Trains.com

Another "On this Date in Railroad History"

13247 views
139 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 5:13 AM

December 20, 1883

International cantilever railway bridge opens at Niagra Falls.

December 20, 1917

41 killed in train accident at Louisville, Kentucky.

December 20, 1918

All government-owned railroads in Canada are brought under the management of the Canadian National Railways.

December, 20, 1919

Canadian National Railways established.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Louisville,Ky.
  • 5,077 posts
Posted by locomutt on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 9:15 AM

I believe that the Louisville, KY accident is going to be the one that was actually in Shepherdsville, which is 20, 25 miles south of Louisville.

According to a Filson Historical Society newsletter, a local that was crowded with "Christmas shoppers" was trying to back into a siding, at Shepherdsville, when it was struck by a southbound through train, that was attempting to make up lost time.  According to the article, the wreck killed 51 passengers, and injured another 48, making it one of the L&N's greatest disasters. (At that time.)

Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!!

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Thursday, December 21, 2006 5:51 AM

December 21, 1829

The first stone arch railroad bridge in the world, the Carrollton Viaduct, is officially opened  on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad over Gwynn's Falls at Baltimore, Maryland.

December 21, 1907

F.B. Clarke becomes President of the SP&S Railway.

December 21, 1949

Gales Creek & Wilson Railway operations cease.

December 21, 1962

Last Budd RDC (Rail Diesel Car) manufactured is delivered to the Reading.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Thursday, December 21, 2006 8:30 AM

 

 

In 1995, a commuter train rammed the rear of a passenger train in heavy fog near Cairo, Egypt, killing 75 people.

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Friday, December 22, 2006 5:51 AM

December 22, 1829

Baltimore & Ohio begins passenger operations between Baltimore and Ellicott's Mills.

December 22, 1885

Patent #332,762 issued to La Marcus Adna Thompson for a gravity switchback railroad.

December 22, 1950

2 self-propelled trains of Long Island Railroad collide, killing 77.

December 22, 1965

Pennsylvania Railroad sells Long Island Railroad to the state of New York.

December 22, 1982

The Missouri Pacific and Western Pacific merge into Union Pacific. Sad [:(]

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: MA
  • 562 posts
Posted by dmoore74 on Friday, December 22, 2006 9:31 AM
 CANADIANPACIFIC2816 wrote:

December 22, 1882

The Missouri Pacific and Western Pacific merge into Union Pacific. Sad [:(]

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

I trust you meant 1982.

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Saturday, December 23, 2006 6:03 AM
 dmoore74 wrote:
 CANADIANPACIFIC2816 wrote:

December 22, 1882

The Missouri Pacific and Western Pacific merge into Union Pacific. Sad [:(]

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

I trust you meant 1982.

Thanks for pointing out my error. I went back and corrected it.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Saturday, December 23, 2006 6:10 AM

December 23, 1851

Illinois Central Railroad begins construction.

December 23, 1852

The Pacific Railroad of Missouri (later known as the Missouri Pacific Railway) begins passenger service west of the Mississippi River.

December 23, 1907

The first all-steel railroad passenger coach is completed.

December 23, 1926

20 killed in train accident at Rockmont, Georgia.

December 23, 1946

Highest ridership in New York City subway history (8.8 million passengers).

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Monday, December 25, 2006 6:09 AM

December 24, 1852

The Baltimore & Ohio's tracks reach the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia.

December 24, 1985

Illinois Central Gulf sells 681 mile Iowa division to Chicago, Central & Pacific.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Monday, December 25, 2006 6:14 AM

December 25, 1830

The Best Friend of Charleston, owned by the South Carolina Railroad, becomes the first American locomotive in regular service in the United States.

December 25, 1848

New Haven Railroad opens.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Tuesday, December 26, 2006 7:17 AM

December 26, 1917

President Wilson takes possession and control of the nation's railroads by proclamation. This resulted in the formation of the United States Railroad Administration, which operated the country's railroads until March 3, 1920.

December 26, 1956

Last standard gauge steam run on the Denver & Rio Grande Western.Sad [:(]

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Wednesday, December 27, 2006 6:52 AM

December 27, 1942

34 killed in train accident at Almonte, Ontario.

December 27, 1943

Fearing a threat of national security, President Franklin Roosevelt orders the government to seize the nation's railroads in order to avert a strike.

December 27, 1951

Last train runs on the Rio Grande Southern.Sad [:(]

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Thursday, December 28, 2006 7:16 AM

December 28, 1912

The first municipally owned streetcars begin operation in San Francisco.

December 28, 1917

Wartime emergency called by the Federal government, which takes control of U.S. railroads on January 1, 1918.

December 28, 1966

13 die in a train crash in Everett, Massachusetts.

December 28, 1972

Amtrak announces purchase of French built Turboliners.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Aledo IL
  • 1,728 posts
Posted by spokyone on Thursday, December 28, 2006 8:14 AM

Dec 28 1875 C.H. Stoddard, city engineer, and his assistants, G.H. Boynton, James McElherne, Charles Harrold and Charles Stoddard, have commenced work on the survey for a route for the Chicago, Millington And Western narrow gauge railway to reach Rock Island.

Edit: the year was in error.

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Friday, December 29, 2006 5:49 AM

December 29, 1876

Bridge collapses beneath Lakeshore & Michigan Southern's Pacific Express, killing 84.

December 29, 1982

Louisville and Nashville merged into Seaboard Coast Line, which changes it's name to Seaboard System.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Saturday, December 30, 2006 6:55 AM
 spokyone wrote:

Dec 28 1875 C.H. Stoddard, city engineer, and his assistants, G.H. Boynton, James McElherne, Charles Harrold and Charles Stoddard, have commenced work on the survey for a route for the Chicago, Millington And Western narrow gauge railway to reach Rock Island.

Edit: the year was in error.

I kind of wondered about that. Thanks for correcting the error, spokyone.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Saturday, December 30, 2006 6:59 AM

DECEMBER 30, 1906

53 killed in train accident at Washington, D.C.

December 30, 1907

United Railways begins passenger service.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Sunday, December 31, 2006 7:30 AM

December 31, 1860

First railway tunnel in Canada opens on the Brocksville & ottawa Railway beneath the town of Brockville.

December 31, 1943

Gales Creek & Wilson River Railway purchased by the SP&S Railway.

December 31, 1944

50 killed in train accident at Bagley, Utah.

December 31, 1968

Last U.S. Pullman service.

December 31, 1968

The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad becomes part of the Penn Central Railroad.

December 31, 1978

Last run of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Peoria Rocket.

CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    July 2010
  • 1 posts
Posted by jjnewell on Saturday, July 31, 2010 9:20 AM

This may be off the regular discussion topic, but does anyone know if and/or how to find information about personnel working on the Fitchburg RR in the late 1890s??

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • 400 posts
Posted by martin.knoepfel on Saturday, July 31, 2010 5:08 PM

 August 2nd 1980: Terrorists placed a bomb in a waiting-room in the main station of Bologna. 85 people killed, more than 200 hurt. The roof of the waiting-room collapsed. The day was a saturday with the station being very busy. Members of the Italian military secret-service tried to lead the investigation onto a wrong track. Three members of an extremist (fascist) organisation have later been convicted to lifelong prison, the sentences being confirmed by the Italian supreme court. Nevertheless, it is still unknown who ordered the crime and why.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy