APRIL 18, 1899
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the New York & Ottawa Bridge Company was created to run the bridge crossing that would link the New York & Ottawa with the Ottawa & New York.
APRIL 18, 1906
The great 1906 San Francisco earthquake strikes, damaging the Southern Pacific's headquarters building and destroying the mansions of the now-deceased Big Four. Also destroyed are many cable car routes, which will be replaced with electric street cars.
APRIL 18, 1934
The stainless steel streamliner Pioneer Zephyr of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, the first train of this type to use diesel power and the first to be placed in scheduled passenger service, is delivered by the manufacturer at Philadelphia.
APRIL 18, 1977
In Canada, the Hall Commission Report on Grain Handling and Transport is published. This recommends limited branchline abandonment on the prairies.
APRIL 18, 1991
Congress ends 1-day railroad labor strike.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
APRIL 17, 1893
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the world's largest block of cheese is shipped from Perth as Canada's entry for the dairy exhibit at the World's Columbian Exhibition in Chicago, Illinois. This 22,000 lb. monster, measuring 6 feet in height and 8 and 3/4 feet in diameter, was made in a section of the Canadian Pacific freight shed in Perth. The cheese, along with a special horse-drawn wagon designed to haul the cheese, was loaded in the Perth yard on Saturday, April 15th and was place on show before being shipped. At every station at which the train stopped, the people crowded on the flat car the cheese was on and wrote their names on the box. By the time it reached Chicago there were about 200,000 signatures on the box and not a square inch of it left bare.
APRIL 17, 1934
M.C. LaBertew is made Superindendent of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
APRIL 17, 1991
Railroad workers go on strike in the U.S. Congress ended the strike the next day.
APRIL 16, 1856
The East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company was incorporated.
APRIL 16, 1901
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Ottawa and Gatineau Railway is authorized to open 1.87 miles of line extending from a point on it's constructed line, then opened as far as Gracefield, in the township of Hull to a point of junction with the approach to the Interprovincial Bridge in Hull.
APRIL 16, 1953
Fairbanks-Morris introduces the first high-horsepower road switcher, the 2400 hp Train Master.
APRIL 15, 1880
In the Canadian province of Ontario, passengers and freight are carried on the Canada Central Railway extension west of Pembroke to Mackey's station by the contractor James Worthington. This section was handed over to the Canada Central on 12/1/1880.
APRIL 15, 1935
In Washington, D.C., the last Chesapeake Beach train leaves "resort" at 11:50 AM. Only 2.9 miles of the inner line were kept and reorganized as East Washington Railway for switching coal to Pepco at Benning power plant via Capital Transit Steeple cabs and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
APRIL 15, 1954
Patrick McGinnis won control of the New Have from Buck Dumaine.
APRIL 14, 1871
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Kingston & Pembroke Railway was incorporated.
APRIL 14, 1910
In the Canadian province of Ontario, a Canadian Pacific train ran into a washout two miles from North Wakefield. The engineer, William Alexander McFall, stuck to his post and only the engine toppled into the hole. Forty passengers were saved as the remainder of the train remained upright. Engineer McFall, who was badly scalded by steam and died on April 16, was awarded the King Edward medal for his heroic actions. Engineer McFall drove the first passenger train over the Interprovincial Bridge on April 22, 1901. He also lost a foot in at accident at Aylwin in 1908.
APRIL 14, 1920
U.S. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer makes the charge that an illegal railroad strike is part of an international communist conspiracy, fomented by the I.W.W.
APRIL 14, 1960
The final runs are made of the longest motor-car run in the U.S, the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio's 362-mile run from Kansas City and Bloomington, Illinois.
APRIL 14, 1983
A mudslide covers the Denver & Rio Grande Western's mainline at Thistle, Utah, forcing the Rio Grande Zephyr to use Union Pacific to return from Salt Lake City to Denver.
APRIL 14, 1986
Midsouth Rail buys Gulf & Mississippi.
APRIL 13, 1846
The Pennsylvania state legislature passes an act incorporating the Pennsylvania Railroad.
