October 12, 1934
The Association of American Railroads was formed on this date.
October 12, 1954
The last eight of the Erie Railroad's onetime fleet of 1545 steam made their last journey to the railroad's Chicago scrap yard.
October 12, 1986
A once-in-a-100 years flood knocks out two major bridges on the Alaska Railroad's mainline, as well as several smaller bridges, and covers the tracks in mud, causing nearly $3 million in damage. Service was restored on the Alaska Railroad within 13 days.
October 13, 1869
In the Canadian province of Ontario, His Royal Highness Prince Arthur rides the Chats Falls horse railway of the Union Forwarding Company on his way from Aylmer to Pembroke.
October 13, 1873
In the state of Michigan, the Peninsular Railroad opened a line from South Bend to Valparaiso, Indiana.
October 13, 1893
18 people were killed in a passenger train accident involving the Michigan Central Railroad, at Jackson, Michigan.
October 13, 1914
In Canada, the Algoma Central and Hudson Bay Railway was opened throughout between Sault Ste. Marie and Hearst, Ontario. Construction was started in 1899 and it was opened in stages as follows:
Hawk Junction (junction with the Michipicoten Branch) -1911
Franz (crossing with CP) - mid 1912
Oba (crossing with CN) - late 1912.
The name of the railroad would be shortened to Algoma Central in 1965.
October 13, 1988
The Southern Pacific Railroad was sold to Rio Grande Industries.
Otober 14, 1896
In Michigan, the Ann Arbor Railroad opened it's new Central Station in downtown Toledo.
October 14, 1980
The Staggers Rail Act substantially deregulates railroads in the United States.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 October 13, 1873 In the state of Michigan, the Peninsular Railroad opened a line from South Bend to Valparaiso, Indiana.
Going into Michigan to get from South Bend to Valpo would be the long way around!
This is today's CN main line.
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)
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 Otober 14, 1896 In Michigan, the Ann Arbor Railroad opened it's new Central Station in downtown Toledo.
Looks like Michigan is claiming parts of Ohio and Indiana.
October 17, 1870
In the state of Michigan, service began on the Grand Trunk between Climax Prairie (now Climax) and Battle Creek.
October 15, 1899
The Overland Limited began service on the Southern Pacific.
October 15, 1906
In Washington, D.C., Potomac Yard opens, removing most unsightly yard swithcing from along Virginia Avenue & the Mall per McMillan Commission & the "City Beautiful" movement. Sheperd's Landing-Alexandria freight car ferry operation ends with Potomac Yard opening.
October 15, 1910
In the state of Michigan, trains begin passing through the Detroit-Windsor tunnel. Built by the Detroit River Tunnel Company, it was controlled by the Michigan Central.
October 15, 1915
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway opened a line from Pembroke to Capreol.
October 15, 1947
The Tonopah & Goldfield was abandoned.
October 15, 1960
The merger between the Erie Railroad and the Lackawanna Railroad took place on this date.
October 15, 1966
The U.S. Department of Transportation was created.
October 15, 1973
The Ann Arbor Railroad entered into bankruptcy.
October 15, 1976
The Missouri Pacific, Chicago & Eastern Illinois and Texas & Pacific railroads merged.
October 15, 1996
CSX announced it's intention to purchase Conrail, beginning a tumultuous fight which ends in the split of Conrail assets between CSX and Norfolk Southern.
October 15, 2001
In the Canadian province of Ontario, O Train service commences between Bayview and Greenboro stations using Talent diesel mechanical railcars over the former Bytown and Prescott/St. Lawrence and Ottawa Railway line opened in 1854 and 1871.
October 16, 1859
Abolitionist, John Brown attacked the U.S. arsenal at Harper's Ferry and the Baltimore & Ohio's Wheeling to Baltimore Express.
October 16, 1873
In the state of Michigan, the Central Market, Cass Avenue and Third Street Railway Company opened a line in Detroit.
October 16, 1896
In Michigan, the Detroit & Mackinac moved it's General Freight and Passenger Agent office to Bay City.
October 16, 1944
Z-8 #910 made it's initial run from Portland, Oregon to Wishram, Washington on the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
October 16, 1950
The last narrow guage train was operated on the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina (Tweetsie).
October 16, 1963
In Canada, Canadian National opened a branch line to the Mattagami Lake Mines.
