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On This Date in Railroad History

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Posted by cherokee woman on Monday, November 16, 2009 5:09 AM

 NOVEMBER 15 1908
Oregon Electric Forest Grove branch opened

NOVEMBER 15 1910
Penn Station opens in New York City.

NOVEMBER 15 1920
W.F. Turner becomes President (SP&S Ry.)

NOVEMBER 15 1928
The first rail detector car to be placed in commercial service begins operation on the Wabash Railroad.

NOVEMBER 15 1948
Union Pacific Railroad begins track tests of a gas-turbine-electric locomotive.

NOVEMBER 15 1957
Longest and heaviest train (500 coal cars, 4 miles long, 42,000 tons) hauled by Norfolk and Western Railroad between Iager, West Virginia and Ports

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
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Posted by cherokee woman on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 12:45 PM

NOVEMBER 17 1837
The Sandusky, believed to be the first locomotive equipped with a whistle in the US, arrives on the Mad River & Lake Erie at Sandusky, Ohio.

NOVEMBER 17 1889
First daily railroad service to the Pacific Coast, without a change was between Chicago and Portland, OR, and between Chicago and San Francisco, Calif., on the Union Pacific Railroad.

NOVEMBER 17 1908
Vancouver, WA to Portland, OR service begins (SP&S Ry.)

Ray:  this one is for especially for you, since you're a really big fan!:

 Balladeer Gordon Lightfoot in 1938 (age 71) (Canadian Railroad Trilogy)

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
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Posted by cherokee woman on Monday, November 23, 2009 5:58 AM

NOVEMBER 23 1898
Andrew Jackson Beard receives patent #594,059 for a railway car coupler. Born a slave, Beard worked in a number of occupations, including the railroad industry. This led to his improved railroad coupler, which was credited with preventing many serious injuries among railroad workers.

NOVEMBER 23 1968
Last Durango to Alamosa passenger train on the D&RGW.

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
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Posted by cherokee woman on Thursday, November 26, 2009 5:06 AM

 From Arcamax History & Quotes:

In 1832, the first streetcar railway in America started public service in New York City from City Hall to 14th Street. The car was pulled by a horse and the fare was 12 1/2 cents. 

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
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Posted by cherokee woman on Monday, December 14, 2009 6:25 AM

FROM ARCAMAX HISTORY & QUOTES:

On December 14th, 1896, the Glasgow Underground Railway was opened.

FROM RAILWAYSTATION.COM:

 DECEMBER 14 1894
Eugene Debs is sentenced to six months in prison for his role in the Pullman strike.

DECEMBER 14 1934
The first streamlined steam locomotive, the Commodore Vanderbilt, is placed in service on the New York Central.

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
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Posted by cherokee woman on Thursday, December 24, 2009 5:14 AM

From Arcamax History & Quotes:

Birthdays on December 24th:

- Composer Harry Warren ( Lullaby of Broadway, Chattanooga Choo Choo ) in 1893 was born.

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
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Posted by AgentKid on Thursday, December 24, 2009 12:45 PM

 Cherokee Woman, thanks for keeping up this thread. I hope you have a Merry Christmas.

 Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere"  CP Rail Public Timetable

"O. S. Irricana"

. . . __ . ______

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Friday, January 22, 2010 9:42 AM

JANUARY 22, 1912

Florida East Coast Railway, opens overseas railroad service to Key West.

JANUARY 22, 1956

Santa Fe RDCs derail on a curve in Los Angeles, killing 30.

JANUARY 22, 1993

In the Canadian province of Ottawa, Canadian Pacific abandons the Waltham subdivision between milepost 0 and milepost 1.0 (known as the Wamo Spur).

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Saturday, January 23, 2010 7:32 AM

JANUARY 23, 1890

A new North American speed record of 78.1 mph is set by an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe train.

JANUARY 23, 1902

Columbia River & Northern Railway (CR&N) incorporated.

JANUARY 23, 1915

An unofficial last spike ceremony at Basque, British Columbia commemorates the completion of the Canadian Northern Railway's transcontinental mainline from Vancouver to Quebec  via Edmonton, North Battleford, Dauphin, Winnipeg, Fort Frances, Capreol, Ottawa, Hawkesbury and Montreal. Full operation of the line was not commenced until early 1916.

