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On This Date in Railroad History

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 10:27 AM

MARCH 09, 1949

The Illinois Central Railroad places the first all-electric dining car, rhe Cafe St. Louis into service Chicago and St. Louis, Missouri.

MARCH 09, 1954

The Santa Fe Railway completes the dieselization of it's locomotive fleet.

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Posted by cherokee woman on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 5:49 AM

FROM ARCAMAX HISTORY & QUOTES:

 Leland Stanford, railroad builder and founder of California's Stanford University, in 1824, was born.

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Monday, March 8, 2010 10:36 AM

MARCH 08, 1827

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was incorporated in the state of Virginia.

MARCH 08, 1832

The Portsmoute & Roanoke Railroad was chartered.

MARCH 08, 1855

The first train crosses the first railroad suspension bridge at Niagra Falls.

MARCH 08, 1904

The Lucin cut-off across the Great Salt Lake in Utah opens.

MARCH 08, 1920

The management of the Grand Trunk Pacific is entrusted to the Board of Directors appointed for the Canadian National Railways.

MARCH 08, 1982

The last steam-heated Amtrak train, the Silver Star, departs Washington, D.C.

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Posted by spokyone on Monday, March 8, 2010 10:09 AM

March 8, 1910

From our archives, 100 years ago

A steam locomotive exploded – literally blew its stack – on a passenger train bound for Walla Walla.

The paper reported that the smokestack was blown into the air and landed in a field 400 feet away. The engineer and fireman were knocked out of the locomotive and onto the ground. To everyone’s surprise – especially their own – they were uninjured.

The force of the explosion went forward, which probably saved their lives. Windows “some distance” from the train were shattered.

One passenger, Mrs. J.D. Sheets, was bruised when she was thrown against a seat, but nobody else was hurt.

The general agent of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co. said that “such things happen at times, and no one knows why.”

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Sunday, March 7, 2010 10:14 AM

MARCH 07, 1823

The New Jersey Railroad & Transportation Company was chartered to build across the state of New Jersey.

MARCH 07, 1913

The New York & Ottawa merged into the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad.

MARCH 07, 1919

Canada's Minister of Railways is appointed as receiver of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway.

MARCH 07, 1990

3 people were killed and 162 others were injured when a subway train derailed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Saturday, March 6, 2010 10:42 AM

MARCH 06, 1884

The Northern Illinois Railway was incorporated. This 76-mile railroad was sold to the Chicago & North Western on June 6, 1888.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Saturday, March 6, 2010 9:53 AM

spokyone

March 5, 1910. Just four days after the Wellington avalanche, the CP suffered an avalanche on Rogers Pass near Revelstoke. The final death toll was 62. A slide roared down the slopes and swept a work train and dozens of Canadian Pacific railroad workers plus 27 Japanese into a deep creek ravine below.

Thanks Bob, somehow I missed that one while looking through my sources of information.
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Posted by spokyone on Friday, March 5, 2010 10:58 PM

March 5, 1910. Just four days after the Wellington avalanche, the CP suffered an avalanche on Rogers Pass near Revelstoke. The final death toll was 62. A slide roared down the slopes and swept a work train and dozens of Canadian Pacific railroad workers plus 27 Japanese into a deep creek ravine below.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Friday, March 5, 2010 10:59 AM

MARCH 05, 1831

A locomotive with a four-wheeled truck makes a first trip on the South Carolina Railroad.

MARCH 05, 1850

The Lousiville & Nashville Railroad was incorporated in Kentucky.

MARCH 05, 1856

The first state railroad legislation is passed by the Georgia legislature. The law made railroad companies liable for injuries caused by negligence to employees and others.

MARCH 05, 1872

George Westinghouse patents the triple air brake for trains.

MARCH 05, 1944

The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway had discontinued commuter service between Portland, Oregon and Eavan, Washington.

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Posted by CShaveRR on Thursday, March 4, 2010 3:34 PM
CANADIANPACIFIC2816

MARCH 04, 1826

The first American railroad, the Granite Railway Company of Massachussetts is incorporated. The railroad would use horses and oxen to pull wagons from the Quincy granite quarry along a 3-mile long track.

I'm not sure, but I think this railroad could have been instrumental in the construction of the Bunker Hill Monument.