October 16, 1964
In the state of Michigan, the Wabash Railroad and the Nickel Plate Road were leased to the Norfolk & Western System. N&W began serving Michigan.
The Norfolk & Western merged with the Nickel Plate Road.
October 16, 1973
The Ann Arbor Railroad declared bankruptcy.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 October 16, 1950 The last narrow guage train was operated on the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina (Tweetsie). .
.
As a side note and reference also to the thread of what is too close. Up to the end of the ET&WNC it passed thru a home near Cranberry Nc. or Crabapple,Tn. Persons lived in both sides of the track. Cannot find my picture of that occurrence.
October 17, 1902
The Trinity & Brazos Valley Railroad was chartered (it is now part of BNSF's Dallas to Galveston line).
October 17, 1912
Oregon Electric completed it's line between Albany and Eugene, Oregon.
October 17, 1917
In Canada, the first train crossed the Quebec Bridge over the St. Lawrence River. This was constructed by the Dominion Government for use by the National Transcontinental Railway. This Bridge was notorious in that it fell down twice during construction:
On August 29, 1907 the south cantilever arm collapsed killing 65 or more workmen.
On September 10, 1916 the suspension span, which was being lifted, buckled and fell into the river, killing 10 -12 workmen.
October 17, 1944
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy operated an 82-car mail and express train from Chicago to Council Bluffs.
October 17, 1960
The Erie and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western merge to form the Erie & Lackawanna.
October 17, 1962
The Union Pacific made it's first road test of a coal burning-gas-turbine-electric locomotive.
October 17, 1966
This date marks the first day of operation of the Montreal subway.
October 17, 1983
In the state of Michigan, the final run of commuter trains was made on the SEMTA Detroit-Pontiac rail line.
October 17, 1987
In the state of Michigan, Grand Trunk Western vacated a 2 story, brick office building at Milwaukee Junction. Office functions were transferred to the new Hamtramck Yard. The old building was built in 1929.
October 17, 1999
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Hull, Chelsea, Wakefield Railway opens a new connection with the Canadian Pacific's LaChute subdivision at Laman. This used the north leg of the wye which was built in 1967 but on which no rails had been laid. The eastward facing connection was used on this day by a once only test steam train to Montebello. The original connection at Laman had been removed to make room for drainage work.
October 17, 2007
In the Canadian province of Ontario, rail service to Hull (Gatineau) ceases with the closure of the Domtar (formerly E.B. Eddy Plant). The Quebec - Gatineau Railway made a special move to pick up two white tank cars which had been held inside the building.
October 18, 1886
This date marks the largest conversion of narrow guage to standard guage. 2000 men between 5 A.M. and 6 P.M. converted 418 miles of track on the Cotton Belt, then known as the St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas, from Bird's Point, Missouri to Texakana, Arkansas.
October 18, 1947
The Alaska Railroad's Aurora made it's inaugural run. It was a blue and gold streamliner which upgraded passenger service between Anchorage and Fairbanks.
October 18, 1956
The last trolley was operated in Brooklyn.
October 18, 1961
GM rolled out it's firist GP-30 diesel electric locomotive.
October 18, 1997
The Wisconsin Central had torn down the former Soo Line roundhouse at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
October 19, 1893
26 people were killed in a Grand Trunk Western passenger train wreck at Battle Creek, Michigan.
October 19, 1897
George Pullman died.
October 19, 1909
The Hull Electric power house on the Ottawa's Hull Street Electric Railway at Deschenes was destroyed by fire.
October 19, 1913
23 people were killed in a train accident at Bucatanna, Mississippi.
October 19, 1955
Canadian Pacific opened a branch line from Struthers to Manitowadge, Ontario.
October 20, 1881
In the State of Michigan, construction of the Pontiac, Oxford & Port Austin Railroad began at Caseville to bring rail service to the Thumb area.
October 20, 1940
The first issue of Trains Magazine was published on this date.
October 20, 1955
The last steam engine departed Spokane Portland & Seattle's Hillyard yard at Spokane, Washington.
October 20, 1969
Alco left the locomotive business.
October 20, 1980
The 645-mile former Rock Island Herington, Kansas-City-Dallas line was sold to Katy subsidiary Oklahoma, Kansas & Texas.
The 965-mile former Rock Island Kansas City-Tucumcari, New Mexico line was sold to Southern Pacific's Cotton Belt.
