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 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.
From Arcamax History & Quotes:
October 27
In 1904, the first rapid transit subway system in America opened in New York City.
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.
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 October 16, 1950 The last narrow guage train was operated on the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina (Tweetsie). .
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 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, 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.
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.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 Otober 14, 1896 In Michigan, the Ann Arbor Railroad opened it's new Central Station in downtown Toledo.
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.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 October 13, 1873 In the state of Michigan, the Peninsular Railroad opened a line from South Bend to Valparaiso, Indiana.
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)
October 14, 1980
The Staggers Rail Act substantially deregulates railroads in the United States.
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, 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.
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 11, 1869
In the Canadian province of Ontario, His Royal Highness Prince Arthur arrived in Ottawa at the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Railway station at Sussex Street which was heavily decorated for the occasion.
October 11, 1885
In the state of Michigan, the Crawford and Manistee River Railway opened a line 10 miles in length in Kalkaska County, from Sec. 13 T25N R5 @ to Sec. 25 T26N R6W. The line was abandoned in 1904.
October 11, 1886
The first Detroit, Bay City & Alpena Railroad passenger train reached Alpena, Michigan.
October 11, 1916
In the state of Michigan, permission was granted by the Michigan Central Railroad to the Iron River, Stambaugh & Chrystal Falls Street Railway to cross under grade of the MILW at Stambaugh.
October 11, 1951
The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway ordered their first set of RS-3's, #65-68.
October 11, 1953
In the Canadian province of Ontario, there was a derailment on the Castor Grade, near mile post 59 on Canadian Pacific's Maniwaki subdivision. The locomotive, a 4-6-2, #2221 of the Sunday evening Maniwaki to Ottawa passenger train #538 (one baggage car and two coaches, all of wooden construction) rolled over and several coaches derailed resulting in the deaths of engineer Richard (Dick) McNally and fireman Ken Learmont. There were no injuries among the passengers. There is an article about the accident in the publication "Branchline" from 1997.
October 11, 1962
Colorado & Southern 2-8-0 #641 made her final run in regular daily service on the standard guage railroad, from Leadville to Climax, Colorado.
October 11, 1987
The Soo Line sold 2002 miles of it's trackage to the Wisconsin Central.
The Wisconsin Central Ltd. began operations on 2000 miles of railroad, including Michigan's upper peninsula
October 10, 1848
The first steam locomotive to operate in Chicago, for the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, the Pioneer, arrived in New York by boat.
October 10, 1879
In the state of Michigan, 18 passengers were killed in a wreck involving Michican Central's Pacific Express at Jackson.
October 10, 1881
In the state of Michigan, the Detroit, Mackinac & Marquette, the Michigan Central and the Grand Rapids & Indiana formed a joint subsidiary, the Mackinac Transportation Company, to operate car ferry service at the straits of Mackinac. The orginal boat was the Algoma which carried passengers and freight, and was designed to tow the barge Betsy, which had a capacity of 4 railroad cars. This arrangement lasted until 1887, when the St. Ignace was built and placed in service.
October 10, 1887
In Michigan, the first regular passenger train on the "Soo" branch of the DSS&A left Sault Ste. Marie at 6:00 a.m.
October 10, 1888
55 people were killed in a rairoad accident at Mud Run, PA.
October 10, 1910
In the state of Michigan, the Detroit, Bay City & Western Railroad opened a line from Bay City to Caro.
October 09, 1851
In the Canadian province of Ontario, in the Ottawa area, an official ground breaking ceremony for the Bytown and Prescott Railway took place at the McTaggert Street Station site. A formal prade made it's way from the Company offices to the station site. The ceremony was followed by a formal dinner at Doran's.
October 09, 1877
A Presidential order allowed the Southern Pacific to expand into Arizona and New Mexico.
In Canada, the locomotive "Countess of Dufferin" arived in St. Boniface towed by the steamer "Selkirk". It was brought in by the contractor Joseph Whitehead to work on the Selkirk - Emerson line and was the first locomotive in Manitoba and on the prairies.
October 09, 1882
In the state of Michigan, the Grand Trunk Detroit-Port Huron trains begin using the Brush Street Station. Until this time, they terminated at the MC Third Street Station or the Woodward Avenue Station. The Grand Trunk also closed it's ticket office, waiting room and baggage room located at 13 West Fort Street, opposite City Hall.
October 09, 1900
Union Station in Nashville, Tennessee opened.
October 09, 1971
In Cornwall, Ontario, on what had been a part of New York Central's Ottawa division, Canadian National held a retirement parade for Conrnwall's electric street railway, which ran from the car barns westward on Water Street to Cumberland Street. Frome there the parade contined eastward along 9th Street to the former Canadian National Station grounds. The rest of that day and the next, free rides were given from the grounds to the Brookdale Mall to the west and the Eastcourt Mall in the east by using #7 and a Canadian National commuter coach car. The railway donated #17 and maintenance car #4 to the city. Retired were numbers 4, 6 to 9, 11 to 12, 14 to 16 and 3152 while 5 and 10 were scrapped. B-1 was donated to the Canadian Science & Technology Museum.
October 09, 2001
Canadian National acquired the Wisconsin Central Railroad.
In 1995, an Amtrak passenger train derailed in a remote area of Arizona southwest of Phoenix, killing one person and injuring about 100 others in apparent track sabotage.
October 08, 1871
The Chicago Fire began and 3.5 square miles of that city burned. Much of the town over the next 30 years was replaced with lumber that came out of the state of Michigan. The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern station at Van Buren and LaSalle burned during this fire. The station was rebuilt.
October 08, 1883
In the state of Michigan, the Pontiac, Oxford and Port Austin Railroad completed a line from Pontiac to Caseville.
October 08, 1979
Amtrak's Chicago to Miami Floridian was discontinued.
October 07, 1826
The first American Railroad was completed in Quincy, Massachussetts. Horse drawn wagons carrying granite were pulled from a quarry along a 3-mile track for the Bunker Hill Monument.
October 07, 1834
The first American railroad tunnel was opened on the Allegheny Portage Railroad, east of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
October 07, 1948
Passengers aboard the Baltimore & Ohio's Marylander between Washington and New York saw the first practical demonstration of television reception on board a moving train.
October 07, 1949
The Gulf, Mobile & Ohio became one of the first major railroads to completely dieselize after it's final operation of steam power.
October 07, 1957
Canadian National opened it's line from Beattyville to Chibougmau, Quebec.
October 07, 1960
General Managrt N.S. Westergard assumed the additional post as Vice President of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
October 06, 1846
On this date, George Westinghouse was born.
October 06, 1866
The four Reno brothers, hold up their first train, taking $13,000 from the safes on a moving Ohio & Mississippi train. This was the first robbery of a train in motion.
October 07, 1897
In the state of Michigan, Lake Shore Grand Rapids division trains would no longer terminate at White Pidgeon. A connection had been built there so that trains could run through to Elkhart which would be their new terminal.
October 06, 1935
Market Street Railway starts using trackless trolley coaches.
October 06, 1942
In the state of Michigan, the Escanaba Ore Dock Project is launched, to build facilities at Escanaba for the diversion of iron ore from the Minnesota ranges in the event of the bombing of the Sault Ste. Marie locks.
Michigan's Railroad History Museum (RRHX), not BRHX as earlier pointed out.
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