Carl

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Thursday, March 4, 2010 10:21 AM

MARCH 04, 1826

The first American railroad, the Granite Railway Company of Massachussetts is incorporated. The railroad would use horses and oxen to pull wagons from the Quincy granite quarry along a 3-mile long track.

MARCH 04, 1839

William F. Harnden became the first to carry express freight on a train through a contract with the Boston & Providence Railroad. Service was begun for cities as far apart as Boston and New York, and later extended to Philadelphia.

MARCH 04, 1853

Congress passes the Army Appropriation Act, which includes funds for the War Department to survey possible routes for a transcontinental railroad.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 12:40 PM

 

MARCH 02, 1877

Rutherford B. Hayes became (probably) the only President to receive news of his election while riding on a train. He was en route to Washington D.C. at the time.

MARCH 02, 1893

The Saftey Appliance Act was passed. It required common carriers engaged in interstate commerce to equip their cars with automatic couplers and continuous brakes and locomotives with driving wheel brakes.

MARCH 02, 1970

Burlington Northern came into existence with the merger of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Great Northern, Northern Pacific and the Spokane, Portland & Seattle railroads.

MARCH 03, 1831

George Pullman was born in Brooklyn, New York.

MARCH 03, 1863

President Lincoln signs a bill favoring the standard gauge of 4'8 1/2" for the transcontinental railroad.

MARCH 03, 1871

The Texas & Pacific Railroad is incorporated by an act of Congress as the Texas Pacific Railroad Company.

MARCH 03, 1934

The Union Pacific tests it's lightweight high-speed passenger train at Omaha, Nebraska.

MARCH 03, 1968

The Santa Fe discontinured the operational use of their Alco PA's.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Monday, March 1, 2010 5:26 PM

MARCH 01, 1863

The Union Pacific Railroad adopted the standard gauge of 4 feet, eight and one half inches.

MARCH 01, 1877

The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Mum v. Illinois that states can regulate interstate transportaion rates if it affects the public interest.

MARCH 01, 1886

Railroad workers belonging to the Knights of Labor wage an unsuccessful two month strike against railroads controled by Jay Gould.

MARCH 01, 1898

In Canada, through service commences over the Intercolonial Railway between Halifax and Montreal. This is achieved through a series of leases and running rights.

MARCH 01, 1910

96 people were killed in a train accident at Wellington, Washington.

MARCH 01, 1910

The worst snow slide in U.S. history claimed 118 lives when 3 passenger trains were buried at Stevens Pass in the Cascade Range.

MARCH 01, 1916

The Grand Trunk Railway's Bonaventure Station in Montreal, Canada was destroyed by a fire.

MARCH 01, 1920

The Transportation Act of 1920 returns control of U.S. railroads to their owners. The government had taken over control of the railroads during World War I. The same act also established the Railroad Labor Board.

MARCH 01, 1943

The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway inaugurated commutor rail service between Portland, Oregon and Eavan, Washington.

MARCH 01, 1999

In the Canadian province of Ontario, an arm of Genessee Rail-One called Railterm takes over the train dispatching of the Huron Central, Quebec Gatineau, and VIA owned or leased trackage from De Beaujeu, mile 7.5 Alexandria subdivision to Hawthorne, mile 72.7, and between Federal, mile 0.0 Smiths Falls Subdivision to Smiths Falls East, mile 34.5. The RTC centre is in Outremont, Quebec.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Sunday, February 28, 2010 10:44 AM

FEBRUARY 28, 1827

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was chartered.

FEBRUARY 28, 1920

The Esh-Cummins Act, which restores private control of the railroads and sets up the Railway Labor Board, is approved by Congress.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 10:29 AM

FEBRUARY 24, 1893

The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad files for bankruptcy, with a debt of over $125 million.

FEBRUARY 24, 1906

Grand Trunk incorporated.

FEBRUARY 24, 1911

The Astonia & Columbia River Railroad (A&CR) was purchased by the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.

FEBRUARY 25, 1832

Ground was broken for New York City's first street railway system.

FEBRUARY 25, 1832

The Champlain and St. Lawrance Railroad was incorporated, being the first Canadian railroad to be chartered.

FEBRUARY 25, 1908

The Hudson & Manhattan Railroad officially opens the first tunnel under the Hudson River.

FEBRUARY 26, 1870

The first New York City subway line opens, and it was pneumatically powered.

