JULY 12, 1831
Baltimore & Ohio tests their locomotive, the York (built by Phineas Davis of York, Pennsylvania), and place it in service shortly thereafter.
JULY 12, 1871
North America's first public narrow gauge railway, the Toronto and Nipissing, is opened for traffic between Toronto and Uxbridge. The 3'6" gauge line was converted to standard gauge by 1884.
JULY 12, 1902
The New York Central's 20th Century Limited covers a 481 mile stretch of it's New York to Chicago run averaging over a mile a minute, making a 16 hour schedule possible.
JULY 12, 1922
Railroad executives refuse to meet with strikers until they return to work.
JULY 12, 1997
The Waterloo - St. Jacobs Railway commences passenger service over the former Canadian National Waterloo Spur between Waterloo and Elmira, Ontario.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
JULY 13, 1836
Patent #1 issued to Senator John Ruggles of Maine for a locomotive designed to give multiplied tractive power to the locomotive and and to prevent the evil (?) of the sliding of the wheels. This was the first numbered patent issued under the Patent Act of 1836. Previously issued patents were not numbered.
JULY 14, 1877
The great strike of 1877 begins with a walkout by railroad workers of the Baltimore & Ohio RR. As the strike spreads across the nation, railroad unions protest a 10% pay cut and demand better working conditions.
JULY 14, 1921
In the Canadian province of Ontario: A 0.35 mile connection is opened at Lyn between the Grand Trunk and and the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway Westport line (formerly Brockville, Westport & North Western) so that Westport trains may run into Brockville on the Grand Trunk main line. This allowed the abandonment in August of 1921, 3.42 miles of trackage between Centre Street, Brockville and Lyn (this crossed over the Grand Trunk main line on an overhead bridge) and eliminated the need for the B&W station and shops in Brockville. The 3.42 miles were dismantled in 1925. The 0.64 miles remaining east of Centre Street, which connected with the Canadian Pacific Waterfront Spur, were converted into a siding.
JULY 14, 1943
Canadian National opens it's Montreal Central Terminal.
JULY 14, 1947
F-3 #800 enters service on streamlined trains Nos. 1 & 2 on the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.
JULY 14, 1959
Final run of steam power on the Pennsylvania Railroad.
JULY 15, 1853
The Grand Trunk Railway is formed by the amalgamation of the following companies:
* Grand Trunk Railway of Canada
* Grand Junction Railway
* Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada East
* Quebec and Richmond Railway
* St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway
* Toronto and Guelph Railway
The Grand Trunk also leased the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway giving access to Portland, Maine.
JULY 15, 1864
A Union military troop train loaded with Confederate prisoners of war, collides with a coal train, killing 65 and injuring 109.
JULY 15, 1913
American workers attack Japanese railway laborers at Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
JULY 15, 1923
The Alaska Railroad is completed with the driving of a golden spike by President Harding at Nenana, Alaska.
JULY 15, 1927
Canadian National closes it's Ottawa East heavy locomotive repair shops. 61 jobs were lost with workmen excercising their seniority and going to Stratford, Montreal and Brockville. The roundhouse was retained for servicing and running repairs.
JULY 15, 1932
The Temiskaming and Northen Ontario Railway is opened throughout between North Bay and Moosonee, Ontario, Canada. Construction was started on May 10, 1902. The name was subsequently changed to Ontario Northland Transportation.
JULY 15, 1954
New York Central is authorized to discontinue passenger services between Ottawa, Canada and Helena, New York.
JULY 15, 1983
Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole and Alaska's governor Bill Sheffield sign a report detailing the Alaska Railroad's property, assets and liabilities to be transferred to the state of Alaska.
JULY 15, 1985
Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) successor, Bombardier, quits new locomotive business.
JULY 15, 2004
British Columbia Rail becomes part of the Canadian National system.
Your post noting the RR wreck on 7/15/1864 rang a bell with me.My home town in Elmira N.Y. where a prison camp was located.A train wreck near Shohola Pa. is part of the camps history.I hope the following link works for more info on the event.www.rootsweb.com/~albarbou/train.htm
Google Elmira N.Y prison camp for more information.
Dave W.
Omaha,Nebr.