APRIL 13, 1869
George Westinghouse receives patent #88,829 for an improvement in steam power brake devices. The Westinghouse Air Brake was the first commercially succussful application of air brakes and made faster, longer trains possible.
APRIL 13, 1910
The Pennsylvania Railroad began running trains through Manhattan's tunnels.
APRIL 12, 1831
Construction begins on the first railroad tunnel in the U.S. near Johnstown, Pennsylvania on the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
APRIL 12, 1862
James J. Andrews and 19 disguised Union soldiers steal a locomotive at Big Shanty, Georgia, as part of a daring, but unsuccessful attempt to disrupt rail traffic between Atlanta and Chatanoonga. An 87 mile chase ended when the stolen 4-4-0 locomotive, the General, ran out of fuel and the raiders were captured by the Confederates. Andrews and 8 others in his party were subsequently tried by the Condfederacy for spying and were hanged.
APRIL 12, 1910
In Chaudiere, Ontario, the east wing of Canadian Pacific's roundhouse was destroyed by a fire.
APRIL 12, 1987
The first excursion for Pennsylvania Railroad K4 class 4-6-2 #1361 took place out of Altoona, Pennsylvania.
APRIL 09, 1851
In Washington, D.C., the 2nd Baltimore & Ohio Railroad station opens at New Jersey Avenue & C Street NW, across from the present day Teamsters headquarters.
APRIL 09, 1968
The Santa Fe terminates it's El Pasoans passenger train.
APRIL 08, 1921
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Henderson Avenue station in Ottawa, built by the Canadian Northern Railway, is closed to passenger trains which are diverted to the Ottawa Union station. The last passenger train to use the station was Canadian National's train #47 to Pembroke.
APRIL 08, 1961
Pacific Electric's last passenger route (Long Beach) ceases operation.
APRIL 08, 1968
Southern Pacific's Lark made it's final run.
APRIL 08, 1997
CSX and Norfolk Southern agree on a division of Conrail.
APRIL 08, 2006
The City of Ottawa, Ontario announces that Siemens has been chosen to build their light rail line.
APRIL 07, 1871
The Illinois Railroad Act creates a commission to fix maximum rates on railroad and warehouse use and forbids discrimination that favors large corporations over small businesses.
APRIL 07, 1914
The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway mainline is completed between Winnipeg, Melville, Edmonton, Jasper and Prince Rupert. The last spike was driven at a location 93 miles west of Prince George, British Columbia. The first sod was turned at Fort William, on the Lake Superior branch, by Sir Wilfred Laurier on September 11, 1904.
APRIL 07, 1920
500,000 (?) railroad workers go on strike affecting 25 railroads.
APRIL 07, 1932
Great Northern's line from Bend, Oregon to Bieber, California opens.
APRIL 07, 1947
The Edaville Railroad opens it's two foot guage railroad to tourists.
APRIL 07, 1957
The last electric trolley line in New York City ceased operations.
APRIL 07, 1989
The Chicago, Southshore & Southbend Railroad declares bankruptcy.
APRIL 07, 1991
Amtrak moves from New York's Grand Central Terminal, to Penn Station, consolidating Amtrak operations in New York City.
APRIL 06, 1898
The first run was made over the Astoria & Columbia River Railroad. The A&CR RR was formed on April 3, 1895 by A.B. Hammond. Picking up the piecesof several failed lines, Hammond succeeded in completing the railroad from Astoria to Portland in 1898. 700 people rode the 16 car opening day excursion on May 16, 1898. The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway purchased the A&CR on February 24, 1911 and operated the line as the 1st Subdivision of the Portland Division. The line was used into the BN era, and is now operated by the Portland & Western, a Genosee & Wyoming owned shortline.
APRIL 06, 1956
The last revenue freight train was operated over the East Broad Top Railroad.
APRIL 06, 1964
The Alaska Railroad restores freight service between Anchorage and Fairbanks following an earthquake which had happened earlier that spring.
APRIL 06, 1988
Amtrak's Auto Train made it's first run.