JANUARY 23, 1963

The Florida East Coast is struck by 11 non-operating unions.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

 

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Sunday, January 24, 2010 7:16 AM

JANUARY 24, 1854

Chicago is linked by rail to eastern cities.

JANUARY 24, 1900

New York City's mayor Van Wyck breaks ground for that city's first subway.

JANUARY 24, 1966

In the Canadian province of Ontario, Canadian National commences the operation of passenger service from Ottawa to Toronto via Smiths Falls and the use of running rights over the Canadian Pacific's Brockville subdivision to Brockville. On the same date, the Canadian Pacific discontinued passenger service from Ottawa to Toronto via: Smiths Falls and Trenton, Smiths Falls and Havelock.

JANUARY 24, 2006

In the Canadian province of Ontario, the city of Ottawa (Capital Rail) takes ownership of the Prescott subdivision between milepost 8.17 and milepost 25.42 (Highway 416). This is excepted track for possible future expansion.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Monday, January 25, 2010 7:21 AM

JANUARY 25, 1875

The Pinkerton Detective Agency bombs the home of bank and train robbers, Frank and Jesse James. Neither of the brothers is there, but their half brother, Archie is killed and their mother is injured.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 7:56 AM

JANUARY 26, 1869

Colorado Central Railroad incorporated.

JANUARY 26, 1901

The Great Western Railway (owned by the Great Western Sugar Company) begins operation. This Colorado short line operated steam locomotives into the 1960's.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 6:57 AM

JANUARY 27, 1830

The Lexington & Ohio Railroad is chartered.

JANUARY 27, 1902

5 workers were killed in an explosion during subway construction in New York City.

JANUARY 27, 1903

A collision on the Central of New Jersey occurred at Graceland, New Jersey, killing 33.

JANUARY 27, 1948

The first locomotive to carry 1,000,000 pounds operates. My source of information though, does not indicate whether this was steam or diesel.

JANUARY 27, 1963

In the Canadian province of Ontario, in the Ottawa area, a connection is installed between the Canadian National and the Canadian Pacific at Smyth Road. From this date Canadian National train movements used the Canadian Pacific's Sussex Street subdivision between Smyth Road and Hurdman.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

 

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:14 AM

JANUARY 28, 1935

The first streamlined electric locomotive, the GG1, is placed into service on the Pennsylvania Railroad.

JANUARY 28, 1962

Washington DC's last streetcar routes, 14th Street and U Street, are closed.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Friday, January 29, 2010 7:06 AM

JANUARY 29, 1873

The Chesapeake & Ohio is completed from Richmond, Virginia to the Ohio River.

JANUARY 29, 1884

Patent #292,504 is granted to La Fayette Wilson Page of Shreveport, Louisiana for an animal chaser. Page's device was designed to allow an engineer to divert water from the boiler through a nozzle on the front of the locomotive to clear livestock from the track.

JANUARY 29, 1956

The last passenger train is operated on the Virginian Railway.

JANUARY 29, 1980

The Milwaukee Road ends revenue service west of Miles City, Montana.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Saturday, January 30, 2010 7:35 AM

JANUARY 30, 1905

The San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake completes it's line from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, Utah.

JANUARY 30, 1923

The Grand Trunk was merged into the Canadian National.

JANUARY 30, 1973

In the Canadian province of Ontario, Canadian National opens the 4.4 mile L'Original Spur with headblock at Vankleek Subdivision.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Sunday, January 31, 2010 8:41 AM

JANUARY 31, 1855

Western railroads were blocked by snow.

JANUARY 31, 1874

The Jesse James gang robbed a train at Gads Hill, Missouri.

JANUARY 31, 1880

In Canada, an Ice Railway is opened between Longueuil and Montreal by the Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa and Occidental Railway. A railway track was placed on large timbers laid on the ice of the St. Lawrence River. During the summer months the QMO&O used a car ferry. An ice railway was laid each winter until 1883.

