Today in Railroad history.....last updated ..... March 22nd...on page 19..

[dmoore74]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murphy Siding

QUOTE: Originally posted by dmoore74

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murphy Siding

Today, Feb. 9th, in railroad history.......

1875: Boston & Maine Railroad completes construction of Hoosac Tunnel in Massachusettes.

Does anybody know if this tunnel is still used? I seem to recall that this line was moth-balled? Who owns B&M now? CN or CP?

Anybody else?





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Actually the Fitchburg Railroad was the first operator of the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased and later merged in to the Boston & Maine after 1900. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts was actually responsible and paid for the construction of the tunnel and eventually sold it to the Fitchburg. The tunnel is still in active use. It is operated by Guilford Transportation which is the parent company of the Boston & Maine, Maine Central, and Springfield Terminal railroads. If you can get a copy , read A Pinp*ick of Light by Carl Byron. This book tells the triumphs and tragedies (195 tunnelers died) in the building of the tunnel.

Interesting. Why did Massachusetts pay for the tunnel?

Basically the state was the only one with enough money or borrowing power to finance the venture. When the tunnel was first proposed it was actually going to be part of a cross-state canal. The other plan was to consider the tunnel a "public tunnel" open to any railroad that reached it and paid a toll to pass through.

[espeefoamer]

On Feb.9 1971,there was a large earthquake in Sylmar,CA. north of L.A. Southern Pacific's valley line was closed for a short while,don't remember exactly how long.,seems like several weeks.

[germanium]

Just to put the matter in perspective - at the beginning of 1923 the railways of Great Britain (c. 120 companies) were compulsorily consolidated into 4 regional railways, because of their poor economic health - the effects of motor-car traffic, the economic aftermath of WW1, etc. The companies were however still privately owned. As previously stated, in 1948 these 4 companies were taken into state ownership as British Railways.

[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

Feb 9, 1996- Union Pacific E9 951 hauls 3 car passenger train through Sioux Falls, SD. The train was going to, or coming back from, Rapid City, for a ceremony marking the sale of the Colony line to DME.

That seems odd. DM&E's closest rail connection to Sioux Falls, would be about 70 miles northeast, at about Lake Benton MN., by way of BNSF. UP's closest rail connection would be about 85 miles south at Sioux City, Iowa, by way of BNSF. DM&E's corporate offices are in Sioux Falls now (1 block west of my office). I would have thought that in 1996, DM&E was still based out of Brookings,S.D., on the DM&E mainline.
Once the DM&E finishes their PRB expansion, I imagine they'll run another passenger special into Sioux Falls.
Seriously, I have DM&E passenger cars, in bright blue and yellow, in the BNSF yard in Sioux Falls, and the DM&E yard in Huron, S.D.


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[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer

On Feb.9 1971,there was a large earthquake in Sylmar,CA. north of L.A. Southern Pacific's valley line was closed for a short while,don't remember exactly how long.,seems like several weeks.

Did you live in the area at that time?


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[nanaimo73]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murphy Siding

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

Feb 9, 1996- Union Pacific E9 951 hauls 3 car passenger train through Sioux Falls, SD. The train was going to, or coming back from, Rapid City, for a ceremony marking the sale of the Colony line to DME.

That seems odd. DM&E's closest rail connection to Sioux Falls, would be about 70 miles northeast, at about Lake Benton MN., by way of BNSF. UP's closest rail connection would be about 85 miles south at Sioux City, Iowa, by way of BNSF. DM&E's corporate offices are in Sioux Falls now (1 block west of my office). I would have thought that in 1996, DM&E was still based out of Brookings,S.D., on the DM&E mainline.
Once the DM&E finishes their PRB expansion, I imagine they'll run another passenger special into Sioux Falls.
Seriously, I have DM&E passenger cars, in bright blue and yellow, in the BNSF yard in Sioux Falls, and the DM&E yard in Huron, S.D. .