FEBRUARY 26, 1973

The Chessie System was incorporated by a combination of the Baltimore & Ohio, the Chesapeake & Ohio and the Western Maryland railroads

FEBRUARY 26, 1979

Amtrak Superliner cars begin operation.

FEBRUARY 26, 1999

In the Canadian province of Ontario, Ontario Southland commenced operation over the Canadian Pacific's Port Burwell subdivision from Ingersoll to Tillsonburg, Ontario.

FEBRUARY 27, 1917

20 people were killed in a train accident at Penn, Pennsylvania.

FEBRUARY 27, 1921

37 people were killed in a train accident at Porter, Indiana.

FEBRUARY 27, 1928

The Moffat Tunnel opens in Colorado, replacing the line over the 11,660 foot Rollins Pass.

FEBRUARY 27, 1948

General Electric's 6800 h.p. EL-2B electric locomotive #125 is placed into operation on the Virginian Railway. It had 16 driving axles and a length of 150 feet, 8 inches.

FEBRUARY 27, 1965

All-steam Buffalo Creek & Gauly ceases operations.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 8:28 AM

FEBRUARY 23, 1902

J.P. Morgan meets with President Theodore Roosevelt in hopes in heading off an anti-trust suit against his Northern Securities firm, a holding company that controlled the Northern Pacific, Great Northern and Burlington Railroads. Morgan tells the President, "If we have done anything wrong, send your man to our man and they can fix it up."  Roosevelt responded by telling Morgan that it can not be done.

FEBRUARY 23, 1947

Streamlined passenger cars are placed into service on the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway with trains #1 and #2.

FEBRUARY 23, 1947

The first post-war streamlined train, Great Northern's new Empire Builder, is introduced.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Monday, February 22, 2010 9:39 AM

FEBRUARY 22, 1854

The Chicago and Rock Island becomes the first railroad to reach the Mississippi River.

FEBRUARY 22, 1856

The first railroad service on the West Coast begins with a run from Sacramento to Folsom, California.

FEBRUARY 22, 1867

The Pullman Palace Car Company is chartered.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Sunday, February 21, 2010 9:23 AM

FEBRUARY 21, 1934

In the Canadian province of Quebec, under the Pool Train arrangement, Canadian Pacific was authorized to discontinue trains 553 and 552 between Ottawa and Bedell and trains 549 and 548 between Ottawa and Prescott. 

FEBRUARY 21, 1968

On this date, the Southern Pacific - Rock Island Golden State made it's final run.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Saturday, February 20, 2010 9:17 AM

FEBRUARY 20, 1852

Completion of the Michigan Southern Railway enables trains to reach Chicago from the east.

FEBRUARY 20, 1877

Construction was completed on the first cantilever bridge. The 1,125 foot bridge was built for the Cincinnati Southern Railroad to span the Kentucky River.

FEBRUARY 20, 1893

The Panic of 1893 is foreshadowed by the bankruptcy of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroads with debts exceeding $125 million.

FEBRUARY 20, 1894

The Virginia legislature granted charter to the Southern Railway Company.

FEBRUARY 20, 1980

In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Canadian Pacific abandoned the Eganville subdivision between Payne and Douglas.

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Posted by dmoore74 on Friday, February 19, 2010 3:19 PM

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

FEBRUARY 09, 1875

The Boston & Maine Railroad completes the construction of it's tunnel under Hoosac Mountain in Massachusetts.

 

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

Another historical addition.  The Hoosac Tunnel was actually completed by the Troy & Greenfield RR which was actually controlled by the Vermont & Massachusetts.  The V&M was in turn controlled by the Fitchburg RR.  The Fitchburg operated independently until 1900 at which time it was leased and subsuquently purchased by the Boston & Maine. 

 

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Friday, February 19, 2010 9:39 AM

FEBRUARY 19, 1831

The York, America's first practical coal-burning steam locomotive makes it's trial run.

FEBRUARY 19, 1903

Congress enacts the Elkins Act which removes rebates on freight rates. The rebates had bred corruption and were detrimental to fair trade competition.

FEBRUARY 19, 1912

Tunnel #7 caved in on the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.

FEBRUARY 19, 1951

The Pennsylvania Railroad was indicted for manslaughter for a wreck that happened two weeks previously.

