL 28, 1987
Illinois Central sells 633 miles of ex-Gulf, Mobile & Ohio to Chicago, Missouri & Western.
APRIL 27, 1958
The first transcontinental through Pullman sleeping car service, which began in 1946, is discontinued.
APRIL 26, 1875
In the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, the first scheduled train was run from Charlottetown to Georgetown on the Prince Edward Island Railway.
APRIL 26 - 27, 1900
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the disastrous great fire of Hull-Ottawa destroyed a great deal of railway infrastructure including 13 cars of the Ottawa and Gatineau and Pontiac Pacific Junction Railways and 175 Canadian Pacific freight cars valued at $130,000. The Canadian Pacific Union Station and freight sheds on Lebreton Flats were destroyed (valued at $40,000) while the value of the Canadian Pacific freight lost was estimated at $30,000. The fire created a shortage of lumber in the area, and as a result, the Canada Atlantic Railway car shops in Ottawa East were forced to temporarily cease building new freight cars.
APRIL 26, 1954
Pullman Standard introduces trailer-on-flatcar with the nickname piggyback.
APRIL 26, 1956
C & O introduces RoadRailer trailers for hauling mail on the PereMarquettes.
APRIL 26, 1960
General Electric enters the domestic diesel locomotive market with the introduction of the U25B demonstrators.
APRIL 25, 1831
The first streetcar company in the U.S., the New York and Harlem Railway, is incorporated.
APRIL 25, 1924
The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway Company begins operation of the first railroad-owned bus company.
APRIL 25, 1946
A rear-end collision involving the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's Exposition Flyer and Advance Flyer kills 47 at Naperville, Illinois.
APRIL 25, 1960
The Canadian National operates it's last regularly scheduled steam-powered freight train, after which all steam locomotives were withdrawn from service on the CN.
APRIL 25, 1963
President Kennedy signs an executive order making the Alaska Railroad's tariff rates subject to the Interstate Commerce Commission.
APRIL 24, 1834
The Long Island Railroad incorporated on this date.
APRIL 24, 1900
Cable car pioneer, Andrew Halliday, dies.
APRIL 24, 1970
Budd puts it's carbuilding division up for sale.
APRIL 24, 1971
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the last Railway Post Office arrives in Ottawa from Toronto on train 48, the "Cavalier".
APRIL 24, 1983
The Denver & Rio Grande Western makes the last run of the Rio Grande Zephyr.
April 23, 1995
Last day of the C&NW.
APRIL 23, 1823
The Delaware and Hudson Canal Company obtains a charter for a rail line from Carbondale to the canal at Honesdale in the Lackawanna Valley.
APRIL 23, 1827
The first board of directors are elected for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
APRIL 23, 1831
The first railroad in the Mississippi valley, the Ponchartrain RR, is opened with horse-powered operations.
APRIL 23, 1983
The Georgia Railroad operated the last branch line mixed service.
APRIL 22, 1833
Richard Trevithick, inventer of the steam locomotive, dies at the age of 62.
APRIL 22, 1884
Orange Jull receives the patent for the first practical rotary snowplow. Jull's design mounted a large revolving fan on a railroad car to cut through snowdrifts and throw snow to one side while being pushed by locomotives.
APRIL 22, 1942
Baldwin delivers prototype T-1 4-4-4-4 duplex locomotives to the Pennsylvania Railroad.
APRIL 22, 1976
In Canada, the Turbo train achieves a speed of 140.6 mph/226.3 kph near Morrisburg, Ontario on the Canadian National's Kingston subdivision, a Canadian rail speed record which holds to this day.
APRIL 21, 1856
The first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River opens from Rock Island, Illinois to Davenport, Iowa.
APRIL 21, 1865
President Abraham Lincoln's funeral train departs Washington, D.C.
APRIL 21, 1970
Canadian Pacific unveils Canada;s first double-deck passenger train consisting of nine air-conditioned cars built by Canadian Vickers Limited at a cost of $2.8 million. The cars went into operation on April 27th on the Montreal Lakeshore suburban service.
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