November 4, 1925 Canadian National Railcar 15820 finishes a transcontinental trip it started three days earlier, averaging 44 mph and topping out at 60 mph

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November 4, 2021 CN announces it will be purchasing a Wabtec battery-electric locomotive. The unit, purchased with financial support from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, was used as a demonstrator on BNSF earlier in the year.

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Mark Tomlonson

November 1, 1878 The Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee comes under control of the Grand Trunk.

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November 1, 1928 The Grand Trunk Western consolidates 10 subsidiary lines operating in Michigan, Illinois and Indiana to form a single system.

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November 1, 1957 U.S. Class I Railroads report they roster 27,108 diesel and 2,697 steam locomotives. An additional 721 steam locomotives are in storage.

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November 1, 1967 Canadian National receives five sets of Turbotrains for testing.

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November 1, 1978 The Grand Trunk ends carferry service on the great lakes.

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November 3, 2008 CN announces it is buying some of the rail and ferry operations of Quebec Railway Corporation. Included in the buy: Chemin de fer de la Matapedia et du Golfe, New Brunswick East Coast Railway, Ottawa Central Railway and the rail ferry firm Compagnie de gestiion de Matane Inc.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 31, 1843 The Vermont Central is re-created to build a line across the center of Vermont.

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October 31, 1957 The Canadian National Railway receives permission to operate the former New York Central Lines in the vicinity of Ottawa ON. Some of the lines will be re-laid.

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October 31, 1965 “Rapido” passenger service begins on the Canadian National.

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October 31, 1976 Canadian National and Canadian Pacific issue the first joint VIA Rail timetable.

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October 31, 1982 The United Aircraft Turbo Trains [Amtrak, CN, VIA] are removed from service by VIA. They will go next to Naporano Iron & Metal in New Jersey where they will be scrapped.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 30, 1972 In the worst railway accident in Chicago history, two commuter trains collide in early morning dense fog, killing 45 and injuring 332. The engineer of an Illinois Central Gulf train overshot the 27th Street Station. As he backed to the station, the rear of the train was not properly flagged. The train had cleared an automatic block signal, and was struck by an express commuter train. After this accident all Chicago commuter trains are painted with bright stripes at the ends of the trains.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 29, 1889 Illinois Central completes the 4-mile river bridge at Cairo IL.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 28, 1959 The Canadian National line between St. Felicien and Chibougamau QC opens.

October 28, 1931 The Pennsylvania and Grand Trunk railroads agree to share their Milwaukee and Muskegon terminals. This is to serve the Great Lakes carferries run by the Grand Trunk-Pennsylvania Transportation Company formed today. Actual operation of the carferries is delayed due to the Depression.

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October 28, 1959 The Canadian National line between St. Felicien and Chibougamau QC opens.

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October 28, 1962 The Grand Trunk reduces the time for its Chicago-Montreal "International" by one hour and 45 minutes. Chicago-Detroit time is cut by 45 minutes.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 25, 1854 The broad gauge (5'6") Carillon & Greenville Railway opens near Hawkesbury ON as a portage railway around Hawkesbury Rapids. On this date in 1910 it will close, having become the last broad gauge railroad in North America. From 1914 to 1988 the route will be used by Canadian National.

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October 25, 1926 The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton begins using Pullman-built gas-electric cars between Delray and Bainbrdge OH. The new equipment cuts travel time from 11 to 9 ? hours.

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October 25, 1969 The last loads of livestock are unloaded at Durand MI.

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October 26, 1874 The Grand Trunk Railway is converted from 5’ 6” (1676 mm) gauge to Standard Gauge east of Montreal.

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October 26, 1951 Quebec Light & Power Company sells its 26 mile (42 km) Montmorency Division, running between Quebec City and Joachim to the Canadian National Railway.

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October 26, 1995 The Montreal / Deux-Montagnes Commuter Train Line is modernized and reopened after being closed for three consecutive summers.

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October 27, 1854 Near present day Jeanette’s creek in Chatham-Kent ON on the Great Western Railway (later GT, CN), a gravel train that had falsely been given clearance collides head-on with a passenger train running at least 4 hours late.? The wreck kills 52 people and leaves as many as 60 injured. It is Canada’s first major train wreck and the worst train wreck in North America at that time.

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October 27, 1856 First train between Montreal and Toronto over what will become the Canadian National "Kingston" subdivision.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 23, 1959 Grand Trunk Western 4-8-4 6325 is donated to the City of Battle Creek and placed on display in a city park.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 22, 1906 William Mackenzie and Donald Mann file plans with the Government of Canada to build their Canadian Northern Railway's mainline from Edmonton through the Yellowhead Pass to the Pacific coast. The greater portion of the line remains in service as Canadian National's mainline.

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October 22, 1929 The Grand Trunk carferry "Milwaukee" is lost in a violent storm in Lake Michigan. Waves smash the seagate, which allows water to enter the lower decks through grates covering the coal chutes on the car deck. None of the 42 people aboard survive. The hull will be located in 1972.

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October 22, 2004 Canadian National Railway announces it is opening shipping offices in Shanghai and Beijing.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 21, 1918 First train on the Montreal - Deux-Montagnes line.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 19, 1878 The Detroit & Milwaukee is reorganized as the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee. [later GTW]

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October 19, 1893 A Grand Trunk passenger train wrecks at Battle Creek MI, killing 26.

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October 20, 1881 Construction of the Pontiac, Oxford & Port Austin Railroad (later GTW) begins in Caseville, bringing rail service to Michigan's "Thumb" area.

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October 20, 1920 The Association of American Railroads issues standards for stenciling reporting marks on the sides of freight cars.

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October 20, 1978 Vicksburg MI loses its agent, the last person working in the passenger depot. The structure, located at the crossing of the former Grand Rapids & Indiana and Grand Trunk Western, is now home to the Vicksburg Historical Society.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 17, 1960 In the United States, five operating unions and the railroads agree to the creation of a Federal Commission to study work rules and "featherbedding". The railroads have agreed, believing that their viewpoint will prevail.

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Mark Tomlonson

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October 15, 1870 Service on the Chicago & Lake Huron, Western Division (later GT, GTW, CN) between Climax Prairie (now Climax) and Battle Creek MI begins.

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October 15, 1949 The Gulf, Mobile & Ohio retires its last steam locomotive, 2-8-2 #404, becoming the first major U.S. railroad to dieselize. The event is covered in a "Life" magazine feature.

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Mark Tomlonson