JUNE 19, 1872
The First Narrow Gauge Convention begins in St. Louis, Missouri. Representatives of several narrow gauge railroads discussed the promotion, economics and technology of narrow gauge construction and operation.
JUNE 19, 1913
The Supreme Court rules that a state may establish railroad rates within it's own borders if there is no conflict with federal laws.
JUNE 19, 1930
Canadian Pacific Hudson (4-6-4) 2808 makes a record continuous run from Fort William to Calgary 1,251 miles and return with the Toronto to Vancouver train. It left at 08:20 on June 19, arrived in Calgary at 07:00 June 21. It returned from Calgary at 14:50 on June 22 and arrived at Fort William at 05:35 on June 24.
JUNE 19, 1938
The Milwaukee Road's Olympian Flyer crashes in Montana, killing 47 people.
JUNE 19, 2000
In Canada, the last rail on the order books of Sysco (Sydney Steel) is rolled.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
JUNE 18, 1886
Transcontinental train service begins on the Canadian Pacific Railway.
JUNE 18, 1899
The Canadian Pacific line from Lethbridge through the Crows Nest Pass to Kootenay Landing is opened for traffic. This was built with subsidies afforded by the Crows Nest Pass Agreement of 1897 which also set fixed rates on grain traffic. Crows Nest Pass is located in the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta-British Columbia border, 7 miles south of Crows Nest Mountain. One of the lower passes in the Continental Divide, it has an elevation of 4,449 feet. Noted by Capt. John Palliser's expedition in 1858, it was used for many years by the North West Mounted Police. In return for a federal subsidy to build a line through the pass, the Canadian Pacific Railway signed the Crows Nest Pass Agreement in 1897. This route reduced freight rates on grain shipped east to lake ports and on certain goods shipped west. The agreement, modified in 1925 to reduce rates on grain shipped in both directions, boosted Vancouver as a grain shipping port.
JUNE 18, 1910
Congress expands the enforcement and regulatory powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission through the Mann-Elkins Act.
JUNE 17, 1831
The first steam locomotive explosion in the U.S. occurs when the fireman ties down the safety valve of the Best Friend of Charleston.
JUNE 17, 1925
50 people were killed in a train accident at Hackettstown, New Jersey.
JUNE 17, 1953
The last regular run of steam power is made on the Southern Railway at Chattangooga, Tennessee.
JUNE 17, 1966
In the Canadian province of Ontario, Canadian National is authorized to abandon it's Hurdman Line (formerly part of the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway) from Ottawa Junction, m. 0.0, to the end of track at Mann Avenue. This allowed the removal of the former Canadian Northern bridge over the Rideau River.
JUNE 14, 1876
California Street Cable Car Railroad Company gets franchise.
JUNE 14, 1929
The first air-rail transcontinental service departs New York City on the New York Central. Passengers were taken by rail to Cleveland, where they were transferred to a Universal Air Express plane, which flew them to Garden City, Kansas. From there the passengers boarded a Santa Fe train bound for Los Angeles. The entire trip required 62 hours,15 minutes.
JUNE 14, 1931
The steepest railroad in the U.S., a cable worked incline to the bottom of Royal Gorge, Colorado and a gradient of 64.6 percent, opens.
JUNE 14, 1936
A new streamline train, the City of San Francisco, begins service.
JUNE 14, 1951
EMD delivers it's 10,000 unit, an E8 to the Wabash.
JUNE 15, 1882
In the Canadian province of Quebec, a ceremony of the turning of the first sod for the Ottawa and Gatineau Valley Railway is held at Hull.
JUNE 15, 1905
New York Central's 20th Century Limited makes it's first run.
JUNE 15, 1927
The first two-way radio communication between a caboose and a locomotive on a moving train is demonstrated by General Electric.
JUNE 15, 1928
The first transfer of mail takes place from a dirigible to a train. A mail sack from an Air Corps blimp was lowered by rope to an Illinois Central train near Belleville, Illinois.
JUNE 15, 1938
The 20th Century Limited makes use of the first fluorescent tail sign.
JUNE 15, 1945
19 are killed in a train accident at Milton, Pennsylvania.