QUOTE: Page 31, June 1996 Trains

ALSO FOREIGN TURF:
UP in South Dakota's largest city ? UP doesn't even serve the State. The train - E9 951 and 3 cars - came up from Sioux City, Iowa, on BN tracks for a February 9 ceremony marking UP's sale of the ex-Chicago and North Western "Colony Line" in western South Dakota and Nebraska and eastern Wyoming to regional Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern.

Hey Murph, congratulations on the 2000 posts and the 5 Stars. Well done.

[Murphy Siding]

Today, Feb. 10th, in railroad history.....

1935: PRR GG 1 placed in passenger service (Were they used interchangably for freight and passenger service?)

1951: Centennial of Illinois Central charter

1989: Fire destroys Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge roundhouse, damages all six 2-8-2's.

Anybody else?


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[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Page 31, June 1996 Trains

ALSO FOREIGN TURF:
UP in South Dakota's largest city ? UP doesn't even serve the State. The train - E9 951 and 3 cars - came up from Sioux City, Iowa, on BN tracks for a February 9 ceremony marking UP's sale of the ex-Chicago and North Western "Colony Line" in western South Dakota and Nebraska and eastern Wyoming to regional Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern.

That is cool. I hope to see a UP train through these parts someday. A passenger UP train would definately be a bonus.[:)]

QUOTE:
Hey Murph, congratulations on the 2000 posts and the 5 Stars. Well done.

Thanks, and no one has called me an idiot in a while, either.[:)]

[espeefoamer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murphy Siding

QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer

On Feb.9 1971,there was a large earthquake in Sylmar,CA. north of L.A. Southern Pacific's valley line was closed for a short while,don't remember exactly how long.,seems like several weeks.

Did you live in the area at that time?



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Yes,I did. It woke me up with a harsh jolt. When I got to high school that day,half the kids had stayed home.

[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE:
Did you live in the area at that time?

QUOTE: Yes,I did. It woke me up with a harsh jolt. When I got to high school that day,half the kids had stayed home.

I went through the Alaska earthquake, March 27th, 1964.

[Murphy Siding]

Today, Feb. 11, in railroad history.......

1861: President-elect Abraham Lincoln takes train from Springfield,Illinois to Washington, D.C. Sadly, he rode the train home again in 1865.

1959: Last passenger train on NYC's West Shore,Weehawken,N.J.-Wet Haverstraw,N.Y. line.

Anybody else?

[nanaimo73]

Feb 11, 1980- Conrail shifts traffic off of North East Corridor to escape Amtrak's high traffic rights fees.

Feb 11, 1998- Canadian National announces it will purchase the Illinois Central.

[rvos1979]

From Railway Disasters of the World:

Feb 11, 1939, San Gervasio, Spain-- 53 were killed and approx. 100 injured when a train running downhill from Tarrasa hit a stationary car near Sarria Tunnel, then hit another train at San Gervasio.

Randy

[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

Feb 11, 1980- Conrail shifts traffic off of North East Corridor to escape Amtrak's high traffic rights fees.

[(-D] At the time, didn't they both share the same owner?(Uncle Sam)

[dmoore74]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murphy Siding

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

Feb 11, 1980- Conrail shifts traffic off of North East Corridor to escape Amtrak's high traffic rights fees.

[(-D] At the time, didn't they both share the same owner?(Uncle Sam)

Same owner but separate corporations: Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) and National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). IIRC Amtrak's enabling legislation required it to charge trackage fees by a very specific formula which was higher than most freight railroads charged. Inversely the same legislation required the freight railroads to charge Amtrak lower fees than would normally be charged another user.

[Murphy Siding]

Today, Feb. 12th, in railroad history....

1849: Aurora Branch Railroad incorporated, providing the original og the 11,000 mile Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (now part of BNSF).

1934: The Union Pacific's aluminum alloy streamliner, M-10000 deliverd to UP by the manufacturer at Chicago.