FEBRUARY 19, 1985

The Soo Line was approved as the purchaser of the Milwaukee Road.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Friday, February 19, 2010 9:00 AM

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

FEBRUARY 18, 1947

24 people were killed when the Pennsylvania Railroad's Red Arrow derailed Gallatin, Pennsylvania.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

According to what Carl has told me, the actual location of this wreck was Gallatzin, Pa. My source of information is www.railwayhistory.com and sometimes the information that I pick up from this one source is somewhat misleading, or locations are simply mis-spelled. Anyway, many thanks to Carl for correcting me!
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Posted by CShaveRR on Thursday, February 18, 2010 8:43 PM
CANADIANPACIFIC2816

FEBRUARY 18, 1947

24 people were killed when the Pennsylvania Railroad's Red Arrow derailed Gallatin, Pennsylvania.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

The correct location for this wreck was Gallitzin, Pennsylvania, up the hill from Altoona. Gallatin was a freight-service-only point on the P&LE.

I hope that when errors such as this are found in your source, Ray, you make a note so we don't get the same bad information in following years. This is a convenient and valuable reference you're providing, and I hope to see it corrected and expanded in future years.

Carl

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CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Thursday, February 18, 2010 7:45 PM

FEBRUARY 18, 1947

24 people were killed when the Pennsylvania Railroad's Red Arrow derailed Gallatin, Pennsylvania.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 9:19 AM

FEBRUARY 17, 1859

In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Brockville and Ottawa is opened on the provincial broad gauge (5'6") between Brockville (from a temporary station at the junction with the Grand Trunk Railway) via Smiths Falls to Perth.

FEBRUARY 1871

William J. Palmer announces that the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad will be built using a 3 foot gauge.

FEBRUARY 17, 1950

32 peaople were killed in a collision on the Long Island Railroad at Rockville Center, New York.

FEBRUARY 17, 1961

An application for merger of the Hill lines; Great, Northern, Northern Pacific, Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and the Spokane, Portland & Seattle was made to the Interstate Commerce Commision.

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Posted by CShaveRR on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 10:56 AM
CANADIANPACIFIC2816

FEBRUARY 16, 1909

The first subway car with side doors goes into service in New York City.

I'm still trying to figure out what they did for the first eight years of subway operation in New York--circus loading through the ends of the cars? Holes in the roof?

Carl

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CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 9:02 AM

FEBRUARY 16, 1881

The Canadian Pacific Railway was incorporated on this date.

FEBRUARY 16, 1907

22 people were killed in a train accident in New York City.

FEBRUARY 16, 1909

The first subway car with side doors goes into service in New York City.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Monday, February 15, 2010 10:34 AM

FEBRUARY 15, 1838

Patent #605 was issued for leaf springs for locomotives.

FEBRUARY 15, 1870

Ground was broken near Duluth, Minnesota for the Northern Pacific Railway.

FEBRUARY 15, 1881

The Canadian Pacific Railway was incorporated on this date. The Canadian Pacific Railway Act received Royal assent. A Royal Charter pursuant to the Act was granted on February 16th - this incorporated the company. The principal terms provided for the payment to the railway of s subsidy of $25,000,000 and 25,000,000 acres of land, plus the railways (Port Arthur-Selkirk-Winnipeg-Emerson and Port Moody-Savona) already contracted by the government upon their completion.

FEBRUARY 15, 1942

The final run is made on this nation's first commercially successful cable car line, the Clay Street Hill Railroad in San Francisco.

FEBRUARY 15, 1957

In the Canadian province of Ontario, the NewYork Central abandoned operations between Ottawa and the international border at Cornwall. The last train ran on the 14th of February. hauled by diesel locomotive #8304.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Monday, February 15, 2010 9:04 AM

CShaveRR
CANADIANPACIFIC2816

IFEBRUARY 14, 1886

The first trainload of California organges to be shipped east departs Los Angeles.

Organges? I'll bet they'd be better off being delivered via pipeline! Pull out all the stops! Pedal to the metal!

This was a typographical error, you smart***!

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Posted by CShaveRR on Sunday, February 14, 2010 3:03 PM
CANADIANPACIFIC2816

IFEBRUARY 14, 1886

The first trainload of California organges to be shipped east departs Los Angeles.

Organges? I'll bet they'd be better off being delivered via pipeline! Pull out all the stops! Pedal to the metal!

Carl

Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)

CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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