JULY 16, 1877
Violence erupts in Martinsburg, West Virginia as striking railroad workers derail a train and seize railroad property. The local militia refuses to shoot the strikers, but President Hayes orders the men back to work and sends in Federal troops tp break the strike.
JULY 16, 1939
The first rack-rail diesel-electric locomotive is placed into service on the Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway, the world's highest cog railroad.
JULY 16, 1945
Canadian National opens the high ore dock at Port Arthur which was built to handle ore from the Steep Rock Iron Mines near Atikokan, Ontario. The first shipment left the dock on July 20 on the vessel Marquette.
JULY 16, 1970
The states of Colorado and New Mexico buy 64 miles of narrow gauge trackage running between Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado from the Denver & Rio Grande Western at a cost of $547,120.00. This in effect, was the beginning of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR.
JULY 16, 1983
Amtrak changes it's route for the California Zephyr from the Union Pacific across Wyoming to the Denver & Rio Grande Western through the Colorado Rockies.
JULY 17, 1856
A Sunday school excursion train collision kills 60, including 46 children near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
JULY 17, 1879
The first railroad in Hawaii opens.
JULY 17, 1951
The New York Central Railroad is authorized to reduce passenger service between Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and Helena, New York to the months of November to April, inclusive, in each year.
JULY 17, 1962
Following testing on the "Ocean", Canadian National's transcontinental train, the Super Continental, appears for the first time in the new black and white color scheme, with orange-red locomotive fronts. This ultimately replaced the traditional olive green, gold and black design.
JULY 17, 1966
In the Canadian province of Ontario: Canadian Pacific abandons it's Sussex Street subdivision from Bank Street (m. 1.2) to Hurdman Tower (m. 3.5). Hurdman Tower is subsequently demolished.
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy runs it's last steam powered excursion. I think this was behind #4960, which is now owned and operated by the Grand Canyon Railway. I hope someone out there will correct me on this if I am wrong.
JULY 18, 1846
The first international trains between the United States and Canada run from Portland, Maine to Montreal on the Atlantic & St. Lawrence Railroad.
JULY 18, 1858
The Pennsylvania Railroad introduces the smoking car on it's first through run from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
JULY 18, 1959
The final use of steam power is made on the Nickel Plate Railroad.
JULY 18, 1968
The Santa Fe operates the last of it's California Special trips.
JULY 19, 1860
The first railroad reaches Kansas.
JULY 19, 1967
The New York City subway receives it's first air conditioned car.
JULY 19, 1968
The Santa Fe discontinues it's Dallas connection of the Texas Chief.
JULY 19, 1987
Red River Valley & Western begins operation over 667 miles of ex-Burlington Northern trackage in North Dakota.
JULY 20, 1871
British Columbia is admitted to the Dominion of Canada. One of the conditions of entry is that the Dominion Government should, within two years from the date of union, commence the construction of a railway from the Pacific towards the Rocky Mountains and from a point east of the Rocky Mountains towards the Pacific to connect the seaboard of British Columbia with the railway system of Canada.
JULY 20, 1877
Nine strikers are killed and several are wounded in Baltimore by state militia which was trying to prevent a crowd from reaching the railroad station. 50 more people are killed in four days of rioting.
JULY 20, 1894
Federal troops are withdrawn from Chicago as the power of the Pullman strikers is broken.
JULY 20, 1907
33 people are killed in a train accident at Salem, Michigan.
JULY 20, 1914
New York Central & Hudson River was renamed to New York Central Railroad.
JULY 20, 1948
The Chicago Railroad Fair opened.
JULY 20, 1957
In the Canadian province of Ontario: The last through Canadian National train operated over the original Grand Trunk line between Cornwall and Cardinal. The Cornwall Junction station/tower was dismantled soon afterwards. The trackage between the diversion at the yard near Boundary Road to the end of track just south of the Cedars Transmission Line became the Cornwall Spur.
JULY 20, 1973
A former Canadian National turbo train is wrecked at Lachine, Quebec. It had been sold to Amtrak and was painted in Amtrak colors, units 54 and 55.