APRIL 05, 1887
This date marks the first meeting of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
APRIL 05, 1941
In San Francisco, buses replace the Castro & Fillmore streetcars.
APRIL 05, 1995
Canadian National Railway opens the new 6,130 foot St. Clair which replaces the 104 year old tunnel beneath the St. Clair River between Port Hurn, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario.
APRIL 04, 1895
The Astoria & Columbia River Railroad (A&CR) was organized.
APRIL 04, 1976
Amtrak accepts the first of 414 F40PH's from EMD.
APRIL 03, 1883
Humphrey H. Reynolds was the first black inventor to patent an improved window ventilator for railroad cars. His invention was adopted on all Pullman cars, but as an employee, he received no payment from the Pullman Company. Reynolds quit his job as a porter and successfilly sued Pullman for $10,000.00
APRIL, 03, 1900
The Vanderbilts take over the Reading, Lehigh Valley and Erie railroads.
APRIL 03, 1972
The Lehigh & Hudson River filed for bankruptcy.
APRIL 03, 1992
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Goderich Exeter Railway commences operations over the former Canadian National line between Stratford Junction and Goderich and from Clinton Junction to Centralia.
APRIL 02, 1834
The first train to run on a state owned railroad was the Philadelphia & Columbia Railway.
APRIL 02, 1917
The Gales Creek & Wilson River Railroad was incorporated.
APRIL 02, 1933
Canadian National and Canadian Pacific would pool certain passenger services as a result of the Canadian National/Canadian Pacific Act of 1933.
APRIL 01, 1857
The first southern link from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River (Charelston to Memphis) was completed.
APRIL 01, 1932
Oregon Electric's Holley Branch opened.
APRIL 01, 1946
A tsunami destroys a portion of the Oahu Railway.
APRIL 01, 1947
E.B. Stanton replaces T.F. Dixon as Vice-President and General Manager of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
The final run was made on the 190-mile Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern.
In the Canadian province of Ontario, with the abandonment of the Hull Electric Railway, Canadian Pacific maintains access to E.B. Eddy by retaining part of the line adjacent to the former Hull Electric Railway trackage.
APRIL 01, 1949
Newfoundland becomes the tenth province of Canada and the Newfoundland Railway becomes part of the Canadian National system. This narrow guage system had been operated by the island government since 1923.
APRIL 01, 1961
In the Canadian province of Ontario, Canadian National is authorized to abandon the Locksley subdivision, between mile post 0.3, Golden Lake, and mile post 19.5, Pembroke.
APRIL 01, 1968
In the Canadian province of Ontario at Ottawa West, the Canadian Pacific yard office, roundhouse and water tank were demolished.
APRIL 01, 1972
Pacific Great Eastern Railway changes it's name to British Columbia Railway.
APRIL 01, 1976
Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) was formed. Conrail took over the operations of six bankrupt railroads; Central Railroad of New Jersey, Erie Lackawanna, Lehigh & Hudson River, Lehigh Valley, Penn Central and Reading plus the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines. In doing so, Conrail acquired 15,000 miles of track, 3800 locomotives, 140,000 cars and 103,000 employees.
APRIL 01, 1978
VIA became a seperately owned Federal company from Canadian National.
APRIL 01, 1979
VIA Rail Canada assumes financial responsibility for passenger service formerly by the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National railroads.
APRIL 01, 1996
The last train traverses the full length of the former Canada Southern line between Detroit and Buffalo.
MARCH 31, 1941 The Canadian Pacific Wreck at Inkerman, Ontario
Inkerman is a small villiage in eastern Ontario, 33 miles east of Smiths Falls. At the time this incident happened, it was located at mile post 91.1 on Canadian Pacific's Windchester subdivision.