October 20, 1982
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the last part of the Canadian Pacific's Carleton Spur (formerly the Carleton Place subdivision) was abandoned between the switch at m. 5.0 Ellwood sub and m. 0.0 (945 feet) and from Bayview Road (mile 0.0) and Ross Avenue (mile 0.84).
October 21, 1864
In the state of Michigan, the Chicago & Northwestern acquired the Peninsular Railroad (Escanaba to Ishpeming).
October 21, 1878
A fire in Dearborn, Michigan destroyed the Michigan Central's fuel supply and seven railroad cars.
October 21, 1918
The Mount Royal Tunnel opened on the Canadian Northern Railway. The Canadian Northern would later become part of the Canadian National system.
The Canadian Northern Railway commences a through service between Montreal and Toronto via Hawkesbury and Ottawa, using the the Grand Trunk Railway station at Ottawa. The first eastbound train left Ottawa at 08:00 and the first westbound train at 12:45.
October 21, 1960
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy opened it's new 2500-foot Mississippi River Bridge at Quincy, Illinois.
October 22, 1925
The first production diesel electric locomotive was sold to the Central Railroad of New Jersey.
October 22, 1929
In the state of Michigan, the Grand Trunk's car ferry "Milwaukee" was lost in a violent storm on Lake Michigan without survivors, making this the lake's worst car-ferry disaster with 42 dead.
October 22, 1934
The Union Pacific's six-car streamlined M-10001 departed Los Angeles for a 56 hour, 55 minute transcontinental run to New York's Grand Central Terminal.
October 22, 1937
Z-6 #900 was given a trial run on the Spokane, Portland & Seattle between Spokane and Pascoe, Washington.
October 22,1974
The longest train on record in Canada was a 2.5 mile load of 250 grain cars, hauled from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to Thunder Bay, Ontario.
October 22, 1993
47 people were killed when the eastbound Sunset Limited fell off a bridge near Mobile, Alabama which had been struck by a barge in dense fog.
October 23, 1824
The first locomotive to pull a train on a track in the United States was built by John Stevens, it operated on a 220-foot circle of track on his Hoboken, New Jersey Estate.
October 23, 1888
In the state of Michigan, the Toledo, Saginaw and Mackinaw Railroad opened a line from Durand to Flushing.
October 23, 1917
The Canadian Railway War Board held it's first meeting in the Canadian Pacific Boardroom in Windsor Station, Montreal. The name was changed to the Railway Association of Canada in 1919. The RAC represents the interests of all railways operating in Canada.
October 23, 1936
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's Zephyr made it's Chicago to Denver run in 12 hours, 12 minutes - an average of 91.6 MPH.
October 23, 1979
Amtrak's Station in Dearborn, Michigan opened on this date.
October 24, 1861
The first U.S. transcontinental telegraph line was put into operation. Pony Express Service ended two days later.
October 24, 1866
The first Bucker snowplow was completed at the Central Pacific's Sacramento shops.
October 24, 1903
In Canada, the National Transcontinental Railway Act was passed. In order to expand into Western Canada the Grand Trunk Railway agreed to build a line from Moncton, New Brunswick to Quebec, then on a more northerly route than on any other transcontinental line to a point on the British Columbia Coast, which was to become Prince Rupert. The part between Moncton and Winnipeg was to be known as the National Transcontinental Railway and was to be built by the government. The line west of Winnipeg, to be known as the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, was to be built by the Grand Trunk itself.
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Brockville, Westport and sault ste. Marie changed it's name to Brockville, Westport and North-Western.
October 25, 1848
The "Pioneer" was the first steam locomotive to pull a westbound freight out of Chicago.
October 25, 1854
In Canada, this was the date of the opening of the Carillon and Grenville Railway.
October 25, 1886
In Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railroad Company v. Illinois, the Supreme Court declares that a state can not regulate even that portion of interstate commerce that takes place within it's own borders, removing the States legislative powers over railroads. This led to the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 by Congress.
October 25, 1912
The following item is from Michigan's Internet Railroad History Museum: "The DSS&A due to arrive in Calumet at 8:50 last night was attacked by armed men, supposed to be strikers, just as it began to climb the Quincy hill out of Hancock. Several Volleys of shots were fired at two coaches bearing outside workmen to the C&H mine. The shooting continued for a distance of 3/4 of a mile and passengers aboard the train claim that scores of shots were fired."
