The meeting of Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago on March 20, 2020, is cancelled.

The speaker cancelled his presentation to the Club due to the COVID-19 situation. We will not have a substitute program.

We still anticipate having programs on April 17, May 15, and June 19, 2020. We will keep you informed.

For program announcements, please subscribe to our groups.io mailing list. Send a blank message to [email protected]

Web site:
Email: shortlinechicagoHS@...

Phone number for program announcements: 312 725-0432; leave message to receive a call back

March 13, 1884 "Standard Time" takes effect for the railroads, with four time zones across the United States. Standard time will not be official in the U.S. until 1918.

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March 14, 1864 John Luther "Casey" Jones is born.

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March 15, 1911 The first contract with a railroad specifying an eight hour work day is signed with the Denver & Rio Grande by the American Federation of Labor's Railway Employees' Department.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 12, 1857 The locomotive, mail car and two first class coaches of a Great Western Railway train from Toronto to Hamilton, Ontario plunges 60 feet into the frozen Desjardins Canal after the bridge collapses. Seventy persons die from trauma, drowning, or exposure. Only 20 passengers survive. (Some sources say 59 people killed in total.)

Mark Tomlonson

March 10, 2009 Canadian National routes its first two trains over the former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern. CN's purchase of the line was finalized on January 31. Traffic is expected to grow to six daily trains in the near future.

Mark Tomlonson

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March 6, 1834 The London & Gore Railroad in Upper Canada receives its charter; the first railroad charter in what is now Ontario. Running between Niagara Falls and Windsor, it will be later part of the Great Western, Grand Trunk and Canadian National Railways.

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March 8, 1855 The first train crosses the suspension bridge over Niagara Falls. Before this time, goods and passengers were ferried across the river. The bridge does not end the transfer, as the change in track gauge between lines in New York and Ontario remains, although the bridge itself has three gauges (56.5", 66" and 72"). The Bridge will allow the Michigan Central via the Great Western to reach markets in the east and will be a major selling point for the line. (Some sources say March 17)

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March 8, 1926 The Illinois Central installs the first electro-pneumatic car retarders in the United States at Markham Yard near Chicago.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 4, 1889 The Grand Trunk carferry "Transit I" is destroyed by fire in its dock at Windsor ONT.

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March 4, 1908 In the United States, a new Hours of Service law takes effect: 9 hours for train operators and 16 hours for trainmen.

Mark Tomlonson

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March 2, 1893 The United States Safety Appliance Act is signed into law, mandating that all cars in interchange service be equipped with air brakes, automatic couplers and grab irons.

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March 2, 1902 The first segment of the James Bay RR (later Canadian Northern, Canadian National) is opened between Parry Sound and Canada Atlantic Junction, 3.7 miles.

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Mark Tomlonson

February 28, 1908 First test run through Grand Trunk's St. Clair tunnel using electric locomotives.

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February 28, 1920 In the U.S., the Transportation Act is passed, allowing the ICC to set intrastate rates in some cases and forming the Railway Labor Board. It also sets a date for the end of USRA control.

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February 28, 1931 The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton is sold to Pennroad Corporation (PRR subsidiary) and the Wabash Railroad.

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February 28, 1986 The last official move is made at Canadian National's Spadina Roundhouse in Toronto. The facility will later be demolished to make room for the Skydome.

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February 29, 1988 IC Industries spins off the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad, which then reforms as the Illinois Central Railroad.

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March 1, 1877 The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the regulation of railroads.

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March 1, 1898 The "Maritime Express" between Montreal and Halifax begins service on the Intercolonial Railway. Later Canadian National will operate the train.

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March 1, 1920 USRA control of railroads ends.

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Mark Tomlonson

February 21, 1879 The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee passes a bill on transporting livestock, sponsored by Senator John R. McPherson. The Bill reads that livestock must not be carried in railroad cars more than 28 hours at a time, but may be carried for 60 hours if fed and watered in cars. (Senator McPherson and his friends have recently obtained patents for devices that allow this.) The Bill also calls for federal inspection of cargo at major ports.

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February 21, 1954 Since Mississippi does not require advance notice, Gulf Mobile & Ohio terminates the Mississippi portion of their "Little Rebel" trains in mid-run. Passengers are taken by bus and car to their destinations.

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February 22, 1855 The first common carrier railroad in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the Iron Mountain Railroad (later DSS&A, SOO, CN) is charted.

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February 22, 1910 The U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission denies a petition filed by several railroads to allow them to increase their shipping rates to cover recent wage increases.

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Mark Tomlonson

Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago
7:30 pm
Friday, February 21, 2020

Chicago Union Station
500 W Jackson Blvd Rm 107A
Chicago, Illinois

The History of the Burlington in Downers Grove
by Leo Phillipp, Burlington Route Historical Society

Downers Grove on the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy was a suburban service terminal until 1952 with a roundhouse and turntable. This presentation will cover the suburban terminal, industries served, the major wrecks that have occurred, including the 1947 plunging of the Twin Cities afternoon Zephyr into the depot. Find out how and why it happened.

Leo Phillipp is a noted historian of the Burlington Route and a board member of the Burlington Route Historical Society.

Note: The Illinois Amtrak Program has been rescheduled for the fourth time and will be presented on March 20, 2020.

Please enter Chicago Union Station at 500 W Jackson Blvd between Clinton and Canal.
Call 312 725-0432 during meeting for assistance.

Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago meets at Chicago Union Station on the third Friday of the month at 7:30 pm, except in July and August.

Web site:
Email: shortlinechicagoHS@...

Phone number for program announcements: 312 725-0432; leave message to receive a call back

Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago is now on 开云体育!
For program announcements by email, send a blank message
To: [email protected]

February 17, 1872 The President of the Peninsular Railway (later GTW, CNR) writes to the Pennsylvania Company noting that his road is laid from Lansing MI to a point 12 miles west of South Bend. He proposes joining the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago (later PRR) at Valparaiso for a route to Chicago in exchange for Bonds and a favorable freight rate.

Mark Tomlonson

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February 15, 1855 The Joliet & Chicago Railroad (later C&M, StlA&C, C&A, GM&O, ICG, CN) is chartered. It will be completed next year.

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February 15, 1997 The former Detroit, Toledo & Ironton lines making up Grand Trunk's Flatrock Subdivision south of Diann become part of the Indiana & Ohio Railway. Grand Trunk retains rights north of Diann.

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Mark Tomlonson

February 13, 1849 The Vermont Central Railway opens from White River Junction south to Windsor VT.

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Mark Tomlonson

February 11, 1998 Canadian National purchases the Illinois Central for $2.4 billion (US - $3.81 billion in 2020 dollars) in cash and shares.

Mark Tomlonson

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February 10, 1851 The Illinois Central Railroad receives its charter.

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Mark Tomlonson

February 7, 1880 The first Grand Trunk passenger train leaves Chicago for points east.

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February 7, 1983 Elizabeth Dole, the first female U.S. Secretary of Transportation is sworn in.

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February 8, 1918 The USRA announces that it will standardize rolling stock for all new equipment orders.

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February 8, 1986 A Canadian National freight runs a red signal in Dalehurst AB, possibly because the crew was asleep, and crashes head-on into VIA's train No. 4. Twenty-three people are killed; 71 are injured. Most of the first responders come from Hinton, just over 11 miles away.

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Mark Tomlonson

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