Canadian Pacific passenger train No. 29, known along the Windchester sub. as "The Perth Local", was on the wesbound side of the double track mainline on it's way to Perth, Ontario from Montreal behind light Pacific No. 2658. The local had slowed down to make it's station stop at Inkerman at about 6:30 P.M. There would be a few passengers and the ever present milk cans, now empty, to unload after their shipment earlier in the day on the train No. 30 to various Montreal dairies. As the local was about to make it's station stop an eastbound 68-car freight train, making good time, was passing the local on the eastbound track - and then it happened. A broken axle (according to the Ottawa Journal and the Windchester Press) on a car well back in the freight train resulted in 24 cars of the freight train to start piling up. Of course some of the cars ended up on the westbound mainline, sideswiping the 2658 in the process. This resulted in the 2658 rolling over on it's right side right in front of the station. The local's engineer, Fred Plato, and fireman Wallace Plunkett, both of Smiths Falls, were killed. Inside the station were two C.P. employees, William Maxwell, a C.P. section foreman from Mountain, Ontario, and Edward Pennett the Station Agent. Both these men got out of the station, which was physically moved and structurally damaged by the impact. Unfortunately, both were seriously injured, Pennett losing a lot of blood from a bad cut in his arm and suffering also from burns and shock, while Maxwell, who was badly scalded, was also suffering from burns and shock as the station was immediately filled with smoke and steam from the overturned locomotive. Pennett, taken to Windchester for medical treatment, lived through the ordeal, however. Maxwell, who was taken to the Ottawa Civic Hospital, died the following night from his injuries. Apparently Plato was seen trying to get out of the cab of the overturned engine but just could't make it and died in the scalding steam.
In the meantime the crew in the caboose on the freight train got bounced around pretty good but the caboose remained upwright so they got out more or less unscathed. Train 29's conductor, H. Guppy, and brakeman C. Riley suffered minor injuries, but nothing worse - lucky!
There were two other people who's number hadn't turned up that evening. One was Asa Hanes of Inkerman, a mailman who was standing on the station platform waiting to collect mail bags off train 29. Hanes, who had bent over to pick up his mail bags, was thrown over by flying ballast as the engine and rolling stock started flying around. A military truck from a flatcar went right over Hanes' head and he lived to talk about it! Another individual who escaped with his life was Danny McDonald, a 50 year old hobo who had climbed onto the back of the tender of No. 29's engine at Chesterville hoping to ride to Smiths Falls in search of a job. McDonald escaped the wreck with severe bruises to one of his legs and required medical attention. It seems ironic that McDonald was subsequently charged with vagrancy and spent 10 days in a Cornwall (Ontario) jail cell.
There was an eye witness to this terrible affair. He was George Stuffel. George lived and and worked on the family farm adjacent to the track and was only 35 yards from the station building when the wreck occurred. He and his family had been listening for the local train to arrive, a habit common to farm folk in those days. Usually George would have been at the station to help unload their milk cans but on this particular occasion it wasn't necessary as they hadn't shipped any milk out that morning on No. 30. This might very well have saved George's life. George remembered seeing Maxwell and Pennett running away from the station. Both were covered with black soot and were obviously in need of medical attention. George and his father ran to the wreck site along with their hired hand, Donald Burleigh, to give whatever first aid they could. George remembered putting a tourniquet on Pennett's arm and removing clothing o relieve the pain from scalded wrists and hands.
Other crew members on the train were A.J. Slack of Smiths Falls who was the mail clerk and Fred Forrester of Smiths Falls who was the C.P. Express messenger. Slack had a fractured rib and Forrester was uninjured. About 25 passengers on the local were also uninjured.
It was the best part of a week before the wreckage was cleared and the track rebuilt. In the meantime Toronto - Montreal passenger trains were rerouted through Bedell, utilizing the Prescott subdivision and passing through Ottawa. About 75 yards of mainline track had been torn up and wrecked cars and lading were scattered all over. Two auxiliary cranes, one from Smiths Falls and the other from Montreal, were sent to the site for the cleanup. Thirty yards from the point of impact one freight car crashed through the platform of a feed storage building, reducing the platform and building to kindling wood. According to the Windchester Press in 1986, the old station, which had been rebuilt, was sold off a few years later and moved to the villiage of Mountain to be used as a private residence. It was still extant in 1998 on County Road 1. This rebuilt station bore little resemblance to the one in the wreck, however. It's order board was removed (along with it's operator), the bay window was gone, as was the extended front roof over the platform.