JANUARY 31, 1905

In the Canadian province of Ontario at midnight, the Ottawa and New York Railway comes under the control of the New York Central and Hudson River Railway. The line had been sold at auction in Utica, New York on December 22, 1904, but there was a delay in obtaining court approval for the sale.

JANUARY 31, 1932

US railway unions accept a 10% wage reduction.

JANUARY 31, 1935

The Union Pacific's streamliner M-10000 is placed in daily service between Salina, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri.

JANUARY 31, 1948

Norfolk & Western becomes freight only.

JANUARY 31, 1961

On the New York Central's Ottawa division, at Cornwall, Ontario, the 100,000 gallon water tower at the Canadian National station is demolished.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Sunday, January 31, 2010 10:14 AM

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

JANUARY 31, 1948

Norfolk & Western becomes freight only.

NO WAY

Still running in 1968?

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Sunday, January 31, 2010 12:56 PM

blue streak 1

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

JANUARY 31, 1948

Norfolk & Western becomes freight only.

NO WAY

Still running in 1968?

For your information, I use a variety of different sources in updating this thread every morning. One of them is Railwaystation.com. The information found in this site is not always correct, for example, what I read for today says "Norfolk Southern becomes freight only." The Norfolk & Western, if I am correct, did not merge with the Southern until much later. I would think that there are others who would know the history of the Norfolk & Western a lot better than I. I am more familiar with the roads that now comprise today's BNSF.

 
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Posted by CShaveRR on Sunday, January 31, 2010 3:31 PM
In this case, Ray, the original post was correct. What they were referring to was the original Norfolk Southern, which eventually became a subsidiary of the Southern. Passenger service disappearing in 1948 sounds plausible for that line.

The N&W still had a train that survived until the formation of Amtrak, I believe--and I am not referring to the Wabash Cannon Ball!

As for the "western railroads" that were blocked by snow in 1855, keep in mind that most of the western railroads at that time were still east of the Mississippi River.

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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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Sunday, January 31, 2010 3:55 PM

Hey Carl, thanks much for setting me straight on this one. I had a feeling you would be contributing some input on this.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Monday, February 1, 2010 6:57 AM

FEBRUARY 01, 1905

The New York Central & Hudson River began a lease on the New York & Ottawa, along with the Ottawa & New York.

FEBRUARY 01, 1908

The P&S name was changed to SP&S. (Spokane, Portland & Seattle)

FEBRUARY 01, 1910

Service begins on the Oregon Electric Railway's Woodburn branch.

FEBRUARY 01, 1918

The U.S. Senate limits government control of the railroads to 18 months.

FEBRUARY 01, 1935

New York City's first trolley line on fourth avenue, is converted to buses.

FEBRUARY 01, 1953

Canadian Pacific places in trial service a Budd built RDC self-propelled on the Montreal-Mont Laurier.

FEBRUARY 01, 1968

The Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central System merge to form the Penn Central Railroad.

FEBRUARY 01, 1971

On the Ottawa division of the New York Central, the Turbo is taken out of service again until problems that this train continued to have were solved.

FEBRUARY 01, 1979

The Southern Railway's Southern Crescent service is transferred to Amtrak.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 6:56 AM

FEBRUARY 02, 1886

Representatives from the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, Cincinnati Southern, and other southern railroads meet in Atlanta where they agree to a mass conversion of 13,000 miles of track to a standard gauge of 4' 8 1/2" .

FEBRUARY 02, 1888

In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway completes construction of it's line from Waltham to Aylmer where there was a connection with the Canadian Pacific line between Hull and Aylmer. The line was opened in stages as follows:

*Aylmer to Quyon, mile 21 - December 9, 1884 (operated by the contractor until mid-February 1885).

*mile 21 to 31 - December 24, 1885

*mile 31 to 41 - January 27, 1886

*mile 41 to 51 - October 10, 1886

*mile 51 to 61 - December 15, 1886

*mile 61 to Waltham - February 2, 1888

The opening in ten mile segments were the dates subsidies were approved. The intermediate openings to service were:

*March 1886  Aylmer to Shawville

*November 1886 Shawville to Fort Coulonge

*August 27, 1894 Fort Coulonge to Waltham. Although this section was completed and rails laid by February 1888, service did not commence until this date. 

