October 08, 1979
Amtrak's Chicago to Miami Floridian is discontinued.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
October 09, 1877
Presidential order allows Southern Pacific to expand into Arizona and New Mexico.
October 09, 1995
A sabotaged rail results in the derailment of Amtrak's Sunset Limited west of Phoenix, Arizona, leaving one person dead and 78 injured.
October 10, 1848
The first steam engine to operate in Chicago, for the Galena, & Chicago Union RR, the Pioneer, arrives in New York by boat.
October 10, 1888
55 killed in accident at Mud Run, Pennsylvania.
From Railroad Avenue by Freeman Hubbard.
"The first train robbery that can be traced definitely to the redoutable Jesse (James) occurred December 12, 1874, on the Kansas Pacific Railroad (now part of the Union Pacific system), although tradition connects his name with the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific holdup in Adair County, Iowa, on July 21, 1873."
West of Adair, Iowa along old US 6, is a historical marker, including a steam locomotive driving wheel, commemorating this event. Claimed to be Jesse James' first train robbery and the first train robbery west of the Mississippi River.
October 10, 1852
The Chicago & Rock Island officially opened between Chicago and Joliet.
October 11, 1951
RS-3's ordered (SP&S Ry.)
October 11, 1962
Colorado & Southern 2-8-0 #641 makes last run of steam on a regular daily service standard gauge railroad, Leadville to Climax Colorado.
October 11, 1987
Soo Line sells 2002 miles to Wisconsin Central.
October 12, 1934
Association of American Railroads formed.
October 12, 1954
Last eight of Erie Railroad's onetime fleet of 1545 steam locomotives make their last journey to the railroad's scrap yard in Chicago.
October 12, 1986
A once-in- a- 100- years flood knocks out two major Alaska Railroad bridges and several smaller bridges and covers the tracks in mud, causing nearly $3 million in damage. Service is restored within 13 days.
October 13, 1988
Southern Pacific Railroad sold to Rio Grande Industries.
October 14, 1980
The Staggers Rail Act substantially deregulates railroads in the United States.
October 15, 1899
Overland Limited begins service on the Southern Pacific.
October 15, 1947
Tonopah & Goldfield abandoned.
October 15, 1960
The Erie Railroad and the Lackawanna Railroad merge.
October 15, 1966
U.S. Department of Transportation created.
October 15, 1976
The Missouri Pacific, Chicago & Eastern Illinois and Texas & Pacific railroads merge.
October 16, 1859
Abolitionist, John Brown attacks U.S. arsenal at Harper's Ferry and B & O's Wheeling to Baltimore Express.
October 16, 1944
Z-8 #910 makes it's initial run, Portland, OR to Wishram, WA (SP&S Ry).
October 16, 1950
Last narrow gauge train on the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina (Tweetsie).
October 16, 1964
Norfolk & Western merges Nickel Plate Road.*
*Carl pointed out to me that the Norfolk & Western gobbled up a couple of other roads besides the Nickel Plate. Greedy pirates!
October 16, 1973
Ann Arbor Railroad declares bankruptcy.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 wrote: October 16, 1964 Norfolk & Western merges Nickel Plate Road.
Norfolk & Western merges Nickel Plate Road.
That's an understatement! This is also the day that the Wabash and the Pittsburgh & West Virginia disappeared into the N&W system, and the Akron, Canton & Youngstown became a subsidiary of N&W (it was merged much later).
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 17, 1902
The Trinity & Brazos Valley Railroad is chartered (now part of BNSF's Dallas to Galveston line).
October 17, 1912
Oregon Electric completed, Albany, OR to Eugene, OR.
October 17, 1944
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy operates 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
Union Pacific makes first road test of coal-burning gas-turbine-electric.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 wrote: October 17, 1962 Union Pacific makes first road test of coal-burning gas-turbine-electric. CANADIANPACIFIC2816
October 18, 1962
Union Pacific realise that pulverising the coal might improve performance.
October 18, 1886
Largest one-day conversion of narrow gauge to standard gauge. 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, MO to Texarkana, AR.
October 18, 1947
The inaugural run of the Alaska Railroad Aurora, a blue and gold streamliner, marks upgraded passenger service between Anchorage and Fairbanks.
October 18, 1956
Last trolley run in Brooklyn.
October 18, 1961
GM rolls out first GP-30 diesel-electric locomotive.
October 19, 1897
George Pullman dies.
October 19, 1913
23 killed in train accident at Bucatanna MS.
October 20, 1940
First issue of Trains published.
October 20, 1955
Last SP&S steam engine leaves Hillyard (Spokane, WA).
October 20, 1969
Alco leaves the locomotive business.
October 20, 1980
645-mile former Rock Island Herrington, Kansas City-Dalas line is sold to Katy subsidiary Oklahoma, Kansas & Texas.