JULY 21, 1836
The first steam railroad in Canada, the Champlain and Saint Lawrence Railroad opens from Laprarie on the St. Lawrence River to St. John on the Richelieu River (16.5 miles). This was Canada's first public railroad. The inaugural train was pulled by the locomotive "Dorchester". In 1857 the Champlain and St. Lawrence became part of the Montreal and Champlain Railroad which was leased to the Grand Trunk in 1864 and now forms part of the Canadian National system.
JULY 21, 1873
Jesse James and his gang hold up their first train, a Rock Island express at Adair, Iowa and escape with $3,000. The train's engineer was killed when the locomotive is derailed prior to the robbery.
JULY 21, 1877
After a violent clash between railroad strikers and State troops in Pittsburgh, a battle and riot ensues in which 2000 freight cars are burned and $10,000,000 in railroad property is destroyed.
JULY 21, 1898
Alaska's first railroad, the narrow gauge White Pass & Yukon Railway, opens.
JULY 21, 1952
An earthquake forces closure of Southern Pacific's mainline at Tehachapi, California for 25 days.
JULY 22, 1871
In the Canadian province of Ontario: A formal ground breaking ceremony for Canada Central Railway section between Sandpoint and Renfrew takes place at Renfrew.
JULY 22, 1906
The Grand Trunk Railway changes from left to right hand running on double track sections. The change involved considerable alteration in crossovers, switches and semaphore signals.
Chicago's last cable car route, the State Street Line, ends operation.
JULY 22, 1909
Construction begins on the Oregon Trunk Line.
JULY 23, 1877
Passenger service begins on the first municipal railroad in the U.S., the Cincinnati Southern, between Cincinnati, Ohio and Ludlow and Sowerset, Kentucky.
JULY 23, 1899
Last cable car operation in Washington, D.C.
JULY 23, 1945
Vista-dome cars were introduced to service on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad between Chicago and Minneapolis, Minnesota on the Twin Cities Zephyr.
JULY 23, 1959
The Union Pacific makes it's last revenue freight run with the use of 4-6-6-4 #3713 to Cheyenne, Wyoming.
JULY 23, 1963
Last run for the Chicago & Northwestern's Twin Cities 400.
JULY 23, 1966
New York Central tests a jet-powered RDC in Ohio.
JULY 23, 1971
In the Canadian province of Ontario: Canadian Pacific abandons it's Havelock subdivision between Glen Tay and Tweed.
JULY 23, 1975
In the Canadian province of Ontario: Canadian National opens a diversion of the Kingston Subdivision between m. 172.32 and m. 173.37 which removes the CN tracks from downtown Kingston.
JULY 24, 1870
The first railroad car to travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts arrives in New York.
JULY 24, 1877
Patent #193,357 is issued to Joel Tiffany for the first really successful refrigerated car design.
JULY 24, 1986
The Interstate Commerce Commission rejects the proposed merger of the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Santa Fe Railway.
JULY 25, 1832
A cable chain breaks while demonstrating Granite Railway's incline to several visitors resulting in the first railroad fatality.
JULY 25, 1922
President Harding orders Federal rail and coal controls to ensure distribution of food and fuel during a nationwide railroad worker's strike.
JULY 25, 1953
First use of subway tokens in New York City.
JULY 25, 1958
Pacific Great Eastern completes construction on it's line to Fort St. John, British Columbia. Construction on the line to Dawson Creek was completed a few weeks later.
JULY 25, 1967
Construction begins on San Francisco's Market Street subway.
JULY 26, 1847
Moses Garrish Farmer builds first miniature train for children to ride.
JULY 26, 1877
Railroad strike expands from coast to coast, becoming the first nationwide strike against the railroads.
JULY 26, 1884
The East Cleveland Street Railway becomes the first electric streetcar operation as it begins operations in Cleveland, Ohio.
JULY 26, 1972
The Erie Lackawanna declares bankruptcy.
JULY 27, 1844
The Long Island Railroad opens it's first section of track to Greenport, New York.
JULY 27, 1949
On the Ottawa division of the New York Central: In Cornwall, Ontario, streetcars were operated for the last time. Streetcar #29 was used, painted black with a midnight theme and featured superintendent W.J. Mitchell sitting on the car's roof, dressed as Father Time. Much of the trackage on Pitt, 2nd, Marlborough, 7th, Water and Montreal were abandoned. Street cars that were scrapped were nos. 17 to 19, 22, 25 to 28, 30 and 32 to 38. They were pushed into an empty lot off Cumberland Street and burned before they were cut up for scrap metal. Nos. 29 and 31 were retired and stored.