JUNE 15, 1964
Canadian Pacific abandons it's Sussex Street subdivision from Beechwood Avenue (m. 5.6) to the Sussex Street yard (m. 6.7). The last train ran through to Sussex Street on June 12 with #8469.
JUNE 15, 1966
Canadian Pacific abandons it's Sussex Street subdivision from Beechwood Avenue (m. 5.6) to Hurdman (m. 3.5). The last train ran on June 14 with #8446.
JUNE 15, 1973
The Chessie System is formed with the merger of the B & O, C & O and Western Maryland.
JUNE 15, 1974
The final use of electrification occurs on the Milwaukee Road.
JUNE 16, 1941
Brooklyn's Fulton Street Elevated Railway is closed.
JUNE 16, 1949
The first gas turbine-electric locomotive is demonstrated at Erie, Pennsylvania.
JUNE 16, 1957
The last scheduled passenger trains, 612 and 613, are run over the Canadian Pacific's Kingston subdivision, formerly Kingston and Pembroke Railway. The last train southbound, was hauled by D4 417, the last northbound was hauled by 492. A mixed train was operated until June 21, 1960, after which wayfreights operated.
JUNE 16, 1974
Electric operation ends on the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific.
JUNE 13, 1928
The first rail detector car, invented by Elmer Ambrose Sperry is tested for the first time at Beacon, New York. The car made it possible to dectect flaws in railroad track.
JUNE 13, 1957
Central Railroad of New Jersey retires #1000, the first diesel-electric locomotive.
JUNE 12, 1832
Tuscumbia Railway begins operations.
JUNE 12, 1899
Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch rob a Union Pacific train of $60,000 near Wilcox Station, Wyoming.
JUNE 12, 1902
A train makes the run from New York to Chicago in a record 20 hours.
JUNE 12, 1905
Pennsylvania Railroad's Pennsylvania Special (which later became the Broadway Limited) sets a speed record of 127.2 MPH. This would stand as the all time record for steam locomotives.
JUNE 12, 1911
In the Canadian province of Ontario, work begins at Dwyer Hill on the grading of the last section of the Canadan Northern Ontario line between Ottawa and Toronto. This was the last line constructed into Ottawa.
JUNE 12, 1919
Also in the Canadian province of Ontario, an interlocker is installed at Bedell, then known as Kempton, to control train movements over the diamond crossing between the Canadian Pacific's Winchester and Prescott subdivisions.
JUNE 11, 1864
A Civil War battle took place at Central Railroad Trevillian Station, Virginia.
JUNE 11, 1888
Canadian Pacific opens the "Sault Branch" from Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie where connection was made not only with the American railway system but also with Canadian Pacific steam ships.
JUNE 11, 1905
Pennsylvania Railroad debuts what had been at that time, the fastest train in the world, running from New York to Chicago in 18 hours.
JUNE 11, 1929
The Empire Builder makes it's first revenue run on the Great Northern.
JUNE 11, 1940
New York City's 9th Avenue El, the oldest elvated railroad in the world, makes it's last run. The youngest of New York City's elevated lines, the 2nd Avenue El, also makes it's last run.
JUNE 11, 1956
The Pacific Great Eastern Railway opens between North Vancouver and Prince George, British Columbia. A formal opening ceremony took place on August 27.
JUNE 11, 1980
San Francisco's K-Ingleside streetcar converts to METRO service San Francisco.
JUNE 10, 1910
The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway completes it's mainline from Spokane to Portland, Oregon.
JUNE 10, 1961
The Chicago, Aurora & Elgin was abandoned.
JUNE 10, 1973
Amtrak receives it's first EMD SPD40Fs.
JUNE 10, 1998
In the Canadian province of Ontario: Canadian National concludes an agreement to convey it's Alexandria subdivision between Coteau and Hawthorne to VIA Rail Canada. Canadian National retained exclusive rights to operate local and overhead freight upon running rights payments to VIA.
JUNE 09, 1881
Canada Central Railway is amalgamated into the Canadian Pacific Railway.