965-mile former Rock Island Kansas City-Tucumcari, New Mexico line is sold to Southern Pacific's Cotton Belt.
Apologies for being away for some time, but it looks like we Brits have missed the Harrow & Wealdstone Accident - 4th or 5th October 1952 (sorry, exact date escapes me, and I haven't got my book (see later) with me at work).
Over 100 passengers and train crew killed, 2 express locomotives written off, and the exact cause still unclear.
Way back in the sixties, my Econ Lecturer kindly gave me a copy of the Official Ministry of Transport Report into the Accident, and the detail of the investigation was testament to the professionalism of the then accident investigators, even to testing the paint used by the driver widely believed to bear responsibility to decorate his home a few days earlier - could that have caused him to become drowsy and miss the Distant Signal and the later Outer Home Signal?
Martin
October 21, 1918
Mount Royal Tunnel opened on the Canadian Northern Railway (later part of Canadian National).
October 21, 1960
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy opens new 2500-foot Mississippi River Bridge at Quincy, Illinois.
October 22, 1925
First production diesel-electric locomotive sold to Central Railroad of New Jersey.
October 22, 1934
Union Pacific's six-car streamlined M- 10001 departs Los Angeles for a 56 hour, 55 minute transcontinental run to New York's Grand Central Terminal.
October 22, 1937
Z-6 #900 given trial run, Spokane, WA to Pasco, WA (SP&S Ry).
October 22, 1974
Longest train on record in Canada, a 2.5 mile load of 250 grain cars, hauled from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to Thunder Bay Ontario.*
*Does anyone out there know if the above information still stands, or has this record been broken? I have a gut feeling that the source of my information is a quite old.
October 22, 1993
47 are killed when the eastbound Sunset Limited falls off a bridge near Mobile, Alabama which had been struck by a barge in dense fog.
October 23, 1834
The first locomotive to pull a train on a track, built by John Stevens, it operated on a 220-foot circle of track on his Hoboken, New Jersey estate.
October 23, 1936
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Zephier, makes Chicago to Denver run in 12 hours, 12 minutes - an average of 91.6 MPH.
October 24, 1861
Pony Express service ends.
October 24, 1866
The first Bucker snow plow is completed at the Central Pacific's Sacramento shops.
October 25, 1848
The locomotive, "Pioneer" pulls the first westbound train out of Chicago.
October 25, 1886
In Wabash, St. Louis & 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 passage of the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 by Congress.
October 26, 1906
Oregon Electric purchases Willamette Valley Traction.
October 26, 1968
Penn Central vacates Chicago's La Salle Street Station in favor of Union Station.
October 26, 1985
First run for Burlington Northern's propane-fueled GP-9.
October 27, 1870
William J. Palmer incorporates Denver & Rio Grande Railroad.
October 27, 1891
The St. Clair Tunnel, connecting the U.S. and Canada beneath the St. Clair River opens.
October 27, 1904
First part of the New York City subway opens.
October 28, 1956
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy introduces new Vista-Dome Denver Zephyrs.
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 29, 1904
New York City IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit) subway opens.
October 29, 1989
New York City MTA opens 63rd street extension to subway.
October 30, 1955
Union Pacific shifts Omaha-Chicago streamliner routes from the Chicago & Northwestern to the Milwaukee Road.
October 30, 1972
Two Illinois Central Gulf commuter trains collide in Chicago, killing 45 and injuring 356.
October 30, 1983
Amtrak begins tri-weekly Auto Train service from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL.
October 31, 1956
Brooklyn, NY ends street car service.
October 31, 1966
Canadian National begins Montreal-Toronto Rapidos.
October 31, 1970
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, known as Amtrak is created.
October 31, 1976
Canadian Pacific and Canadian National issue joint VIA timetable.
October 31, 1978
Last train out of St. Louis Union Terminal.
October 31, 1987
Montana Rail Link begins operation over 907 miles of ex-Northern Pacific (Burlington Northern) track.
November 01, 1834
Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey connected by rail.
November 01, 1865
First tank car designed for bulk oil enters service at Titusville, PA. It was a flat car fitted with two wooden tanks shaped like inverted tubs.
November 01, 1878
Chicago & Alton Railroad completes the first all-steel bridge over the Missouri River at Glasgow, Missouri.
November 01, 1918
102 die in a New York City subway derailment at Malbone Street, Brooklyn.
November 01, 1976
Amtrak discontinues use of Louisville & Nashville depot in Louisville.
November 01, 1980
Chessie System merges with Seaboard Coast Line Industries to form CSX Corporation.
November 01, 1985
Southern Pacific and Santa Fe begin repainting diesels in red and yellow merger colors.
November 02, 1969
Last run for Kansas City Southern's Southern Belle.
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