JULY 27, 1955
Canadian National opens a branch line from Hillsport to Manitowadge, Ontario.
JULY 27, 1959
The Southern Pacific runs it's first revenue train over the Great Salt Lake Fill.
JULY 28, 1871
Tracklaying for the Denver & Rio Grande Railway begins in Denver, Colorado.
JULY 28, 1897
On the Ottawa division of the New York Central: In Cornwall, Ontario the Cornwal Bridge Company was created to build the south channel bridge that will link the New York & Ottawa Railroad with the Ottawa & New York as well as the Racquette River crossing.
JULY 29, 1898
In the Canadian province of Ontario: The Ottawa and New York Railway opens between Cornwall and Ottawa. The first sod was turned at Cornwall on the 23rd of August 1897 and the first revenue freight was two carloads of hay from Crysler to Montreal which were routed through Finch and the Canadian Pacific in late October 1897. Agreement could not initially be negotiated with the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway on the use of Central Depot and Ottawa and New York trains ran to and from the Canadian Pacific station at Sussex or McTaggert Street.
JULY 29, 1906
45 are killed when the Pacific Express plunges into the Hudson River.
JULY 29, 1960
In the Canadian province of Ontario: Canadian National abandons the former Renfrew subdivision between m. 2.5, Bayswater Avenue, and m. 2.1 Preston Street.
JULY 29, 1962
19 people die in a train crash at Steelton, Pennsylvania.
JULY 29, 1966
In the Canadian province of Ontario: Canadian National is authorized to open a spur track 1.88 miles long from Portage du Fort commencing at m. 59.32 Beachburg subdivision and ending at the plant of Consolidated Pontiac Incorporated.
A connection is installed between the Canadian Pacific and the Canadian National at Bells Junction, Ontario.
JULY 30, 1902
The largest locomotive in the world is wrecked at Denver, Colorado. Does anyone out there know what the wheel arrangement of this locomotive was? My source of information doesn't provide any specific information other than this.
JULY 30, 1984
In the Canadian province of Ontario: Canadian Pacific is authorized to abandon the Ellwood Spur from m. 0.95 to m. 1.20, part of the former Sussex Street subdivision.
JULY 31, 1809
First practical U.S. railroad, horse-drawn cars on wooden track in Philadelphia.
JULY 31, 1847
Monon Route chartered.
JULY 31, 1851
The 5'6" gauge, broad gauge, is adopted as the standard gauge for Ontario and Quebec. This broad gauge was used until about 1870.
JULY 31, 1916
Through service commences on Canadian Pacific Railway's Kettle Valley line between Nelson and Vancouver, British Columbia, the first regular passenger train having run between Midway and Merritt on the 31st of May, 1915.
JULY 31, 1940
43 killed in train accident at Cuyahogo Falls, Ohio.
JULY 31, 1956
Great Northern ends electrification in the Cascades.
JULY 21, 1966
In the Canadian Province of Ontario: The Ottawa Station is opened. The old Union Station, along with the line across the Alexandria Bridge is closed. The last train to use this station is Canadian National no. 5 "The Panorama". The electric train staff system between Hull West, Hull Beemer and Ottawa Union was abandoned on this date.
JULY 31, 1971
Monon Route merged into the Louisville & Nashville.
JULY 31, 1993
Canadian National abandons the Renfrew subdivision from Nepean to Arnprior, this section being acquired by the regional government and operated on it's behalf by Canadian National.
AUGUST 01, 1836
Tuscumbia, Courtland & Decatur Railroad decides to use sandboxes on locomotives to prevent them from slipping on squashed grasshoppers.
August 01, 1860
In the Canadian province of New Brunswick: The European and North American Railway opens from St. John, New Brunswick to Shediac. The line became part of the Intercolonial Railway on July 1, 1867.
AUGUST 01, 1873
Andrew Hallidie demonstrates practical cable car system on Clay Street Hill in San Francisco.