JUNE 09, 1883
The first commercial electric railway, the Chicago El, begins operation.
JUNE 09, 1940
Pacific Electric discontinued rail passenger service between Los Angeles & Riverside, California.
JUNE 09, 1955
Canadian National places in operation a Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) system which controls 28 miles of trackage in the Ottawa area.
JUNE 09, 1959
Operations cease on the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad.
JUNE 08, 1889
Cable car service begins in Los Angeles.
JUNE 08, 1900
The White Pass & Yukon opens service from Skagway to Whitehorse.
JUNE 08, 1905
The Pennsylvania Railroad announces 18-hour train service between New York and Chicago.
JUNE 08, 1953
The Union Pacific Railroad places it's first propane gast turbine locomotive into service.
JUNE 07, 1860
Trackwork begins on San Francisco's Market Street Railroad.
JUNE 07, 1870
The first patent for an automatic electric block signal system is issued to Thomas S. Hall of Stamford, Connecticut.
JUNE 07, 1905
The first steel mail car is placed into service on the New York, Salamanca & Chicago Railroad.
JUNE 07, 1953
In Washington, D.C., C&O Hudson #490 comes out of retirement for a Washington Chapter excursion to Charlottesville, Virginia. This was the last C&O steam into or out of Washington. #490 is now preserved today at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore.
JUNE 06, 1833
Andrew Jackson becomes the first U.S. President to travel by rail, on the Baltimore & Ohio line Between Ellicott's Mills and Baltimore, Maryland.
JUNE 06, 1872
The Western Maryland Railroad operates the first train into Hagerstown.
JUNE 06, 1899
In Canada, the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway becomes part of the Canada Atlantic Railway.
JUNE 06, 1915
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Ottawa and New York Railway makes a record run between Ottawa and Russell bringing Ottawa firefighters and equipment to Russell to fight a major fire which had broken out there. The trip for the 22 miles was made in 22 minutes. Engineer Alex Jamieson and Conductor George Broker were in charge of the train.
JUNE 05, 1919
Canadian National Railways incorporated.
JUNE 05, 1947
The Chesapeake & Ohio acquires the Pere Marquette.
JUNE 05, 1950
The U.S. Supreme Court rules that segregation policies in Southern railroad dining cars are invalid.
JUNE 05, 1979
A Long Island Railroad train becomes the first to be operated exclusively by women.
JUNE 05, 1982
Seattle's Waterfront streetcar begins operation.
JUNE 05, 1991
Mike Haverty, who brought back the red & silver Warbonnet scheme on the Santa Fe Railroad, resigned from the presidency of the railroad, leaving CEO Robert Krebs in charge.
JUNE 04, 1848
In England, the Great Western Railway opened the first section of it's London-Bristol line with tracks reaching from London to Maidenhead.
JUNE 04, 1857
The first middle route to the Mississippi River was completed, when the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad's tracks connected East St. Louis with Cincinnati and Baltimore.
JUNE 04, 1889
Canadian Pacific commences the operation of a through train from Montreal to Minneapolis and St. Paul. The first train originated at Sault Ste. Marie but the second and subsequent trains ran right through. These were as the "Soo Express".
JUNE 04, 1961
Canadian National's Turcot Yard closes. The 56 stall roundhouse was closed the following year.
JUNE 03, 1856
In Canada: The opening of the Windsor Branch Railway from Windsor to Windsor Junction, Nova Scotia by the Nova Scotia government. This was the oldest constituant of the Dominion Atlantic Railway.
JUNE 03, 1861
The Southern Railway (of Mississippi) opens it's eastern extension betweed Meridian and Vicksburg, Mississippi.
JUNE 03, 1889
The first Canadian Pacific train arrives in Saint John, New Brunswick from Montreal, marking the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway as a coast to coast railway.
JUNE 03, 1891
Duluth, Missabe & Northern Railroad incorporated.
JUNE 03, 1947
General Motor's Train of Tomorrow begins it's nationwide tour from Chicago.
JUNE 02, 1873
Construction begins on San Francisco's Clay Street for the world's First cable railroad.