October 25, 1974
In Kingston, Ontario a new CN (VIA) Opened on Counter Street with the construction of a new bypass line through a rock cut north of Outer Station between Montreal Street and Division Street. This was also notable in that it was continuous welded rail on Concrete ties.
October 25, 1892
Conway, Missouri, October 25--The westbound passenger train on the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad was wrecked six miles east of this place a few minutes before 4 o'clock this morning. Two persons were killed outright and some 20 or 30 or more or less injured. The dead are: Al Dickerson of Springfield, baggageman, and Floyd Howard of Marshfield, newsboy. Mr. Dickerson was a married man and leaves a wife and one child.
The wreck occurred on what is known as "Dead Man's Curve". A broken rail is supposed to have been the cause. The train was heavily loaded and had three Pullman sleepers attatched. The engine, mail car, express and two rear sleepers held the track, while the baggage, smoker, two chair cars and the first sleeper were thrown down from the track and all on their sides, except the sleeper.
The following is a partial list of the injured: M. SUMMERFIELD, St. Louis, foot sprained; GEO M. GOODNIGHT, sheriff, Cassville, Mo., head cut; H.D. HENSLEY, Marshal, Cassville, injured internally; NOBLE PERRYMAN, policeman, Redfork, I.T.; W.J FRAZELLE, I.T., arm broken and hand mashed; J.E. BLACK, Fort Smith, Ark., concussion of the brain; Mrs. R.J. REYNOLDS, Dexter, Kas., internal injury; MRS. M.W. Graham, Roseman, Ill., back and head hurt; S.D. PORTER and wife, Iuka, Ill., both badly cut about their heads; C.H. BEHRENS, Buffalo, Mo., injured in the back; J.I. HAMILTON, Howard, Kas, injured internally; J.B. BRISCO, Dexter, Mo., back and head hurt; M.B. DOBBS, Dexter, Mo., head cut and shoulder dislocated; J.S. BASS, Ponce de Leon, Mo., hand mashed; and BEN HENSON, Conway, Mo., injured internally.
October 26, 1868
In the state of Michigan, the Flint & Pere Marquette opened their line from Midland to Averills.
October 26, 1874
All Grand Trunk Railway lines east of Montreal, 542 miles, were converted from 5' 6" to standard guage.
October 26, 1883
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Canadian Pacific Chaudiere roundhouse (built by Canada Central Railway) is destroyed by fire. A new roundhouse, which was already under construction, was opened on the 13th of December.
October 26, 1906
Oregon Electric purchased Willamette Valley Traction.
October 26, 1907
In the Canadian province of Ontario, Mayor D'Arcy Scott turned the first sod on the Grand Trunk Railway hotel and station construction in Ottawa. The ceremony took place at the corner of Little Sussex and Besserer Streets. Mayor Scott used a nickel plated duplicate of the tool that was used by the sappers in excavating the Rideau canal.
October 26, 1957
In the Canadian province of Ontario, this marked the date of the last scheduled run of a passenger train on the Canadian Pacific's Prescott subdivision with mixed trains 592 and 593 between Ottawa and Prescott.
October 26, 1968
Penn Central vacated Chicago's La Salle Street Station in favor of Union Station.
October 26, 1985
Burlington Northern made the first run of it's firs propane-fueled GP-9.
October 26, 1995
The Canadian National commuter line between Montreal Central Station and Deux Montagnes is reopened with modernized equipment. The new electric multiple unit trains, operating at 25 kv. AC, replace aging equipment, some of it going back to the opening of the line in 1918.
From Arcamax History & Quotes:
October 27
In 1904, the first rapid transit subway system in America opened in New York City.
October 26, 1856
The Grand Trunk Railway opened it's broad guage line throughout between Montreal and Tornonto. It was opened in sections as follows:
Montreal to Brockville - November 17, 1855
Oshawa to Toronto - August 11, 1856
Brockville to Oshawa - October 27, 1856
October 27, 1856
The first Grand Trunk Railway passenger trains were operated through Kingston, Ontario.
October 27, 1859
A 186 mile line between Louisville, Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee, was opened by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.
October 27, 1870
William J. Palmer incorporated the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad.
October 27, 1891
The St. Clair Tunnel in Ontario, connecting the United States with Canada beneath the St. Clair River, opened.