Through running of Pontiac and Pacific Junction Railway passenger trains from Aylmer to Ottawa over the Canadian Pacific Aylmer branch commenced on the 5th of September, 1887. 

 

FEBRUARY 02, 1910

The Oregon Electric Railway is acquired by the Hill interests.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 7:11 AM

FEBRUARY 03, 1898

In a blinding snowstorm on the New Haven Railroad, engine #684, pulling a two-car milk train to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, collides with engine #823 which was pushing a snow-plow. Fortunately, engine #684 ran up the plow and ended up on top of #823 and no one was seriously hurt. Later, engine #823 carried #684 piggyback to the depot.

FEBRUARY 03, 1963

In the Canadian province of Ontario, Canadian National discontinues operation over the drawbridge over the Rideau Canal near Isabella Street. This was made possible by the construction of a connection which allowed Canadian National passenger trains entering or leaving Union Station to turn at Hurdman rather than use the wye to the Renfrew subdivision and the Rideau Canal drawbridge.

FEBRUARY 03, 1973

The Providence & Worchester resumes independent operation.

FEBRUARY 03, 2004

Canadian National locomotive #5775 caught fire while traveling eastbound through Cornwall, Ontario. The train stopped at the Toll Gate Road crossing for firefighters to put out the blaze.

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Posted by dmoore74 on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 9:31 AM

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

.

FEBRUARY 03, 1973

The Providence & Worchester resumes independent operation.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

One of these years railwaystation.com will get their spelling of Worcester correct.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Thursday, February 4, 2010 8:03 AM

FEBRUARY 04, 1830

The Camden and Amboy Rail Road Transportation Company is founded.

FEBRUARY 04, 1887

President Grover Cleveland signs the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, creating the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). The ICC regulated rates, service and abandonment of railroads and insures that the interests of farmers and businessmen are represented.

FEBRUARY 04, 1930

The first tireless, soundless, shockless streetcar tracks were installed in New Orleans.

FEBRUARY 04, 1941

Santa Fe #100 becomes the first diesel-electric locomotive to be used in road freight service.

FEBRUARY 04, 1961

With the last run of the Buffalo to Newark Maple Leaf, Lehigh Valley becomes freight only.

FEBRUARY 04, 1963

The Chesapeake & Ohio acquired control of the Baltimore & Ohio.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Friday, February 5, 2010 7:32 AM

FEBRUARY 05, 1836

The 4-4-0 American type steam locomotive is patented by Henry R. Campbell.

FEBRUARY 05, 1950

Passenger service ends on the Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad.

FEBRUARY 05, 1993

In Alaska on the Alaska Railroad, a snow fleet consisting of two locomotives and a Jordan spreader derail at Eklutna and roll down an embankment along Knik Arm. Crews used bulldozers and cranes to hoist the equipment up the embankment and rerail.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Saturday, February 6, 2010 6:04 AM

FEBRUARY 06, 1815

The first American railroad charter was obtained by an inventor and steamboat designer, John Stevens, to build a railroad from Trenton to New Brunswick, New Jersey. The railroad was never actually built.

FEBRUARY 06, 1868

An 11-day strike begins on the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad.

FEBRUARY 06, 1891

The first great train robbery happened when the Dalton Gang robbed Southern Pacific's train #17.

FEBRUARY 06, 1951

The Pennsylvania Railroad's Broker derails in Woodbridge, New Jersey, killing 84 people.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Sunday, February 7, 2010 7:51 AM

FEBRUARY 07, 1915

The first wireless message was sent from a moving train to a station.

FEBRUARY 07, 1991

In the Canadian province of Ontario, VIA Rail Canada reaches an agreement for the purchase of the Canadian National's Smith Falls subdivision between Richmond and Smiths Falls.

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Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Monday, February 8, 2010 8:28 AM

FEBRUARY 08, 1951

Striking railroad workers return to work by order of the U.S. Army.

FEBRUARY 08, 1986

A head on collision between a freight train and a passenger train near Hinton, Alberta, Canada claims 23 lives.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

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