1949: Midland Terminal, last remnant of Colorado Midland, ceases operation.

Anybody else??

[Anonymous]

Sadly part of the Orginial CB&Q line is Abandoned it ran from Aurora to W. Chicago. I think there are only a few miles left in Aurora and everything esle is gone.

[Anonymous]

Sadly part of the Orginial CB&Q line is Abandoned it ran from Aurora to W. Chicago. I think there are only a few miles left in Aurora and everything esle is gone.

[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AMTK200

Sadly part of the Orginial CB&Q line is Abandoned it ran from Aurora to W. Chicago. I think there are only a few miles left in Aurora and everything esle is gone.

I figured when I first read that,that by now the line was probably replaced by suburbs and strip malls.[V] "They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot".

[Murphy Siding]

Today, Feb. 14th, in railroad history.....

1954: Construction completed on Quebec North Shore & Labrador, a new diesel-powered ore line on the north shore of Gulf of St. Lawrence. (Was this line also known fo it's Alco power? Or, was that another Canadian ore-hauler I'm thinking of?)

Anybody else?

[Murphy Siding]

1934: Construction started on SP&S grain elevator at Vancouver, Washington.

Anybody else?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murphy Siding

QUOTE: Originally posted by AMTK200

Sadly part of the Orginial CB&Q line is Abandoned it ran from Aurora to W. Chicago. I think there are only a few miles left in Aurora and everything esle is gone.

I figured when I first read that,that by now the line was probably replaced by suburbs and strip malls.[V] "They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot".

Actually No it is still empty nothing on the land.[:0]

[Murphy Siding]

Today, Feb. 14th (Valentines Day), in railroad history...

1886: First trainload of California oranges shipping east departs Los Angelos

Anybody else?

[nanaimo73]

QUOTE: Originally posted by the Man

Feb 14, 1886: First trainload of California oranges shipping east departs Los Angeles.

http://www.historychannel.com/tdih/tdih.jsp?category=oldwest&month=10272954&day=10272979

Feb 14, 1864 Sherman enters Meridian, Mississippihttp://www.historychannel.com/tdih/tdih.jsp?category=civil&month=10272954&day=10272979

Feb 14, 1974- Amtrak's Black Hawk begins service over Illinois Central Gulf between Chicago and Dubuque, Iowa. The train runs until Sept 30, 1981.

[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

QUOTE: Originally posted by the Man

Feb 14, 1886: First trainload of California oranges shipping east departs Los Angeles.

http://www.historychannel.com/tdih/tdih.jsp?category=oldwest&month=10272954&day=10272979

Reading that link, you get the impression that Los Angeles owes it's existence to the railroads.

Originally posted by the man ???[(-D]

[GN-Rick]

1891. Final spike driven on Great Northern's branch line to Vancouver B.C. at
Blaine, Washington.

[Murphy Siding]

Today, Feb. 15th, in railroad history....

1870: Ground breaking for Northern Pacific Railroad, near Duluth, Minnesota.

1881: Canadian Pacific Railway incorporated.

Anybody else?

[nanaimo73]

Feb 15, 1977- Amtrak's Arrowhead extended from Superior to Duluth.

Feb 15, 1997- Indiana and Ohio completes purchase of former DT&I from Canadian National.

[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

Feb 15, 1977- Amtrak's Arrowhead extended from Superior to Duluth.

While this distance is maybe 3-4 miles(?), it might have involved 2 or more railroads,and perhaps another half hour to 45 minutes?

Coburn35: do you knoe if Amtrak would have come into Duluth at the depot / museum where you volunteer?



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[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GN-Rick

1891. Final spike driven on Great Northern's branch line to Vancouver B.C. at
Blaine, Washington.

Rick: those GN boys sure were busy in their heyday! They must have kept a bucket of golden spikes on hand, just for occasions like that. Would you guess there are more GN lines, or NP lines still in use?