As a Post Script to this story, five years after this tragedy, CPR 4-6-2 #1201 would find herself to be the regularly assigned engine to trains 29 and 30. She escaped unscathed until the end of the steam era, and beyond.
MARCH 31, 1862
The Oregon Pony becomes the first locomotive in the Pacific Northwest.
MARCH 31, 1946
The first regular through sleeping-car service begins from the Atlantic to Pacific coasts.
MARCH 31, 1963
Los Angeles ends streetcar service after 90 years.
MARCH 31, 1980
The 7500 mile Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific ceases operations, becoming the largest railroad abandonment in the United States.
MARCH 31, 1986
Illinois Central Gulf sells 403 miles of trackage from Meridian, Mississippi to Shreveport, Louisiana to Midsouth Rail Corporation.
MARCH 30, 1883
The Denver & Rio Grande Railway reaches Salt Lake City.
MARCH 30, 1908
Columbia Railway & Navigation Co. (CR&N) is purchased by the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
MARCH 30, 1954
Canada's first subway line opens in Toronto.
MARCH 29, 1839
The Railway Express Agency was established on this date.
MARCH 29, 1916
28 people were killed in a train accident at Amherst, Ohio.
MARCH 29, 1922
Rail Union asks President Harding to abolish the U.S. Labor Board.
MARCH 29, 1946
In the Canadian province of Ontario, in the Ottawa area, a fire destroyed the north end of the Interprovincial Bridge. As of this date the Hull Electric Railway ceased to operate into the Chateau Laurier, Ottawa and turned it's cars at the intersection of Laurier and Youville Street near the north end of the Interprovincial Bridge in Hull. For some time Canadian Pacific was forced to reroute all train movements between Ottawa Union and Hull first, via Canadian National across town tracks to Ottawa West, and subsequently via the Sussex Street subdivision to the Prescott subdivison at Ellwood thence to Ottawa West.
MARCH 29, 1957
The New York, Ontario & Western Railroad abandoned it's operations. At that time, it was the largest railroad abandonment in the United States (541 miles).
MARCH 29, 2005
In Cornwall, Ontario, on what had been part of New York Central's Ottawa division, a Cornwall citizen managed to steal a small section of rail, tie plates, spikes and anchors on an abandoned portion of Canadian National's Cornwall spur (the subject part is between the old CNR/CPR diamond and McConnell Avenue). His objective was to sell the steel for cash, but was arrested by police for theft.
jeffhergert CANADIANPACIFIC2816 MARCH 25, 1901 55 people died as a Rock Island train derailed near Marshalltown, Iowa. CANADIANPACIFIC2816 That derailment, the greatest loss of life in an Iowa railroad accident, actually happened on March 21, 1910. Two Rock Island trains had been combined and were detouring over the Chicago Great Western. The location was northeast from Marshalltown, between Green Mountain and Gladbrook, Iowa. They had left Cedar Rapids on the CNW with the locomotives pulling in the normal way. At Marshalltown instead of turning the engines due to technical matters, they ran around the train and were running tender first on the CGW. The tender of the lead engine derailed at about 25 mph for reasons still being debated. The train came to a sudden stop, causing some cars to telescope together. Today there is no track there. Parts of the roadbed remain, but at the actual location only an electric power line shows where the ROW was. There is a small historical marker along the county road. Jeff
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 MARCH 25, 1901 55 people died as a Rock Island train derailed near Marshalltown, Iowa. CANADIANPACIFIC2816
MARCH 25, 1901
55 people died as a Rock Island train derailed near Marshalltown, Iowa.
That derailment, the greatest loss of life in an Iowa railroad accident, actually happened on March 21, 1910.
Two Rock Island trains had been combined and were detouring over the Chicago Great Western. The location was northeast from Marshalltown, between Green Mountain and Gladbrook, Iowa. They had left Cedar Rapids on the CNW with the locomotives pulling in the normal way. At Marshalltown instead of turning the engines due to technical matters, they ran around the train and were running tender first on the CGW. The tender of the lead engine derailed at about 25 mph for reasons still being debated. The train came to a sudden stop, causing some cars to telescope together.