October 27, 1904
The first part of the New York City Subway opened.
October 27, 1916
In the state of Michigan, the Detroit, Bay City & Western Railroad opened a line from Sandusky to Port Huron.
The Detroit, Bay City & Western Railroad opened their line from Peck to Port Huron, 31 miles.
October 27, 1956
In the Canadian province of Ontario, Canadian National operated it's last train between Pembroke and Golden Lake.
October 22, 1988
In the state of Michigan, CSX would sell the Saginaw to Bad Axe line, running from Saginaw to Bad Axe to the Huron & Eastern.
October 27, 1989
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Canadian Pacific Railway's Smiths Falls Rail Welding Plant closed. It was well known as being housed in four Pennsylvania Railroad Fairbanks Morse B units dating from 1948.
October 27, 1994
In the state of Michigan, the Fourth Street interlocking at Three Rivers was removed. This was the crossing of the Air Line Division (to Niles) and the Kalamazoo branch.
October 27, 2002
VIA opened a new, $1.2 million, station at Fallowfield, Ontario to serve passengers living in the west end of the city traveling to and from Brockville and points west. The first train was No. 43 headed for Toronto hauled by VIA Genesis locomotive No. 920. At the same time, VIA introduced a faster schedule between Montreal and Ottawa and reinstalled Centralized Traffic Control over the Alexandria subdivision which had been out of use since 1/1998.
OCTOBER 28, 1956
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy introduced it's new Vista-Dome Zephyrs.
October 28, 1959
Canadian National opened it's line from St. Felcien to Chibougamau, Quebec.
October 28 - 29, 1967
In the Canadian province of Ontario, Canadian Pacific moved from Ottaw West to Walkley Yard. At 22:50, locomotive #8753 took 5 units to Walkley Yard, 8569-8786-8465-8787-8574. The crew returned to Ottawa West with the yardmaster in his car. Just after midnight, October 29th, 1967, Bruce Chapman, the operator, took the train register and other documents from Ottawa West to Walkley Yard, and at 02:55, the same yard crew, Ed Charron, conductor and Doug McElroy, engineer, arrived at Walkley Yard with 8580-6528-6620-7025-8027-8752-8739 and 70 empties, which cleaned out Ottawa West. The electric train staff system between Hull West, Wamo and Ottawa West system was abandoned when Ottawa West closed.
October 28, 1979
Amtrak's first double deck Superliner coaches debut on the Chicago to Seattle Empire Builder.
October 28, 1983
After over 48 years of service, New Jersey Transit #3323 becomes the last revenue train to be pulled by a GG1.
October 28, 1908
The following news item appeared in the Indianapolis Star on the 29th of October 1908:
CAR CLIMBS BUILDING, NINE PERSONS NEAR DEATH
JUMPS TRACK AND CRASHES INTO DRUG STORE, TERRIFYINNG PASSENGERS AND WAKING EVERY ONE IN NEIGHBORHOOD.
Nine persons escaped death in a manner little short of miraculous at 11 o'clock last night, when Garfield car No. 438 left the tracks at Lincoln Lane and East Street and crashed into the building occupied by John G. Pantzer's drug store and Dr. M.O. DeVaney's office. The entire front of the building was wrecked and the car was turned over on it's side. Not one of the passengers or the crew of the car was injured.
Roy Martin, motorman of the car, bore two small cuts upon his face, which he received by sticking to his post while the car ran for two lengths off the track. The front end, where he was standing at the controller, climbed the side of the building a distance of about twelve feet. Martin said after the accident that the brakes did not take hold when he threw on the air uppon approaching the curve where the Garfield cars turn Sout East Street.
Every one of the passengers and Ralph Hall, conductor, were thrown to the floor of the car in a heap, and four young men standing on the rear platform saved themselves from being injured by hanging to the rail. Among the passengers were three girls, Lillie Lay, who lives a short distance from the scene of the accident, and Emma and Marguite Brown of 1879 South East Street. The girls were thrown from their seats, but were not injured.
An incomplete list of the other passengers follows: A. Wichman, 256 Iowa Street, F.G. Bertels, 2112 Applegate Street, and Jacob Petee, 1829 Orleans Street.
At the time the car crashed into the front of the Pantzer drug store, Mr. Pantzer and his wife were asleep above the store. Rushing to the window to see what had caused such a noise, Mrs. Pantzer saw the car lying propped against the building. The noise of the crash awoke every one who was asleep in the neighborhood and within twenty minutes after the accident a crowd of more than 200 people had gathered to see the result of the wreck.