AUGUST 01, 1966
The Canadian Railway Historical Association, Ottawa Branch, leases the Canadian National Ramsayville Spur, formerly New York Central main line, as a site for a possible museum/restoration site. The lease was given up on July 31, 1972.
AUGUST 01, 1970
Canadian Pacific ceases operation of passenger trains 232-6 between Montreal and Ottawa via South Shore. Daily service is maintained by continuing operation of trains 1 and 2, "The Canadian".
On September 8, 1897, Jimmie Rodgers, "The Singing Brakeman", was born.
Does anyone else have anything to add for today?!?!
SEPTEMBER 08, 1883
President Chester Arthur is present for the opening of the first railroad to the Pacific Northwest, the Northern Pacific Railroad, at Gold Creek, Montana. US President Chester A. Arthur participated in the opening.
September 08, 1987
MidSouth purchases the 40 mile North Louisiana & Gulf Railroad
SEPTEMBER 09, 1909
Railroad empire builder Edward Henry Harriman dies.
SEPTEMBER 09, 1929
The first air-conditioned Pullman cars go into service between Chicago and Los Angeles.
SEPTEMBER 09, 1933
Service ends on the Corvalis branch of the Oregon Electric.
SEPTEMBER 09, 1997
Rail service is restored to the E.B. Eddy paper mill in Hull, Ontario, Canada. Some four years earlier, changes in the mill eliminated the need for rail service and all plant trackage and the connection to the Canadian Pacific's Waltham subdivision, which had used the former Hull Electric Railway right-of-way, trackage and bridge over the Lachute subdivision at Hull, were removed. As the Waltham subdivision had also been lifted, access to the plant was regained by means of a spur connecting with the Lachute subdivision at the north end of the Prince of Whales Bridge. One storage siding was built on the site of the former six track yard and two delivery sidings were built, one interior and one exterior, on the mill site west of the intersection of Tache Boulevard and Montcalm Street. On September 09, buisness car "Lacambe" became the first railborne visitor to the new trackage.
cherokee woman wrote: On September 8, 1897, Jimmie Rodgers, "The Singing Brakeman", was born.Does anyone else have anything to add for today?!?!
spokyone wrote: cherokee woman wrote: On September 8, 1897, Jimmie Rodgers, "The Singing Brakeman", was born.Does anyone else have anything to add for today?!?! Thanks for reviving this thread. You are welcome! Credit should go to Cherokee Woman, for without her prompting, I might not have picked up this thread and restarted it as early as I did.CANADIANPACIFIC2816
You are welcome! Credit should go to Cherokee Woman, for without her prompting, I might not have picked up this thread and restarted it as early as I did.
SEPTEMBER 10, 1971
Pacific Great Eastern Railway's extension from Fort St. John to Fort Nelson, British Columbia is opened for traffic.
SEPTEMBER 10, 1984
The Pope travels by special train from Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre and Montreal, Windsor Station. LRC-3 locomotives nos. 6927 and 6922, elephant style, were on the nose and no. 6921 was on the rear. LRC-2 locomotives nos. 6907 and 6915 handled the train for the media.
SEPTEMBER 10, 1995
After 93 years of service, the Broadway Limited is discontinued.
SEPTEMBER 11, 1910
In Los Angeles, the Pacific Electric Railway places the first trackless trolley system in operation.
SEPTEMBER 11, 1916
The bridge under construction over the St. Lawrence River at Quebec falls a second time, killing another 13 men.
SEPTEMBER 11, 1913
Oregon Electric's Orenco cutoff is completed.
SEPTEMBER 11, 1950
33 are killed when a Pennsylvania Railroad troop train is hit by the Spirit of St. Louis express train near West Lafayette, Ohio.
Lima ships it's last locomotive, a center cab diesel, to the Pennsylvania Railroad.
SEPTEMBER 12, 1850
First rails laid for the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad ( a predecessor to the Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific).
SEPTEMBER 12, 1859
In the Canadian province of Ontario: The Brockville & Ottawa Railway is opened between Smiths Falls to Almonte.
SEPTEMBER 12, 1952
Compartmentalized freight cars are developed by the Pullman Standard Car Company and the Western Pacific Railroad and are placed in service between Chicago and San Francisco.
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