JUNE 02, 1906
The 2-mile long Nevada Northern is opened, connecting Ely, Nevada with the copper mines to the south.
JUNE 02, 1913
The first train runs across the Canadian Pacific's high level bridge between Edmonton and South Edmonton.
JUNE 02, 1982
The Soo Line takes control of the Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern.
JUNE 01, 1875
A ceremony of the turning of the first sod on the Canadian Pacific Railway was held on the left bank of the Kamistiquia River in the townsite of Fort William about four miles form the river's mouth.
JUNE 01, 1882
Switzerland's Gotthard Pass tunnel, at the time the longest railroad tunnel in the world, at 10.5 miles, opens for service.
JUNE 01, 1891
North America's highest railroad (14,109 ft), the Manitou & Pike's Peak Railway in Colorado, opens.
JUNE 01, 1898
The Erdman Act, which provides for mediation of railroad disputes, is adopted.
The first interurban streetcar line, the Union Traction Company, begins operation between Anderson and Alexandria, Indiana.
JUNE 01, 1906
The first Simplon railroad tunnel, at 12.3 miles connecting Brig, Switzerland and Iselle, Italy, is opened. The tunnel provided the first direct rail route between Paris, France and Milan, Italy.
JUNE 01, 1908
The Dalles, Portland & Astoria Navigation Co. is transferred to the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
JUNE 01, 1915
In Canada, the National Transcontinental Railway is completed between Moncton and Winnipeg via Edmundston, Quebec and Senneterre. Because of the high cost, the Grand Trunk refused to lease the line which was operated from May 01, 1915 as a component of the Canadian Government Railways until the formation of the Canadian National System.
JUNE 01, 1931
In Canada, Coincident with the first docking of the Empress of Britain, Canadian Pacific opens a line through a tunnel under the Plains of Abraham to the Wolfe's Cove Harbour Terminal in Quebec City. The first shot was fired April 5, 1930, the breakthrough was made of February 16, 1931, and the first train, locomotive and 13 cars carrying railroad officials, ran through the tunnel on May 26, 1931.
JUNE 01, 1947
The Gulf, Mobile & Ohio railroad acquires the Alton Railroad.
JUNE 01, 1951
Canadian Pacific discontinues rail service to Place Viger Station, Montreal.
JUNE 01, 1982
The Norfolk & Western Railroad merges with the Southern Railway to form the Norfolk Southern Corporation.
JUNE 01, 1985
In the Canadian Province of Ontario, transcontinental passenger service through Ottawa is restored (first wesbound with VIA 6769-6626, first eastbound with VIA 6784). This replaced the local service between Ottawa and Sudbury which commenced in Movember 1981.
MAY 31, 1947
The Gulf, Mobile & Ohio stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to Chicago after it merges with the Alton lines.
MAY 31, 1950
Service ends on the Virginia & Trukee Railway.
MAY 31, 1969
Dallas becomes the largest U.S. city without passenger service with the last run of the Texas & Pacific's Texas Eagle.
MAY 30, 1881
The Kansas City, St. Joseph & Burlington Railway was chartered. In 1901 it became part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy.
MAY 30, 1893
The Walter Mains Circus train derails at Little Horseshoe Curve near Tyrone, Pennsylvania. Six people and 100 animals were killed in the derailment.
MAY 30, 1911
The first Milwaukee Road Olympian arrives at Deer Lodge, Montana.
MAY 30, 1953
Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Railway discontinues passenger service and converts from electric to diesel power.
MAY 29, 1934
The Cornwall-Northern New York International Bridge Corporation is authorized to use the Ottawa and New York (NYC) railway bridge across the St. Lawrence River between Cornwall and Nyando, New York, for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Motor vehicles had started using the bridge on May 17.
MAY 29, 1935
The Milwaukee Road begins Hiawatha service between Chicago and St. Paul. On the Chicago to Milwaukee section these trains averaged 100 MPH.
MAY 29, 1976
The Santa Fe discontinues Super C service.
MAY 28, 1869
Cheyenne Indians destroy a section of the Union Pacific Railroad near Fossil Creek, Kansas.