A call was sent to the police, and the City Dispensary Ambulance, followed by the automobile police patrol, went to the place. Bicyclemen Hall and Simon were the first to reach the wreck. The passengers had all been helped out of the car, and were beginning to recover from the fright caused by the accident. Men were set to work pulling the car out of the drug store and the doctor's office with the aid of the wreck train. The damage to the building was considerable on account of the peculiar manner in which the side of it was torn away. The south outer wall was ripped away from the front wall by the force with which the car struck it.
October 28, 1912
The following is an account of a wreck which occurred in Sioux City, Iowa between a street car and CB&Q steam locomotive:
Charles Kemp, a street car conductor, was killed and 15 passengers injured tonight at Fourth and Division streets when a Burlington engine struck the car in the center. It turned over on it's side and Kemp, who was standing on the rear platform, was caught and his neck was broken.
R.W. Henderson, a Morningside college student, was seriously injured, a deep cut being inflicted in his side. The others received minor wounds.
The Idaho Daily Statesman, Boise, Idaho 10/29/1912
CP2816--I would like to publicly thank you for your highly entertaining postings. Even when there are no other interesting ongoing threads, I always be sure to check in here at least once per day to see what happened in railroad history.
October 29, 1890
In Lowell, Michigan the depot of the Lowell & Hastings Railroad was constructed at the south end of Washington Street.
October 29, 1895
The Michigan Railroad Commission approved the crossing of the Detroit, Lansing and Northern by the Ann Arbor Railroad at Annpere. An interlocking tower was installed.
October 29, 1904
New York City's IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit) subway opened.
October 29, 1966
In the state of Michigan, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway discontinued passenger service between Grand Rapids and Traverse City.
October 29, 1978
In the Canadian province of Ontario, passenger service was discontinued on the Canadian National's Beachburg subdivision west of Federal. From this date VIA took over running the Canadian from Canadian Pacific, and combined the operation of the Canadian and the Super Continental. On the same date the overnight Ottawa-Toronto trains were rerouted to run via Brockville, instead of Napanee. This marked the end of passenger service on the Canadian National line between Smiths Falls and Napanee.
October 29, 1997
In the state of Michigan, Railtex removed 6.6 miles of track between Elmdale, north to Malta (the former PM/GTW junction). The diamond at Malta had also been removed and a new connection track had been installed in the northwest quadrant of the Malta junction.
October 29, 1989
New York City's MTA opened it's 63rd Street extension to subway.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 October 29, 1890 In Lowell, Michigan, the depot of the Lowell & Hastings Railroad was constructed at the south end of Washington Street. October 29, 1997 In the state of Michigan, Railtex removed 6.6 miles of track between Elmdale, north to Malta (the former PM/GTW junction). The diamond at Malta had also been removed and a new connection track had been installed in the northwest quadrant of the Malta junction.
In Lowell, Michigan, the depot of the Lowell & Hastings Railroad was constructed at the south end of Washington Street.
These two stories are actually quite closely related. The Lowell & Hastings was constructed from Lowell south to Freeland (it never made it to Hastings), connecting with the Detroit, Lansing & Northern (a Pere Marquette predecessor at Elmdale. The line from Elmdale to Freeland was an early abandonment victim.
The line also crossed the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee (succeeded by the Grand Trunk Western) on the south side of the Grand River (across from Lowell proper) at a location that eventually became known as Malta.
By 1997, both the former GTW line and the former C&O line into Lowell had been spun off to shortline operators (the Central Michigan Railroad and the Mid-Michigan Railroad, respectively), both of which were owned by Railtex. The line between Malta and Elmdale contained a significant grade up out of the Grand River valley, and also had a stretch, I was told, of roadbed that was very unstable and kept sinking. So I suspect that Railtex was happy to get rid of that little stretch.
Amazingly, the railroads are still separate companies, though they may be operated as one. The Mid-Michigan is still there, but the Central Michigan abandoned a lot of its line, and the surviving stretch (from Grand Rapids to Ionia in reality, but only operated to Malta) is now the Grand Rapids & Eastern.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 October 29, 1895 The Michigan Railroad Commission approved the crossing of the Detroit, Lansing and Northern by the Ann Arbor Railroad at Annpere. An interlocking tower was installed.