Today there is no track there. Parts of the roadbed remain, but at the actual location only an electric power line shows where the ROW was. There is a small historical marker along the county road.
Jeff
Ray
MARCH 28, 1907
A misplaced switch causes the derailment of a Southern Pacific train at Colton, California, killing 22 people.
MARCH 28, 1975
The American Freedom Train departs Washington, D.C. with ex-Reading 4-8-4 #2101 and bigins a 2-year, 17,000 mile tour.
MARCH 28, 1980
The last train was operated over the former Rock Island track from Amarillo, Texas to Tucumcari, New Mexico.
MARCH 27, 1857
The Memphis & Charleston Railroad completes it's 271 mile line from Memphis, Tennessee to Stevenson, Alabama.
MARCH 27, 1887
The Treaty of Boston agreement was reached between the Denver & Rio Grande, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and the Union Pacific railroads. The D&RG agreed not to build south of Espanola, New Mexico, the AT&SF was not to enter Denver or Leadville, Colorado for ten years, and the Union Pacific agreed to stay out of the Colorado Rockies.
MARCH 27, 1938
The Santa Fe begins San Diegan service between San Diego and Los Angeles.
MARCH 27, 1953
21 people were killed in a train accident at Conneaut, Ohio.
MARCH 27, 1960
The Grand Trunk Western ran it's last regularly scheduled steam powered passenger train.
MARCH 27, 1964
An earthquake in Alaska results in an estimated $30 million dollars worth of damage to the Alaska Railroad.
MARCH 26, 1884
High winds push eight coal cars for a 100 miles on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad east of Denver.
MARCH 26, 1891
Rogers Locomotive Works rolls out ten-wheeler #4493 which eventually becomes Sierra Railroad #3. Starting with "The Virginian" with Gary Cooper, Sierra RR #3 becomes the most photographed locomotive in the world. Other movie appearances include Dodge City, High Noon, Duel in the Sun and Back to the Future III. It also made many TV appearances including The Lone Ranger, Rawhide, Bonanza, Petticoat Junction, Gunsmoke and Little House on the Prairie.
MARCH 26, 1987
Norfolk Southern fires up former Norfolk & Western 2-6-6-4 #1218.
MARCH 25, 1961
The Tallulah Falls Railway, which was used as a setting in the 1950 film, "I'd Climb the Highest Mountain", and in 1960 by Disney for the "Great Locomotive Chase", ceases operation.
MARCH 25, 1986
Conrail goes public at $28.00 a share.
MARCH 24, 1828
The Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad (First state-owned) was authorized.
MARCH 24, 1890
The Supreme Court rules that a Minnesota state law authorizing a commission to set rates that are not subject to judicial review is unconstitutional.
MARCH 24, 1900
New York City's Mayor Van Wyck breaks ground for that city's first subway.
MARCH 24, 1932
New York radio station WABC makes the first radio broadcast from a moving train, a variety show on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in Baltimore.
MARCH 24, 1967
The Soo Line ran it's last regularly scheduled passenger train on this date.
MARCH 12, 1857
A Great Western Railway train breaks an axle while crossing a swing bridge and plunges the Desjardins Canal near Hamilton, Ontario. 59 people are killed.
MARCH 12, 1912
Congress agrees to fund construction and operation of a railroad from Seward to Fairbanks, Alaska.
MARCH 12, 1914
George Westinghouse dies.
MARCH 11, 1908
A golden spike ceremony was held at Sheridan's Point, Washington on the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
MARCH 11, 1939
In the Canadian province of Ontario, Ottawa's Elgin Street streetcar line is abandoned. This would be the first major rail abandonment in that city.
CANADINANPACIFIC2816
MARCH 10, 1902
U.S. Attorney General Philander Knox files an antitrust against the Northern Securities Company, a railroad holding company that controls the Great Northern, Northern Pacific and Burlington Railroads.
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