Oh my God, is that ever funny!! I was dead-tired when I went to bed last night and I was dead-tired when I got up this morning. I should have had a couple more cups of coffee before posting that.
Ray
CANADIANPACIFIC2816 wrote:CANADIANPACIFIC2186
Got renumbered, did you, Ray?
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)
MAY 27, 1794
On this date, railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt was born.
MAY 27, 1836
U.S. railroad executive and financier, Jay Gould was born on this date.
MAY 27, 1852
The Western Maryland Railroad is chartered by the Maryland Assembly.
CANADIANPACIFIC2186
FROM ARCAMAX HISTORY & QUOTES:
Financier and raialroad developer Jay Gould, was born on May 27, 1836.
MAY 26, 1870
The Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad is founded. This railroad was one of the components that formed the Chicago & Northwestern.
MAY 26, 1934
The Burlington Route's Pioneer Zephyr, the first streamlined diesel-electric train, makes a non-stop run from Denver to Chicago in 13 hours, 5 minutes. It is the first train to run over a thousand miles non-stop.
MAY 26, 1946
Southern Railway accepts delivery of it's first F-type freight diesel.
The U.S. government lifts control of the railroads after an accord ends a strike.
MAY 25, 1865
The first Bessemer steel rails are manufactured in the U.S. at Chicago Rolling Mills. By the end of the century, steel had almost completely replaced iron.
MAY 25, 1903
In Scranton, Pennsylvania, the Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley Railroad becomes the first railroad to be powered by an electrified third-rail system.
MAY 25, 1945
The New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad becomes the first U.S. railroad to become completely equipped with diesel-electric locomotives.
MAY 25, 2006
Keewatin Railway commences operation over the line from Sherritt Junction to Lynn Lake, Manitoba, Canada.
MAY 24, 1830
Passenger and freight service opens on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad between Baltimore and Endicott's Mills, Maryland (13 miles).
MAY 24, 1844
The use of telegraph was introduced on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. "What hath God wrought" was the first telegraph message sent by Samuel F.B. Morse from the Suprem Court chambers in the Capitol along wires placed on poles beside the B & O's Washington branch.
MAY 24, 1931
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad introduces the first all air-conditioned passenger train, the Columbian, between New York and Washington, D.C.
MAY 24, 1946
Motormen and Conductors of the Pacific Electric Railroad in Los Angeles go on strike seeking better wage adjustments. Los Angeles, still relying on the PE for daily transportation, was brought to a standstill.
MAY 24, 1961
The Milwaukee Road's Olympian Hiawatha makes it's final run.
MAY 23, 1870
The first train to go coast to coast, the Pullman Hotel Express departs Boston.
MAY 23, 1887
Canada's first transcontinental train arrives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
In British Columbia, the Canadian Pacific mainline is extended 12.2 miles along Burrard Inlet to Vancouver. The first train is pulled by Port Moody based locomotive #374, now preserved at the Vancouver Drake Street roundhouse.
MAY 23, 1891
The first chapel car, the Evangel is dedicated in Cincinnati, Ohio. The car was fitted for religious services and unsed on the Northern Pacific Railway.
MAY 23, 1946
Rail unions go on strike despite government seizure of the railroads.
MAY 23, 1952
President Harry S. Truman orders railroads returned back to their owners after 21 months of control by the U.S. Army.
MAY 23, 1967
"Go Transit" is inaugurated by the Canadian province of Ontario between Pickering, Toronto, Oakville and Hamilton under an operating agreement with the Canadian National.
MAY 23, 1989
Amtrak begins service to Atlantic City, New Jersey.
MAY 22, 1868
The Great Train Robbery. Seven members of the Reno gang hold up an Indianapolis bound Jefferson, Madison & Indianapolis train at Marshfield, Indiana. The gang makes off with $98,000 from a safe in the express car.
MAY 22, 1909
Georgia railroad workers strike against the employment of negroes.
MAY 22, 1941
As part of the Canadian war effort, the first tank (MARK III) is produced at the Canadian Pacific's Angus Shops in Montreal. On June 30, Montreal Locomotive Works produced the first M-3 (Modified) Cruiser tank.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.