I wonder what, if anything, this crossing was really called in 1895. The name Annpere came about because it was the crossing of the Ann Arbor and the Pere Marquette...but the PM wasn't created until 1900. The crossing still is in existence, on the east side of Howell.
Finally, I'd like to echo Jim's sentiments in praising you, Ray, for diligently putting this together for us. And I'd further encourage other readers to add their events to this, or to elaborate on what's already been posted. This could become quite a storehouse of knowledge!
October 30, 1955
The Union Pacific shifted it's Omaha-Chicago streamliner routes from the Chicago & Northwestern to the Milwaukee Road.
October 30, 1965
The Canadian National-Canadian Pacific pool train arrangement was terminated.
October 30, 1972
Two Illinois Central Gulf commuter trains collided in Chicago, killing 45 people and injuring 356 others.
October 30, 1983
Amtrak began tri-weekly Auto Train service from Lofton, Virginia to Sanford, Florida.
October 30, 1996
Railink-Ottawa Valley takes over operation of the former CP line between Smiths Falls and Cartier, Ontario, as well as the Mattawa to Temsikaming branch in Quebec.
October 30, 2005
In the state of Michigan, Lake State Railway, through a subsidiary (Saginaw Bay Southern) begins operation on former CSX lines between Mount Morris and Midland (via Saginaw) and between Saginaw and Bay City. The last day of CSX operation was on October 28th.
The following news item is from the Kokomo Tribune of Indiana.
Chicago (AP) Twentyfive persons were killed today in a rear-end crash of two commuter trains on Chicago's South Side during the morning rush hour. More than 100 persons were hospitalized with injuries.
Mercy Hospital, which treated about 110 persons for injuries, said 15 persons were pronounced dead on arrival. Cook County Hospital, Michael Reese, and Billings Hospital also reported deaths.
Firemen rushed to the crash site, less than 10 minutes from the main downtown terminal, and worked to free passengers trapped in the wreckage.
The rear-end crash occurred about 7:40 a.m. near the 27th Street platform on Chicago's South Side, the railroad spokesman said.
He said both trains left a Far South Side terminal nine minutes apart. The IC Gulf Railroad transports about 35,000 commuters daily between the city and the suburbs to the south.
The following news item appeared in the Cedar Rapids Gazette, Iowa:
Chicago (AP) Thirty-nine people were killed and more than 200 injured Monday when an electric commuter train that was trying to back up after apparently overshooting a station was rammed from behind by another during the morning rush hour authorities said.
Hospitals said some of the injured were in serious condition.
It was the worst railroad accident in the United States in nearly 22 years.
As the toll of dead mounted, firemen worked to free passengers from the twisted wreckage. Their screams were heard above the noises of torches and wrecking bars. The crash occurred on a flat stretch of land near the 27th Street platform of the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad, which transports about 35,000 commuters daily between the city and suburbs to the south. One of the trains had four cars; the other six.
Nine minutes apart. Two commuter trains, which had left about nine minutes apart, from a far south side terminal, were less than 10 minutes from the downtown station when the crash occurred around 7:40 a.m.
H.G. Mullins, superintendent for (unreadable words) said the lead train apparently ran past the station platform and was attempting to back up when the second train struck it. The National Transportation Safety Board in Washington sent specialists to investigate on the basis of reports that the location of the crash was protected by automatic signals. DONNA POSEY, an injured passenger in the first car of the second train, said a crewman shouted a warning about 20 seconds before the wreck.
"Everybody got up and just as we got up, we hit. Everybody screamed and there was a pile-up of people," she said.
10 Trapped.
Three hours after the crash, at least 10 persons were trapped inside one of the train cars officials said.
A doctor at the scene from nearby Michael Reese Hospital reported several of those killed were cut in half by the impact.
The lead train carried four new double decker-cars with each car's capacity about 155 persons, a railroad spokesman said. The rear train carried older cars, each having a capacity of about 85 persons.
The spokesman said the cars were filled because of the rush hour.
BARBARA KULKULSKI, a passenger in the lead car, said the rear double-decker car, "just collapsed like tin foil" at impact. "There was blood all over the place." A call for blood went out to the Chicago area to help treat the injured.
Hospitals reporting deaths were Mercy, Michael Reese, Cook County and Billings.
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